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McKinney-Vento Liaisons, Districts, & ESDs

Liaison, District, and ESD Support

The McKinney-Vento Act for the Education of Houseless Children and Youth Program ensures that houseless children and youth are provided a free, appropriate public education, despite the lack of a fixed, regular, nighttime, adequate place of residence. A youth is considered unaccompanied if they are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. The state public school admission statute assuring the right of houseless and other children and youth in similar circumstances to enroll in schools is Oregon Revised Statute ORS 339.115 (7). Notwithstanding Oregon Revised Statute ORS 339.133 (2)(a), a school district shall not exclude from admission a child located in the district solely because the child does not have a fixed place of residence or solely because the child is not under the supervision of a parent, guardian or person in a parental relationship. 

Each district McKinney-Vento Liaison must: 

  • Collaborate with caseworkers, Resource parents, Tribes, and community partners 
  • Train school staff on their role in supporting students experiencing homelessness; 
  • and Engage with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) on matters of professional development and technical assistance.

This page is dedicated to supporting districts, liaisons, and ESDs assisting students navigating houselessness. 

McKinney-Vento Contact Lists

The Every Student Succeeds (ESSA) Act requires that all school districts identify a Point of Contact assigned to work with staff and provide assistance for students experiencing houselessness. Each school district must also have a designated liaison tasked with overseeing the coordination and application of these supports. This is done through collaboration with caseworkers and other human services representatives, training staff within their districts on the unique needs of students navigating houselessness, and engaging with community organizations and agencies to ensure that students and families are receiving adequate services under ESSA/ESEA. See ODE's ESSA webpage for more details.

​The McKinney-Vento team runs a Contact report generated from the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget Narrative (BN) monthly through the school year to maintain accuracy to the fullest extent possible. 

​​​District Role & Responsibilities​
  • Districts must submit their Program Contacts on the Continuous Improvement Plan Budget Narrative (CIP BN) via the Central Login Application on the ODE District Website at the beginning of each new school year
    • It opens for updates 8/1 and is due by 10/1. 
      • ​Updates made between the end of the prior school year and August 1st will not be reflected in the new school year's contact list report.
  • Districts are responsible for updating the contact information as staff changes occur.
    • ODE is unable to make updates to district Contact details
      • ​ODE CAN include additional contact(s) to the list. If an additional contact needs to be added, please email all information under the list headers (outlined under CONTACT LISTS below) to OR-MV@ode.oregon.gov​​.
CONTACT LISTS

List Headers Defined:
    • ​​​HL - Homeless Liaison 
    • HDA - Homeless District Administrative Contact
    • FC - Foster Care 
    • FCT - Foster Care Transportation​
Navigation:
    • ​​Click on the ​​caret arrow in the primary column to expand or hide details.
    • Files can be downloaded and filtered or sorted as desired.
    • ​Questions regarding missing contact information should be directed at the district in question. Websites have been linked for contact details.
Optional MKV | FC Charter & Virtual School Contact Form
  • ​If there are Charter or Virtual (Online) schools within your district that have a McKinney-Vento or Foster Care Contact, we have created the form below to capture their details. 
  • This list will be added above once data is populated.

Support

2026-27 McKinney-Vento TA + Training Schedule

Office Hours
McKinney-Vento Program Office Hours


This forum provides programmatic updates for state McKinney-Vento district liaisons, a space to connect with other districts to learn about their best practices, and to ask questions about the work.


Office Hours will take place every other month during the school year, beginning in November, from 1:30-2:30 pm Pacific Time (PT).

McKinney-Vento Office Hours Zoom Registration is required to attend


2026-27 Dates:


  • November 17, 2026
  • January 19, 2027
  • March 16, 2027
  • May 18, 2027

NOTE: Emails that do not belong to a Local Education Agency (LEA) are subject to removal. Please email us at OR-MV@ode.oregon.gov if you have a question about participation eligibility.

Coordinators' Corner (Open Office Hours)

This is a drop-in space for educators to bring questions or scenarios for collaborative thinking and solutions from the state McKinney-Vento and/or Foster Care Coordinator, as well as time to connect with other districts and share best practices. This forum has no agenda or presentation.


Newsletter

UPDATE: The McKinney-Vento newsletter is changing and will now include more content between Office Hours and training, to share the most current information and resources available from our local, state, and federal partners. 

To subscribe to this and other ODE newsletter topics, go to the ODE GovDelivery newsletter subscription page. Click on the plus + sign to expand the selection options.

    • Past newsletters can be found in the archive on the ODE Key Messages webpage by entering 'McKinney' in the search box
Contact Us


McKinney-Vento / Foster Care Program Support Request Form

Need assistance? Please submit a support request on this form! 


