McKinney - Vento Homeless Act

Subtitle VII-B of The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act authorizes the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program and is the primary piece of federal legislation related to the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. It was reauthorized in December 2015 by Title IX, Part A, of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Title IX, Part A McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento) is authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. McKinney-Vento ensures that students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence due to loss of housing due to economic hardship or a similar reason are provided a free, public education. McKinney-Vento Act ensures the educational rights and protection for children and youth experiencing homelessness and includes:

  • The right to immediate enrollment in school even without giving a permanent address

  • The right to attend school and fully participate in school activities in the school of origin, or in the school in the attendance area where the family or youth is currently residing  

  • The right to receive transportation to and from the school of origin

  • The right to services comparable to those received by housed schoolmates

  • The right to attend school along with children not experiencing homelessness

The SCDE program office provides training, technical assistance, and monitoring, as well as federal funding through a competitive grant process to support school district McKinney-Vento programs. South Carolina school districts identified 11,906 McKinney-Vento students during the 2020–21 academic year. Every school district is required to have a McKinney-Vento liaison to identify and assist students and their families with enrollment.

CONTACT:

AUDREY EIGNER

School District of Newberry County

Phone: (803) 321-2600 Ext. 20152

Email: aeigner@sdnc.org

LIAISON:

CHRIS EARL

Assistant Superintendent for Student Services

School District of Newberry County

Phone: (803) 321-2600 Ext. 20151

Email: cearl@sdnc.org

PARENT GUIDES

IMPORTANT LINKS