The McKinney-Vento Act Homeless students are children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term "homeless student" will also be deemed to include the term "unaccompanied youth," which includes a youth who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. Homeless children and youth include those students who are as follows:

• Emergency or transitional shelters

• Motels, hotels, or campgrounds

• Cars, parks, public places, bus or train stations, abandoned buildings

• Doubled up with relatives or friends due to loss of housing or economic hardship

• In these conditions and is a migratory child or youth

So, if your child is 5-18 years of age, he/she has the right to attend school even if. . .

• You live in a shelter, and ….

• You don’t have a permanent address.

• You share temporary housing with relatives or friends.

• You reside in transitional housing.

• You live in a car, on the street, or other temporary shelter.

Did you know?

• You do not need a permanent address to enroll your child in school.

• Your child cannot be denied school enrollment when school records or other enrollment documentation are not immediately available.

• Your child may be able to remain in the same school (school of origin) even if you move.

• Your child has the right to transportation services to and from the school of origin based on the best interest of the student at the time of the request.

• Your child automatically qualifies to participate in free breakfast and lunch programs while living in situations that meet the definition of homeless.

• Unaccompanied youth lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing have these same rights.

What Parents Can Do?

• Talk to the principal, counselor social worker, teacher or school nurse about your housing situation.

• Ask about programs that are available to help your child.

• Seek information about the school close to where you are living.

• When possible, bring birth certificates and school and immunizations records when you enroll your child in school.

• Ask where you can get school supplies.

• Ask that records be transferred from your child’s previous school.

• Let school personnel know if your child has previously received special education services.

• Ask which community agencies and resources may be available to help your family.

Contact Information

Washington County Schools Homeless Education Liaison
Dina K. Brown, BSW
Student Services
802 Washington Street
Plymouth, NC 27962

Phone: 252-793-5171 ext. 1114
Email: dbrown@wcsnc.org

NC State Homeless Education Coordinator
Lisa Phillips, State Coordinator
NC Homeless Education Program
Federal Program Monitoring and Support Services

lphillip@serve.org

Web Resources

National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE (NCHE)

The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY)

https://www.nc211.org/

In the 2022-2023 school year, there were 10 MCV students identified and serviced.

In the 2021-2022 school year, there were 13 MCV students identified and serviced.

In the 2020-2021 school year, there were 14 MCV students identified and serviced.

In the 2019-2020 school year, 13 MVC students identified and serviced.

In the 2018-2019 school year, there were 14 MCV students identified and serviced. 

 In the 2017-2018 school year, there were 15 MCV students identified and serviced. 

In the 2016-2017 school year, there were 14 MCV students identified and serviced.