Eligibility Essentials
What three keywords define whether a student’s housing situation meets McKinney-Vento eligibility?
What are fixed, regular, and adequate?
Schools must review and revise policies that act as _______ to the enrollment and retention of homeless students.
What are barriers?
The definition of “school of origin” includes the school attended when permanently housed or the school _________.
What is last attended?
McKinney-Vento requires that the views of the _______ be considered in school selection and enrollment decisions.
What is the unaccompanied youth?
A 17-year-old is couch-hopping with friends after her mom moved out of state. What steps should you take first?
Identify eligibility, enroll immediately, provide information on rights and supports.
True or False: The most common nighttime status for students who are MKV eligible is unsheltered.
False: The most common nighttime status is doubled up/ sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing or other economic hardship.
True or False: Schools can require parental consent before enrolling an unaccompanied youth.
What is False — lack of a parent or guardian consent cannot delay enrollment.
Who decides whether remaining in the school of origin is in the youth’s best interest?
What is the homeless liaison, prioritizing the youth’s wishes and best interest factors?
A youth wants to remain in their school of origin, but the caregiver insists they transfer. How should the liaison prioritize decision-making under McKinney-Vento?
What is the liaison must give priority to the youth’s wishes and determine best interest based on the youth’s perspective, not the caregiver’s preference?
A youth has no ID or birth certificate. What do you do?
Enroll immediately and assist in obtaining records; lack of documentation cannot delay enrollment.
True or False: A youth who runs away from home would not be eligible for MKV because they left home willingly.
What is False — eligibility depends on the living situation, not the reason they left home.
Give one example of a school policy that could be a barrier to retention for unaccompanied youth.
What is... strict attendance or discipline policies, lack of flexibility for work hours, or inability to sign themselves out, etc.?
True or False: A school can deny all transportation for an unaccompanied youth if the youth displays dangerous behaviors on the bus.
What is false? The district may remove bus privileges for the student, but must put in place alternate transportation.
True or False: An unaccompanied youth can sign themselves out of school for appointments if allowed under district policy.
What is True — policies must not create barriers to enrollment and retention; flexibility should be allowed if consistent with McKinney-Vento protections. LEAs should develop policies for these types of situations.
A youth asks to attend school part-time so they can work. How do you handle it?
Discuss options that balance work and school — alternative schedules, credit recovery — but maintain focus on school completion.
What is the legal definition of "unaccompanied youth" under McKinney-Vento?
What is a youth who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and who meets the definition of homeless?
True or False: An unaccompanied youth can sign for their education on their own if they are 18 years or older, even if they have an IEP.
What is false? The LEA must obtain a surrogate parent for the student with an IEP if the parent or guardian is not participating in the youth’s education.
A student under McKinney-Vento is placed in foster care mid-year. How does that affect school stability and transportation provisions?
What is the student transitions from McKinney-Vento to the ESSA foster care provisions; coordination shifts to child welfare and education agencies, but school stability should still be maintained when in the student’s best interest?
What must a liaison do if an unaccompanied youth is denied enrollment?
What is immediately provide written notice of the decision, the reason, the right to appeal, and a referral to the regional office?
The youth’s aunt refuses to provide information to the school. The youth wants to stay enrolled. What next?
Enroll based on youth’s statement; depending on the student, assign a surrogate or staff person to work with the student.
True or False: The district homeless liaison should provide a verification letter of unaccompanied homeless youth status for the FAFSA for a senior who has been living with his grandparents since the 2nd grade in a home the grandparents own and where he has his own bedroom.
False: This is a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. However, this student may be eligible for independent student status and should reach out to the financial aid office at the university/ post-graduate institution he wishes to attend.
A district requires a youth to provide a caregiver affidavit before enrolling. Why could this be a violation of McKinney-Vento?
Because eligibility is based on living situation, not caregiver status, and requiring the affidavit could delay enrollment.
Name one factor to consider when determining best interest for school stability for UHY.
What is the time of year, distance, age of the student, how attached they are to the SOO, safety, and the youth’s own preference?
Name one trauma-informed strategy that helps build trust with unaccompanied youth.
What is consistent communication, privacy respect, and avoiding re-traumatization through unnecessary questioning?
A youth is living in a camper on a relative’s property and paying $50 a week to remain there. Utilities are limited. Fixed, regular, and adequate?
Likely not fixed, regular, or adequate — would likely qualify under McKinney-Vento.