The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures the educational rights and protections of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Originally enacted in 1987 and most recently reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the law requires public schools to identify and support students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Key provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act include:

• Immediate enrollment in school, even if the student lacks normally required documents (such as proof of residency or immunization records).
• Transportation assistance to and from the school of origin to maintain educational stability.
• Access to the same free, appropriate public education as other children and youth, including participation in all programs and extracurricular activities.

Each school district must designate a Homeless Liaison to help identify eligible students, ensure they are enrolled and receiving services, and act as a point of contact for families and staff. The goal of the McKinney-Vento Act is to remove barriers to education and provide stability and support for students during times of housing insecurity.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program in Hallsville ISD is a special program designed to meet the needs of children and youth who are homeless. A student is considered homeless if he/she lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The homeless education program helps students enroll in school even if they lack the required paperwork. It helps them attend their original school or a school where they are currently living. It makes sure that these students receive services comparable to those received by their classmates.

Who qualifies as a homeless student?  A homeless student could be

• sharing a house with other persons due to loss of housing (these may or may not be relatives);
• living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds because of a lack of other accommodations;
• living in emergency shelters, or
• abandoned in hospitals.