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Homeless

 

"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, LeTendre Scholar, 2002



 

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

The Homeless Information Page is designed to help identify homeless students within the Newport School District.  The reauthorized McKinney-Vento Act requires school districts to have processes in place to ensure educational access and success for students experiencing homelessness.


 

Defining Homeless

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The act provides examples of children who would fall under this definition:

  • Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
  • Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations
  • Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
  • Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
  • Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)
  • Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
  • Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situation

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act guarantees students the right to:

  • Stay in the school they last attended when permanently housed or last school enrolled.  Students are allowed to stay in this school through the remainder of the school year.
  • Immediately enroll, attend classes and participate fully in school activities in the area where they are living - even when lacking proof of residency, immunization, medical or school records, or other documents usually required by schools.
  • Have transportation to their "school of origin" provided or arranged by the school district.
  • Access all school services including free school meals, Special Education and Title I services, Vocational and Technical classes, Gifted and Talented services and after school programs provided by the District.
  • Enroll in their school of choice and have disagreements in school choice settled quickly, staying in their school of choice until the disagreement is settled.
  • Meet the high academic achievement standards expected of all students.