The McKinney-Vento Act

The McKinney-Vento program was originally authorized in 1987, reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and most recently reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. It is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.

What is McKinney-Vento? The Federal McKinney-Vento Act makes it a Texas State Law that guarantees that every child should be enrolled in school regardless of their living situation.

Who is McKinney-Vento? The McKinney-Vento Act defines “homeless children and youth” as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes children and youth living in:

• Shelters (Domestic Violence Shelters, Woman’s shelters, Day shelters or transition shelters as some may be called)
• Motels/Hotels
• Doubled Up – living with a friend, relative due to economic hardship/ loss of housing.
• Substandard housing – homes/mobile homes w no water, electricity or heat
• Parks, under bridges, in vehicles, or abandoned buildings
• Awaiting foster care placements 

Mission Statement

To help eliminate barriers to school enrollment for homeless students regardless of their living situation and to provide them with the resources they need to attend and succeed in school.

Services Provided

• Immediate school enrollment (barriers to immediate enrollment may include no proof of residency, no proof of legal guardianship, no birth certificates, no immunization records - under the MV Act, a 30-day grace period is allowed from date of enrollment)
• Nutrition services (breakfast and lunch)
• School supplies and backpacks
• Clothes
• Transportation to and from school of origin (school of origin is the last school attended)

Resources

Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth Infographic