The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that serve homeless students.

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The act provides examples of children who would fall under this definition:

• Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason

• Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative accommodations

• Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters

• Children and youth abandoned in hospitals

• Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as  a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)

• Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations

• Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations

The U.S. Department of Education has issued its Non-Regulatory Guidance for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.

For more information please review the information below.
Non-Regulatory Guidance
Fact Sheet
Dispute Resolution Process OSPI 

Our schools provide equal and comparable access to all students regardless of their home living situation. McKinney-Vento eligible children and youth have specific rights that include:

1. Maintain attendance at the school of origin-current school for the remainder of the current school year (if this is in the child’s best interest and feasible) or enroll in the neighborhood school where currently residing.

2. Transportation assistance if needed.

3. Eligible for FREE food services

4. Appropriate support services and programs for which they are eligible for such programs as gifted, children with disabilities, vocational education, preschool

5. Assistance obtaining needed records and documentation

6. Academic assistance through the district's federally funded Title I program

7. Parent or guardian involvement in school activities

If you should find out that any of our students meet the criteria above please notify your building liaison right away. The building or District liaison in each building is the school counselor.

College Place High School - Rita Silva-Ponds & Samuel Derting
Sager Middle School - Gabriela Esquivel
Davis Elementary School - Blake Limburg 
District Liaison - Chuck Fleming

OSPI McKinney-Vento Information: http://www.k12.wa.us/HomelessEd/default.aspx

Walla Walla County Homeless Resources page: https://www.co.walla-walla.wa.us/government/health_department/homelessness_resources.php