Access to Programs & Services

Have access to the same programs and services that are available to all other students, including transportation and supplemental educational services.

Child Nutrition

Free meal benefits - no Free & Reduced Application required. The USDA policies allow for automatic enrollment of students identified in the McKinney-Vento Program, known as "direct certification," to ensure students receive meals quickly.

Inclusion

Attend school with children not experiencing homelessness; a school can not segregate a student because he or she is homeless.

Dispute Process

If the school, school liaison and/or parent/guardian/youth disagree on McKinney-Vento eligibility, a process is in place to appeal the decision. Every state must establish procedures to promptly resolve disputes regarding the educational placement of students in transition.

If a student is sent to a school other than the school of origin or the school requested by the parent or guardian, the LEA must provide the parent/guardian/youth with a written explanation of its decision and the right to appeal.

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, a student in transition has the right to attend either the school of origin, if this is in the student’s best interest, or the local attendance area school.

School of origin is defined as the school that the child or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the child or youth was last enrolled. Local attendance area school is defined as any public school that nonhomeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child or youth is actually living are eligible to attend. School of origin includes Title 1 preschool, Special Education preschool, feeder schools (ESSA, 2016).

Whenever a dispute arises, the student must be enrolled immediately to the requested school and be allowed to participate fully in all school activities while the dispute is being resolved.

The school must refer the student, parent, or guardian to the district liaison to carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible.

Local liaisons must ensure that the same access to the dispute resolution process is provided to unaccompanied youth.

WCPSS Board Policy 4125