Homeless Educational Services is designed to provide educational services with dignity and respect to students who meet the criteria for homelessness according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act. Students are required by law to have access to all services, programs and activities provided by Tift County Schools.
What is the McKinney-Vento Education Assistance Act?
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act is the federal law that governs the educational rights of children and youth in homeless situations. This act reauthorized under in 2001 as Title X Part C, No Child Left Behind Act.
What does it mean?
The McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act says, if you:
live in a shelter
in a motel, hotel, campground, car or abandoned building
share the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, lack of housing or economic hardship
live on the street
have runaway from home or been asked to leave your home
do not have a permanent address
are awaiting foster care placement
Then you have the right to:
immediately enroll in and attend school without having health or school records with you
remain in your current school or school of origin, even if you move out of the attendance zone
receive transportation to and from the school of origin
qualify for free or reduced lunch
participate in school activities for which you are eligible
contact the Homeless Liaison to resolve disputes that arise during the enrollment process
Links can be provided to the following:
To read the law in its entirety, you may visit by clicking here.
Homeless Liaison
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 reauthorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The program is now referred to as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2001. In an effort to strengthen accountability at both the state and local level, the reauthorization includes the requirement for every school district in the country to designate a homeless liaison.
The liaison is responsible for ensuring the identification, school enrollment, attendance, and opportunities for academic success of students in homeless situations. Some of these activities may be accomplished by the liaison, while others are accomplished by coordinating efforts of school social workers or other staff. By linking the students and their families to school and community services, the liaison plays a critical role in stabilizing students and promoting academic achievement at the individual, school, and district level.