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McKinney-Vento Act: Students Navigating Houselessness Education Program

What is McKinney-Vento? 

The McKinney-Vento Act for the Education of Houseless Children and Youth Program, ensures that houseless children and youth are provided a free, appropriate public education, despite the lack of a fixed, regular, nighttime, adequate place of residence. A youth is considered unaccompanied if they are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. The state public school admission statute assuring the right of houseless and other children and youth in similar circumstances to enroll in schools is Oregon Revised Statute ORS 339.115(7). 

ORS 339.115(7). Notwithstanding ORS 339.133 (2)(a), a school district shall not exclude from admission a child located in the district solely because the child does not have a fixed place of residence or solely because the child is not under the supervision of a parent, guardian or person in a parental relationship.


Every school district in Oregon has at least one designated Houseless Student Liaison to provide direct assistance to families navigating houselessness and unaccompanied youths to access and achieve in school. To reach a district liaison, refer to the McKinney-Vento Liaison Contact List linked below or you may contact the district’s administrative office or the state Houseless Education Program office. 

Eligibility

If your family lives in any of the following situations:
  • In a shelter 
  • In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
  • In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station 
  • Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship
  • Lack of a fixed, regular, nighttime, adequate place of residence
Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act. 
  • Receive a free, appropriate public education. 
  • Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment. 
  • Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents. 
  • Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference and is feasible. 
    • If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision. 
  • Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if you request this. 
  • Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children’s needs.
 

American Rescue Plan for Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY)

Extension of Oregon Department of Education's America Rescue Plan Administrative Funds — Public Notice

The US Department of Education is inviting States to seek a waiver of section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (Tydings), which will extend the period of availability of administrative funds consolidated under ESEA section 8201.

Specifically, the Tydings waiver will allow the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to consolidate any remaining American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Response (ARP ESSER) or Homeless Children and Youth (ARP HCY) state administration funds with any state ESEA administration funds and use this consolidated funding to seek a Tydings waiver to address costs associated with ARP ESSER and ARP  HCY close-out activities.

ODE intends to seek this waiver in order to allow for staffing to provide timely reimbursements and technical assistance for reimbursements to districts and other educational partners during the grant liquidation period and ultimately close out the ESSER grants.

The waiver will also allow ODE to maintain staff to assist districts and other recipients of pandemic funds with required reporting in 2025.

Should any member of the public care to comment on this decision, please email the ODE ESSER Inbox with the subject line: “Tydings Waiver Feedback" by July 15, 2024.

Houseless Student Data

Data posted in this section (Counts of 1 to 5 students) have been suppressed to protect confidentiality. State totals are unduplicated, while other totals may include students identified more than once.




Students & Families


Liaisons, Districts, & ESDs


Resources

Resources:

​Responses to frequent questions from districts on how McKinney-Vento applies to students and families displaced by disasters such as wildfires.

Resources:

​

McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Guidance Document

This is the guidance document from the US Department of Education.​

U.S. Department of Education, Education of Homeless Children and Youth Programs​

Federal management of the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program, through the Office of Safe and Healthy Students.

National Center for Homeless Education

Under federal contract, NCHE provides technical assistance, webinars, topical briefs, and toolkits for school district Homeless Liaisons and State Coordinators.

SchoolHouse Connection

is a national organization providing strategic advocacy and technical assistance for McKinney-Vento Education programs in partnership with early childhood programs, public schools, higher education, service providers, families and youth.

National Homeless Law Center

The mission of NLCH is to prevent and end homelessness by serving as the legal arm of the nationwide movement to end homelessness.

National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

membership organization for McKinney-Vento program staffs sponsoring annual national conference.​



If you have any questions about these programs, please contact OR-MV@ode.oregon.gov.