Students in Transition (Homeless Education)

The Homeless Education Program works to ensure that students experiencing homelessness are identified, have access to appropriate educational opportunities, and are linked to services to be successful in school.

Pre-school and school-aged students living in any of the following situations have rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act:

Living with friends or relatives due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or domestic violence
Living in motels, hotels, or trailer parks due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations
Living in emergency shelter or in transitional housing; or are abandoned in hospitals
Living in cars, parks, public spaces, campgrounds, abandoned buildings, substandard housing or bus stations
Children or youths who 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
Is an unaccompanied or migrant youth who qualifies under any of the above

Families who have lost housing should…

Discuss the situation with school administration so it can be determined whether it is in the best interest of the student to:

Stay in the same school he or she attended before the loss of housing (this is the school of origin); –OR–
Transfer to the school located in the district of residence

WCPS will enroll the student in the appropriate school. The decision about school enrollment will take into consideration factors including:

Length of stay in new location
Time and distance to transport the student to and from school
Special needs of child
Family Preference

What about transportation?

Transportation will be provided to attend the school determined to be in the student’s best interest. The school will assist in arranging transportation.