McKinney-Vento Act
Name 2 living situations that qualify under the McKinney-Vento Act.
Sharing the housing of other persons (Doubled-up)
Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds
Living in emergency or transitional shelters
Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
Resources
https://sites.google.com/berksiu.org/ecyeh/learn-the-basics/mkv-eligibility
True or False: Unaccompanied Youth living without their parent or guardian and experiencing homelessness qualify for transportation services under the Act.
True.
Unaccompanied Youth receive the same rights as children living with their parents or guardian, including transportation services.
Resources
True or False: Transportation is required while an enrollment dispute is being resolved.
True.
While disputes are pending, students must be enrolled in the school in which they are seeking enrollment. If that school is the school of origin, the LEA (s) involved must provide adequate and appropriate transportation. [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(J)(iii), (g)(3)(E)(i)]. If that school is the local school, transportation must be provided to the extent it is provided to housed students, and to the extent necessary to ensure it is not a barrier to attendance [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)]. These provisions apply whether the dispute is about school enrollment, school selection, or eligibility (i.e. whether the child or youth is homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act).
Resources:
What should transportation staff do if they suspect a family is experiencing homelessness?
McKinney-Vento Act defines homelessness as lacking a fixed, regular, and _____ nighttime residence.
True or False: Students experiencing homelessness are not eligible to receive transportation services for the remainder of the school year once they become permanently housed during that year.
False.
Local education agencies must continue to provide transportation to and from the school of origin to formerly homeless students who have become permanently housed for the remainder of the academic year during which the child or youth becomes permanently housed. (Section 722(g)(3)(A)(II)).
Resources:
District must have a written transportation agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Education for students experiencing homelessness.
No.
The McKinney-Vento Act does not require LEAs to submit a formal transportation agreement to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. However, ESSA requires LEAs to have a written transportation agreement with Children and Youth Agencies for foster care youth.
Resources:
True or False: Transportation costs can be taken into consideration when making a best interest determination for students experiencing homelessness.
False.
Best interest determinations must be student-centered. Transportation costs cannot be considered during a best interest determination meeting.
Name 2 red flags of homelessness.
Changes in pickup and drop off locations
Tardiness or absences
Sleeping on bus
Inappropriately dressed for the weather
Hunger
Lack of school supplies
Not exiting their home to get on the bus
Resource: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18y7D5SaLbb1XxzKiIIjmh5c9bKWckRJe/view
If a district doesn't offer transportation to summer school for any students, does it have to provide summer school transportation for students experiencing homelessness to advance to the next grade?
Yes.
If attendance in summer school is required for the student to pass to the next grade, or, in the case of a high school student, the summer course is required for graduation, the district must provide transportation.
True or False: Students experiencing homelessness move frequently, and transportation arrangements must be adjusted accordingly.
True.
The transient nature of homelessness may cause frequent changes in nighttime residence. Districts need to be prepared to make transportation changes as needed.
Name 2 creative transportation solutions other than a school van or bus.
Bus passes
Gas cards
Travel reimbursement for family or adult providing transportation
Flexible bus routes
Partnership with local districts
A student experiencing homelessness is eligible to attend their school of _____ or their school of _____.
Is transportation required for students experiencing homelessness to attend school-sponsored extracurricular activities?
Yes.
McKinney-Vento Act requires LEAs to develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the identification, enrollment, and retention in schools of children and youth experiencing homelessness [42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(I)]. Therefore, if transportation is a barrier for a student experiencing homelessness, the school must eliminate the barrier.
Resources:
Under the McKinney-Vento Act, there is ___ time limit and ____ distance limit for transportation.
No/ No.
The McKinney-Vento Act does not specify any mileage or time limit for travel to the school of origin. The Act requires LEAs to provide transportation to the school of origin at the request of a parent or guardian or, for unaccompanied youth, at the McKinney-Vento liaison’s request [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)]. Therefore, whenever a student is attending the school of origin, providing transportation is required.
Name 2 ways a bus driver can support students experiencing homelessness.
Identification
Assist in transportation changes
Provide a safe and welcoming environment
Provide information to parent as needed
If a student experiencing homelessness resides in another school district, and continues being educated by the school of origin, do both districts share the responsibility and/or costs for transportation?
Yes.
If two districts are involved, they must agree upon a method to apportion the cost and responsibility of transportation, or else split it equally [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)(II)].
LEAs must provide transportation for preschool students to all early childhood programs.
No.
If a preschool student is attending an LEA-administered program, the LEA must provide transportation services to the early childhood program if it is a barrier. If the child does not attend an LEA-administered preschool program, transportation would be a best practice.
Resources:
https://schoolhouseconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/imported-files/PreschoolFlowchart.pdf
The McKinney-Vento Act requires LEAs to provide _______ and _______ transportation for students experiencing homelessness.
Adequate and Appropriate.
The McKinney-Vento Act requires LEAs to provide adequate and appropriate transportation for students experiencing homelessness in three situations.
To the school of origin upon the request of a parent or guardian, or in the case of an unaccompanied youth, upon the request of the McKinney-Vento liaison [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)]
For other transportation (as opposed to the school of origin), the McKinney-Vento Act requires districts to provide transportation comparable to that provided to housed students [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(4)(A)].
LEAs must eliminate barriers to the school enrollment and retention of students experiencing homelessness. If the student is unable to attend school without transportation, the district must eliminate lack of transportation as a barrier to the child attending school [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)].
It is best practice to set up transportation for students experiencing homelessness within ___ to___ days of the request.
Three to five.
Missing multiple days from school can be harmful for a student experiencing homelessness. To ensure educational stability, it is important to offer transportation services within three to five business days of the request.