McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance

McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Purpose

The McKinney-Vento Act ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have equal access to a free, appropriate public education. Students identified as homeless have the right to enroll in school immediately, even if they lack normally required documents such as proof of residency, immunizations, or school records. AIM complies with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and Georgia State Board Rule 160-5-1-.28.

For more information on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, please review this document.

Eligibility

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless children and youth are defined as those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes students who:

Share housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons;
Live in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternatives;
Reside in emergency or transitional shelters;
Are abandoned in hospitals;
Have a primary nighttime residence in a place not designed for human habitation;
Live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations; or
Are migratory children meeting the above definitions.

Unaccompanied youth, students not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian, who meet these conditions are also considered homeless.

Rights of Students and Families

Under McKinney-Vento, students experiencing homelessness have the right to:

Immediate enrollment in school, even if records (proof of residence, immunizations, transcripts, etc.) are not available at the time of enrollment.
Remain in the school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school last enrolled in), if it is in their best interest.
Transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested.
Free school meals through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program.
Equal access to all school programs and services, including preschool, gifted, special education, English language support, and extracurricular activities.
Academic credit for full or partial coursework completed at a previous school.
Dispute resolution process if there is disagreement about eligibility, enrollment, or school placement. Students will be enrolled immediately while disputes are resolved, consistent with federal and state law. For details, please see our McKinney-Vento Notice.

Identification and Services

AIM works with families, community organizations, and the Georgia Department of Education to identify students experiencing homelessness and connect them with needed academic and community supports.