McKinney Vento

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Program helps homeless children have equal access to a free public education as provided to all of the other children in the District. A child is considered homeless if they do not have a regular adequate residence. This means any students living in shelters, in substandard housing, doubled up with friends or relatives because they have no other place to go and cannot afford a home. The other living arrangements included are single room hotels, cars, parks and public places. The Alameda Unified School District helps these families by providing bus passes when requested for the children to get to and from school. Also upon request backpacks and school supplies are available. If a child qualifies under the McKinney-Vento homeless program, they need to contact Jodi McCarthy at jmccarthy@alamedaunified.org to set-up an appointment for immediate help.

Homeless Children are guaranteed enrollment in school by The Federal McKinney-Vento Act and California State law if you live:

• In a shelter (family, domestic violence, or youth shelter or transitional living program)
• In a motel, hotel or weekly rate housing
• In a house or apartment with more than one family because of economic hardship or loss
• In an abandoned building, in car, at a campground, or on the street
• In temporary foster care or with an adult who is not your parent or guardian
• In substandard housing (without electricity, water, or heat)
• With friends or family because you are a runaway or an unaccompanied youth

To enroll in or attend school if you live under any of theses conditions, you do NOT need to provide:

• Proof of residency
• Immunization records or tuberculosis skin-test results      
• School records
• Legal Guardianship papers

You may:

• Participate fully in all school activities and programs for which you are eligible
• Continue to attend the school in which you were last enrolled even if you have moved away from that school’s attendance zone or district
• Receive transportation from your current residence back to your school or origin
• Qualify automatically for child nutrition program (free and reduced-price lunches and other district food programs).
• Contact the district liaison to resolve any disputes that arise during the enrollment process.