Implemented to manage the high volume of incoming communications received daily, this form is a space to provide McKinney-Vento related questions or concerns, such as program eligibility, services, district responsibilities, and the rights of students experiencing homelessness.   

Internally, it helps manage the high volume of daily communications received and allows time to prepare and prioritize responses. Additionally, it helps to identify areas where training is needed. 


McKinney-Vento Booking Link

Districts can schedule a time to connect via the McKinney-Vento Booking Link. 


ODE McKinney-Vento Team

Liaison, District, and ESD Resources

​What is the American Rescue Plan?

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) into law. In recognition of the extraordinary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students experiencing houselessness, the ARP included an unprecedented $800 million to support the specific needs of houseless children and youth via the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief - Houseless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Fund. 

ARP-HCY I & II Reimbursement Process

In order to have claims approved in the Electronic Grant Management System (EGMS), districts must complete a reimbursement request form with each of their items listed and attached to an object and function code. This reimbursement form mirrors the McKinney-Vento Subgrant, ESSER and 21st Century grant processes, so we hope this will be a familiar process for all business managers and fiscal staff. 
The obligation deadline for spending closed on September 30, 2024​

​District McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution Protocols

​

The federal McKinney-Vento (MV) Education of Homeless Children and Youth program requires states to ensure equal access to public schools by homeless students and other educational support. Among the provisions is the right of homeless parents and unaccompanied homeless youths to dispute district determinations of school placement and McKinney-Vento eligibility.

This brief below  provides guidance for Oregon school districts regarding procedures and protocols for dispute resolution and appeals, in compliance with the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education of Homeless Children and Youth program, as reauthorized in 2015 under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

2015 Reauthorization Changes to McKinney-Vento Provisions
The 2015 MV reauthorization resulted in codifying several items previously found in non-regulatory guidance. One such change occurred in the determination of a student’s best interest:
  • Previous McKinney-Vento provision: In determining the best interest of an eligible child or youth, the district shall, to the extent feasible, keep the student in their school of origin.
  • New under McKinney-Vento: ​In determining the best interest of an eligible child or youth, the district shall presume that keeping the student in the school of origin is in their best interest, except when doing so is contrary to the request of the parent or unaccompanied student.
    ​
    ​In addition to the presumption clause, MV directs districts to consider student-centered factors related to the child or youth’s best interest, including factors related to “the impact of mobility on achievement, education, health and safety” of homeless students, giving priority to the request of the parent or unaccompanied youth.

    Also new in the Act is the provision that the receiving or feeder schools are included in the definition of “school of origin.” The same criteria for best educational interest determinations apply to feeder schools. A review of a student’s best educational interest is appropriate whenever a school change is about to occur.​​​​​
Refer to the ODE MKV Dispute Resolution - District Procedures and Compliance Brief​​ for further information and instruction.

Elements of a Written Dispute Resolution Notification:
  1. Citation of the MV Act regarding right to enrollment, dispute resolution and appeal process. 
  2. Explanation of the determination – what it means. 
  3. Reason for the determination – why you made this determination. 
  4. Instructions to appeal the dispute, including specific phone numbers, emails, etc., that are not too cumbersome.
  5. Use direct and comprehensible language (language spoken in the home), but also not intimidating. 
  6. Provide a reasonable timeline for appeal process and decision.
Important: Notify and copy State Coordinator, particularly if appeal may go to state. 
​

​What is the purpose of the Educati​on of Homeless Children & Youth (“EHCY”) Grant?

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was passed in 1987 and was most recently amended by Title IX, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (“ESSA”) in December 2015. Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act authorizes the federal grant program and serves as the primary federal legislation to remove barriers to education created by homelessness.

The U.S. Department of Education allocates EHCY funding to each state based on the state's share of Title I, Part A funds. States may retain up to 25% of the EHCY funding for state-level program administration and must subgrant at least 75% of the funds to Local Education Agencies (“LEAs”).​

The purpose of the McKinney-Vento Grant is to supplement, not supplant, the existing resources and services provided to all students to eliminate the specific barriers to education for children and youth experiencing homelessness through ensuring the​ir identification, enrollment, attendance, and academic success (42 U.S.C. § 11433(a)(3)).

​​​McKinney-Vento 2025-28 Cohort​​​​

​
MKV Awards and Ranking - Posted December 1, 2025 
​
The McKinney-Vento Act for the Education of Houseless Children and Youth Program ensures that houseless children and youth are provided a free, appropriate public education, despite the lack of a fixed, regular, nighttime, adequate place of residence. A youth is considered unaccompanied if they are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. The state public school admission statute assuring the right of houseless and other children and youth in similar circumstances to enroll in schools is Oregon Revised Statute ORS 339.115(7).

