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McKinney-Vento Information & Resources

Education Services for the Homeless


McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act

Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) requires that children and youths experiencing homelessness are immediately enrolled in school and have educational opportunities equal to those of their non-homeless peers. The statute requires every public school district and charter holder to designate a Homeless Liaison to ensure that homeless students are identified and their needs are being met. (Arizona Department of Education)

McKinney-Vento Definition of Homeless:

The term “homeless children and youth”— means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence [42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2)].

A student may be considered eligible for services as a “Homeless Child or Youth” under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act if he or she is presently living in one of the following situations:

sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason,

  • living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations,
  • living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals,
  • have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings,
  • living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, or
  • is a migratory child who qualifies as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described above.

To remove educational barriers for children and youths experiencing homelessness, the McKinney-Vento Act mandates the following: Immediate Enrollment: Documentation and immunization records cannot serve as a barrier to the enrollment in school [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C)].

Educational Assistance under McKinney-Vento

If your family lives in any of the above conditions, you may be eligible for some assistance under the McKinney-Vento Act. Our district Homeless Liaison can assist in determining your eligibility for our programs.

Educational Rights of Homeless Children & Youths-from the Arizona Dept. of Education

Arizona Student Residency Questionnaire- Printable Form

Contacts & Resources


CCUSD Homeless Liaison
Beth Udisky
480-272-8539

Arizona Department of Education
Homeless Education Coordinator
Alexis Clermont
602-542-4963


National Center for Homeless Education
1-800-308-2145

Community Information and Referral
602-263-8856

Contacts Shelter Hot-line
1-800-799-7739

Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence
602-279-2900

Arizona Self Help
1-800-448-1211

Foothills Food Bank
480-488-1145