Before schools can be certain they are complying with legislation related to educating students experiencing homelessness, they must understand who can be considered homeless. The McKinney-Vento Act (Section 725) defines "homeless children and youth" (school-age and younger) as:
- Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are:
- Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters.
- Abandoned in hospitals.
- Awaiting foster care placement.
- Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a pubilc or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
- Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
- Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.
- The term unaccompanied youth includes a youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. This would include runaways living in runaway shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, on the streets, or in other inadequate housing; children and youth denied housing by their families (sometimes referred to "throwaway children and youth"); and school-age unwed mothers living in homes for unwed mothers because they have no other housing available.
In determining whether or not a child or youth is homeless, consider the
relative permanence of the living arrangements. Determinations of homelessness should be made on a case-by-case basis.
ISBE McKinney/Vento Referral Form
www.homelessed.net
www.isbe.net/homeless
Local Homeless Liaison: Mr. Mick Whittler (618) 392-3143