Notwithstanding Oregon Revised Statute ORS 339.133 (2)(a), a school district shall not exclude from admission a child located in the district solely because the child does not have a fixed place of residence or solely because the child is not under the supervision of a parent, guardian or person in a parental relationship.

Each district McKinney-Vento Liaison must:
  • Collaborate with caseworkers, Resource parents, Tribes, and community partners 
  • Train school staff on their role in supporting students experiencing homelessness; 
  • and Engage with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) on matters of professional development and technical assistance.

​McKinney-Vento Subgrant Reimbursement Process​​​​​


2025-2028 Subgrants
​Claim Instructions:
  1. ​Complete the ​2025-28 McKinney-Vento Grant Reimbursement Form, referencing the Instructions, Detail, Function, and Object Code tabs.​ 
  2. RENAME and SAVE the file to include LEA, School Year, and Claim Period. Example: Universal SD MKV Claim Form 25-26 Oct.
  3. Attach the completed (Renamed) 2025-28 MKV Reimbursement Form to the 2025-28 McKinney-Vento Subgrant Reimbursement Portal​ AND
  4. ​Enter a matching claim in the ODE Electronic Grant Management System (EGMS). Check the EGMS Verification box to confirm a matching submission has been made. 
  5. ​​​​If the person submitting the form is NOT the same person submitting the EGMS claim, LEA/District must coordinate to ensure both the Form and EGMS Claim are received and match.​​​

Districts will receive a confirmation email receipt once the form has been submitted. If follow-up communication is necessary, we will contact the person who submitted the form. 

​
2022-2025 Subgrants
Claim Instructions:​
  1. Complete the 2022-25 McKinney-Vento Grant Reimbursement Form, referencing the Instructions, Detail, Function, and Object Code tabs. 
  2. RENAME and SAVE the file to include LEA, School Year, and Claim Period. Example: Universal SD MKV Claim Form 25-26 Oct.​ 
  3. ​Email the completed (Renamed) 2022-25 MKV Reimbursement Form to OR-MV@ode.oregon.gov​ AND
  4. Enter a matching claim in the ODE Electronic Grant Management System (EGMS).
  5. ​​If the person submitting the form is NOT the same person submitting the EGMS claim, LEA/District must coordinate to ensure both the Form and EGMS Claim are received and match.​
If follow-up is necessary, we will contact the Fiscal Manager named in EGMS and, if applicable or different, the contact who has previously submitted a claim for the subgrant. 

Resources

ODE:

Federal:

​

​The following list includes the primary national association resources that provide information on program implementation, FAQs, training, and other supports that may assist LEAs manage local youth navigating houselessness education programs. 

National Links

  • National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) - Under federal contract, NCHE provides technical assistance, webinars, topical briefs, and toolkits for school district Homeless Liaisons and State Coordinators.
  • SchoolHouse Connection (SHC) - A national organization providing strategic advocacy and technical assistance for McKinney-Vento Education programs in partnership with early childhood programs, public schools, higher education, service providers, families, and youth.
  • National Homeless Law Center (NHLC) - The mission of NHLC is to prevent and end homelessness by serving as the legal arm of the nationwide movement to end homelessness.

Federal and state laws for guidance on the McKinney-Vento Act, Education for Homeless Children & Youth Program:

​ODE | Dept of Early Learning and Care (DELC) Resource
​ODE American Indian Alaskan Native (AI/AN) Education & the McKinney-Vento Program

​These links apply to pregnant youth, rural communities, youth with disabilities​,​​ native youth, tr​auma-informed practices, and family engagement.

  • National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)​ 
    Created by Congress in 2000 as part of the Children's Health Act to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events. This unique network of frontline providers, family members, researchers, and national partners is committed to changing the course of children's lives by improving their care and moving scientific gains quickly into practice across the U.S. ​

    The NCTSN is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)​ and coordinated by the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS)​. ​

  • ​Native Child Advocacy Resource Center​ ​
    The Native Child Advocacy Resource Center is a division of the National Native Children's Trauma Center (NNCTC), a specialty unit within the College of Education at the University of Montana.​

    ​The center has been collaborating with tribal communities and AI/AN populations since 2006, working across all child-serving systems (child welfare, juvenile justice, education, mental health, and primary care, among others) to support the development of culturally focused, trauma-informed programming that benefits children, families, communities, and tribes.​