Supporting 

the Education 

of Children 

and Youth 

Experiencing 

Homelessness

Who is homeless?

(McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001 – Title X, Part C, of the No Child Left Behind Act – Sec 725)The term “homeless children and youth”—A. means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, 

and adequate nighttime residence...; and

B. includes —

i. children and youths who are sharing the 

housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;

ii. children and youths who have a primary 

nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings...

iii. children and youths who are living in 

cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and

iv. migratory children...who qualify as 

homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).

Educational rights

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, children in homeless situations have the right to:Go to school, no matter where they live or 

how long they have lived there

Attend either the local school or the school 

of origin, if this is in their best interest; the school of origin is the school the child attended when he/she was permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled

Receive transportation to and from the 

school of origin

Enroll in school immediately, even if missing 

records and documents normally required for enrollment such as a birth certificate, proof of residence, previous school records, or immunization/medical records

Enroll, attend classes, and participate fully 

in all school activities while the school arranges for the transfer of records

Have access to the same programs and 

services that are available to all other students including transportation and supplemental educational services

Attend school with children not experiencing 

homelessness; segregation based on a student’s status as homeless is prohibited

NCHE publications are supported through a contract with the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs. For more information, visit http://www.ed.gov/

programs/homeless/index.html.

National Center for Homeless Education

Toll-free Helpline: 800-308-2145

Website: http://www.serve.org/nche

E-mail: homeless@serve.org
What is NCHE?

The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is an information clearinghouse and technical assistance center in support of the homeless education community nationwide. NCHE is funded through the U.S. Department of Education and is housed at the SERVE Center at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. NCHE:Supports educators, service providers, 

parents, community members, and others interested in the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness

Provides information and resources on the 

needs and educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness

Provides information and training about the 

provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, federal legislation dealing with the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness

nche resources

Awareness foldersEducational rights postersEnrollment reference foldoutsInformational booklets for youth on their 

own

Informational folders and brochures for 

parents

Informational publications on best practicesIssue briefsTraining and reference materials for state 

coordinators and local liaisons

Materials for supporting children and youth 

displaced by disaster

nche helpline

800-308-2145 • homeless@serve.org

NCHE operates a toll-free helpline to assist educators, service providers, parents, community members, and others interested in the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Contact the NCHE Helpline for assistance with:Understanding the educational rights of 

children and youth experiencing homelessness

Determining how the McKinney-Vento Act 

applies to a particular situation

Finding contact information for state 

coordinators and local liaisons

Call the NCHE Helpline at 800-308-2145 ore-mail homeless@serve.org.

nche listserv

NCHE’s Homeless Education Listserv provides colleagues across the nation with a forum for communicating about emerging issues in the field of homeless education, including the application of the McKinney-Vento Act and strategies for protecting the educational rights of homeless children and youth. For more information or to join the listserv, contact NCHE at homeless@serve.org.

NCHE website 

http://www.serve.org/nche

NCHE’s website is a comprehensive source of information on homeless education.Order NCHE products free of chargeLearn more about the McKinney-Vento Act 

and other laws pertaining to the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness

Search for information on topics such as 

identification, enrollment, transportation, unaccompanied youth, dispute resolution, and more

View or download training materialsLearn more about homeless education in 

your state

Download materials from other states 

and communities that can be customized and used in your community including brochures, posters, policies, and more

Through it all, school is probably 

the only thing that has kept me 

going. I know that every day that 

I walk in those doors, I can stop 

thinking about my problems for the 

next six hours and concentrate on 

what is most important to me.”

Formerly Homeless Student