The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program's major responsibility is to implement the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act. Homeless children and unaccompanied youth must have access to public school educational programs and services that allow them to meet the same challenging state academic standards to which all students are held.

Who is considered homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act?

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youth as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence. The term includes children and youth who are:

• sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons;

• living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds;

• living in emergency or transitional shelters

• abandoned in hospitals;

• awaiting foster-care placement;

• living in a primary night-time residence not used as a regular sleeping accommodation;

• living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and/or

• migratory children living in any of the circumstances described above.

EHCY Legislative Transportation Requirements

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act places a strong emphasis on transporting students who are homeless, at the request of their parent or guardian, or an unaccompanied youth, to their school of origin.

If you are in need of services and support, or have questions about Homeless status, please contact either the District Homeless Liaison, or the school counselor in the building your child attends school.

Please contact Drew Wellman, homeless liaison for the Edgerton School District, for additional information about homeless issues. Drew Wellman can be reached at (608) 561-6091.