McKinney-Vento Homeless / Foster Care

The Stewart B. McKinney Assistance Act of 1994 is the primary federal legislation that directly addresses the education of homeless children and youth. The McKinney Act is important in educating homeless children.

Should a student/family become homeless, as defined by the following criteria listed below, they should immediately notify their campus homeless liaison. The campus homeless liaison will provide the proper form(s) for documenting their new status and offer assistance as needed.

The federal McKinney-Vento Act and Texas state law guarantee that you can enroll in school if you live

• in a shelter (family shelter, domestic violence shelter, youth shelter or transitional living program;
• in a motel, hotel, or weekly-rate housing;
• in a house or apartment with more than one family because of economic hardship or loss;
• in an abandoned building, a car, at a campground, or on the street;
• in substandard housing (no electricity, no water, and/or no heat); or
• with friends or family because you are a runaway or unaccompanied youth.