HOMELESS EDUCATION
The Education for Homeless Children Act (105 ILCS 45), as part of the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistant Act (42 U.S.C. 11431), ensures the educational rights and protections for children experiencing homelessness. It also instructs school districts to appoint a Liaison to ensure eligible students are identified, enrolled, and supported in compliance with state and federal law.
The Regional Office of Education also employs a McKinney-Vento liaison to assist children and families in getting access to materials needed to complete school requirements, as well as access to basic living necessities.
Children who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence are elgible for services under the McKinney-Vento Act. This includes:
- Doubled-up children, meaning they are living with another family due to a lack of a permanent residence
- Living in motels due to lack of alternative adequate living situation
- Runaways, meaning they have left home and live in a shelter or inadequate accommodations, even if parents/guardiants are willing to provide a home to transitional housing
- Living in shelters, including transitional living programs
- Migratory children, if living conditions meet the above definitions
- Lockouts, meaning their parents/guardians will not permit them to live at home
- Living in other inadequate accommodations, including vehicles, abandoned buildings, or on the street
Educational rights and protections for eligible children include:
Choice of School
McKinney-Vento eligible children may attend their school of origin (meaning the last school attended or the school attended when the child lost permanent housing). Alternatively, they may attend the school that serves their temporary living situation. Their caregiver makes this choice.
Immediate Enrollment
Eligible children still qualify even if medical records, birth certificates, or transcripts cannot be introduced at the time of enrollment.
Transportation to School of Origin
If requested, transportation must be provided in some form.
Early Childhood Education
Priority considerations can be made for children under five years old.
Free Lunch and Fee Waivers
Due to unstable living situations, children are eligible for any free meal programs provided by their school district, including lunch and breakfast, where applicable.
Led by the Kane County ROE McKinney-Vento liaison goal of this program is to assist Kane County school district by:
- Training educational staff to understand their responsibility in providing children experiencing homelessness with access to education as well as how to identify warning signs
- Facilitate collaborations between schools, social service agencies, shelters, and community groups
- Assist districts with policy revision to remove barriers for children experiencing homelessness
- Assist districts with required data reporting
- Provide outreach and share resources
