- Clarksdale Municipal School District
- McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act
-
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act
-
The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act provides a definition of homeless children and youths to be used by state and local educational agencies (LEAs). It defines homeless children and youths to be those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
If your family lives in any of the following situations:
- In a shelter
- In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
- In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
- Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship
Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.
Please complete the McKinney-Vento Student Survey for each of your children in order to begin the process of determining if your child qualifies for these rights and protections.
Your Rights
Your eligible children have the right to:
- Receive a free, appropriate public education.
- Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
- Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.
- Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference and is feasible.
* If the school district believes that the school you select is not in the best interest of your children, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision.
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if you request this.
- Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children’s needs.
-
Dr. Manika Kemp, District Homeless Liaison 526 Choctaw St., Clarksdale, MS 38614 662-627-8500 Ext. 1019
For further assistance, call the National Center for Homeless Education at the toll-free Helpline number: 1-800-308-2145
Or visit their website: www.serve.org/nche