Student Services » McKinney-Vento Student Services

McKinney-Vento Student Services

Homeless children have access to the education and other services that they need to ensure that they have an opportunity to meet the same challenging State student academic achievement standards to which all students are held.

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youth as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term includes Children who are:

  • sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;
  • living in motels, hotels, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
  • living in emergency or transitional shelters;
  • Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or
  • Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.

 

It is crucial that we are able to accurately identify our students in these scenarios in order to offer supports which include but are not limited to enrollment support, transportation, food, clothing, technology assistance (including devices and internet), academic support, and staff support.

 

Rights of Student Experiencing Homelessness

 

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. * 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.
 

 

Whether you believe you would be categorized as homeless or not, if you need assistance, please contact your student's counselor or social worker, the school office, a trusted adult on your campus, or the Castro Valley Unified School District Homeless and Foster Youth Liaison, Nic McMaster, at 510-537-3000 ext 1257.

Homeless and Foster Youth Liaison
 
Nic McMaster 
510-537-3000 x 1257