Homeless Assistance

Students Experiencing Homelessness McKinney-Vento Act

Are you or someone you know experiencing housing instability?

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 camp grounds 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;
• Unaccompanied Youth - Unaccompanied youth are young people experiencing homelessness who are not in the physical custody of a legal parent or guardian;
• Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations.

You are not alone—and help is available. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act is a federal law that guarantees immediate enrollment and educational stability for students experiencing homelessness.

Our district’s McKinney-Vento Liaison is here to help. We are committed to supporting students and families facing challenging circumstances by connecting them to the resources they need to stay engaged and succeed in school.

Let us help keep your education on track. Reach out today.

Dracy McCoy

Executive Director of Student Services

(360) 641-1809

d.mccoy@eatonville.wednet.edu 

Tonya Roebuck

Student Services Executive Assistant

(360) 641-1809

t.roebuck@eatonville.wednet.edu 

Steps to Access McKinney Vento Services

1. Contact your school counselor/social worker.  Your school counselor will assist you in completing an intake form which will identify the student’s needs and available resources.
2. The counselor/social worker will provide you with a Student Housing Questionnaire.
3. Your responsibilities:

• If you are transferring your child, enroll your child in the new school right away.
• Ask the school for transportation if you need it.
• Ask if special tutoring or counseling is available to help make up for lost school time.
• Meet with your child’s teacher regularly to stay informed and connected. 
• Be sure your child attends school every day.

School Counselors/Social Workers:

Jana Mcllraith, Eatonville Elementary j.mcllraith@eatonville.wednet.edu 

Allysen Lindstrom, Weyerhauser Elementary a.lindstrom@eatonville.wednet.edu 

Kylee Meysenburg, Columbia Crest Academy k.meysenburg@eatonville.wednet.edu 

Anisa Parks, Eatonville Middle School a.parks@eatonville.wednet.edu 

Kirsten Dill, Eatonville High School k.dill@eatonville.wednet.edu 

Understanding Your Rights Under the McKinney-Vento Act

Students who qualify under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act have the right to:

• Receive a free public education;
   
• Enroll in school immediately, even without typically required documents (e.g., proof of residency, immunization records);
   
• Attend and participate in class while the school helps collect missing documents;
   
• Enroll in either:
   
  • The school closest to where you are staying, or
     
  • The school of origin (the school you last attended), even if you have moved;
     
• Receive transportation to and from your school of origin;
   
• Access the same educational opportunities and services as all other students, even if you cannot pay fees;
   
• Participate in before- and after-school programs;
   
• Receive counseling and mental health support;
   
• Get free breakfast and lunch;
• Obtain school supplies.

INITIATION OF THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESS 

If you’re told your child can’t go to a certain school or can’t get McKinney-Vento services, and you don’t agree, you have the right to ask for the decision to be reviewed. This is called a dispute.

Here’s how the process works:

Level I Dispute Process:  School District Homeless Liaison Communication

Step 1: Let the School Know You Disagree

• Tell a school staff member or the McKinney-Vento Liaison that you don’t agree with the school’s decision.
   
• You can do this by talking to them or writing a note.
   
• Ask for a Dispute Resolution Form.

Step 2: Fill Out the Dispute Form

• The form lets you explain why you think the decision is wrong.
   
• Once it’s filled out, turn it in to the school or liaison.
• The dispute resolution form must be submitted within 15 business days of receiving the district’s notification that they plan to enroll the student in a school other than the one requested by the parent/guardian or youth.

Step 3: Your Child Stays in School

• While the dispute is being reviewed, your child stays in the school you chose.
   
• Your child will also keep getting services (like transportation, meals, or supplies) during this time.

Step 4: School District Makes a Decision

• The school district must review your form and make a decision within 5 school days.
   
• They must give you a written explanation of their decision and your next steps, in your home language, if needed.

Level II Dispute Process:  School District Superintendent Communication

Step 1:  If a parent/guardian disagrees with the decision rendered by the district’s homeless liaison at a Level I Appeal, the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth may appeal the decision to the local school district’s superintendent or the superintendent’s designee, (the designee shall be someone other than the district’s homeless liaison) using the appeals package provided to the parent/guardian after the Level I Appeal.   

Step 2:  The superintendent or their designee, will arrange for a personal conference with the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth. The personal conference will be arranged within five (5) business days of the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth’s notification to the district of their intent to proceed to a Level II Appeal of the dispute resolution process. Once arranged, the meeting between the superintendent or designee and the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth is to take place as expeditiously as possible. This meeting may be held over video or phone conference if required due to a school building closure or if the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth is unable to attend in-person, provided the same opportunity for appeal is given and the same rights are provided to the family or youth. 

Step 3:  The local superintendent or designee will provide a decision in writing to the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth with supporting evidence and reasons within five (5) business days of the superintendent or designee’s personal conference with the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth. It is the responsibility of the district to verify the parent/guardian’s or unaccompanied youth’s receipt of the written notification regarding the superintendent’s Level II Appeal decision.  

Step 4: A copy of the appeals package, along with the written decision made at a Level II Appeal, is to be shared with the district’s homeless liaison.

Step 5:    If the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth disagrees with the decision made at a Level II Appeal and wishes to move the dispute resolution process forward to a Level III Appeal, the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth shall notify the district’s homeless liaison of their intent to proceed to a Level III Appeal within ten (10) business days of receipt of notification of the Level II Appeal decision.   

Step 6:  If the dispute remains unresolved, the process then moves to a Level III Appeal. 

Level III Dispute Process:  OPSI Communication

Step 1:  The school district superintendent shall forward all written documentation and related paperwork to the OSPI homeless education coordinator or designee for review within five (5) business days of the parent/guardian or unaccompanied youth notifying the district of a request to appeal the decision rendered at a Level II Appeal.  

Step 2:  The entire dispute package, including all documentation and related paperwork, is to be submitted to OSPI in one consolidated and complete package via hard copy mail delivery. In addition to the hard copy dispute package, the district may choose, and is encouraged, to submit a courtesy scanned copy in a single file via PDF format to the homeless education email inbox (homelessed@k12.wa.us) provided that the information included complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The PDF file is not a substitute for the required hard copy dispute package. Documents submitted separately from the hard copy dispute package, documents submitted after the fact, or documents submitted outside of the dispute package may not be reviewed by OSPI and will not extend the dispute timeframe. It is the responsibility of the district to ensure that dispute packages are complete and ready for review at the time they are submitted to OSPI.  

Step 3:  The OSPI homeless education coordinator or designee, along with the appropriate agency director and/or agency assistant superintendent, shall make a final decision within fifteen (15) business days of receipt of the hard copy complaint. 

Step 4:  The final decision will be forwarded to the school district’s homeless liaison for distribution to the parent/guardian and the district superintendent or designee. 

Step 5:  The decision made by OSPI shall be the final resolution concerning eligibility or placement of a child or youth experiencing homelessness in the school district. 

Step 6:  The office of the school district superintendent shall maintain a record of all disputes related to the placement of children and youth experiencing homelessness. These records shall include disputes resolved at Level I, Level II, and/or Level III Appeals and shall be made available to OSPI upon request. 

Resources

If you need further assistance, call the National Center for Homeless Education at the toll-free Helpline number: (800) 308-2145.

Homeless Youth Handbook-Washington State