McKinney-Vento Information

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act:

The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program is authorized under Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) (McKinney-Vento Act). The McKinney-Vento Act was originally authorized in 1987 and most recently re-authorized in December 10th, 2016 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that homeless children and youths have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, State educational agencies (SEAs) must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youths. Homeless children and youths must have access to the educational and related services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State academic standards to which all students are held. In addition, homeless students may not be separated from the mainstream school environment. SEAs and local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youths.

Definition of Homeless (McKinney-Vento Act Sec. 725(2); 42 U.S.C 11435(2))
Children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night time residence:

• "Double up" - Sharing the housing of others due to the loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons.
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds, due to lack of adequate alternative accommodations.
• Living in emergency or transitional shelters.
• Living in a public or private place not designed for humans to live.
• Migratory children living in above circumstances
• Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings
• Unaccompanied Youth - Children or youth who meet the definition of homeless and not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian

Residency and Educational Rights:

Students who are in temporary, inadequate and homeless living situations have the following rights in Prairie Heights Community School Corporation.

• Immediate enrollment in the school they last attended or the school in whose attendance area they are currently staying even if they do not have all of the documents normally required at the time of enrollment;
• Access to free meals and textbooks, Title I and other educational programs and other comparable services including transportation;
• Attendance in the same classes and activities that students in other living situations also participate in without fear of being separated or treated differently due to their housing situations. 

Resources:

• District Plan McKinney-Vento 2025-26
• IDOE - Indiana McKinney-Vento Resources
• NCHE - National McKinney-Vento Resources
• NAEHCY - National Assoc. for the Education of Homeless Children and You 
• McKinney-Vento State and Federal Resources
• Indiana Food Bank 
• Homeless Shelter Directory
• McKinney-Vento Student Rights

IDOE State Coordinators:  
           Flora Jones, Director of Student Pathways & Opportunity, 317-760-4481, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
           Charie Gibson, Homeless Education Specialist, 317-232-0957, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Contacts:  Please contact a PHCSC McKinney - Vento Liaison for more information or to report a homeless student situation:

Prairie Heights High School
Prairie Heights Middle School
Prairie Heights Elementary School