McKinney-Vento
3,913 pencils represent the number of homeless children and youth reported by NH schools during the 2016-2017 school year.
Provides certain rights and protection for families experiencing homelessness.
According to the McKinney-Vento, anyone who lacks a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence is homeless.
For more information about your child(ren)'s rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, please contact:
- Courtney Porter, SAU#6 Homeless Liaison
603-558-5760 - Christina Dotson, New Hampshire Department of Education McKinney-Vento Liaison
603-271-3840
A student is considered "homeless" if he or she is presently:
- Living in a shelter
- Living in a motel, hotel, or campground due to lack of adequate housing
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, bus or train stations or similar settings
- "Doubled up" living with friends or family due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
- An "unaccompanied youth" living without a parent/guardian
- A child of a migrant worker
- In other situations that are not fixed, regular, or adequate for nighttime residence
Know your educational rights!
Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, children and youth in homeless situations have the right to:
- 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 gathers records
- 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 support to and from the "school of origin" if in the best interest of the child(ren)
- Free breakfast and lunch for the school year
- Receive the same special programs and services, if needed, as provided to all other children served in these programs