McKinney-Vento Act: Homeless Education Program

What is McKinney-Vento? 

The McKinney-Vento Act’s Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program, ensures that homeless children and youth are provided a free, appropriate public education, despite lack of a fixed place of residence or a supervising parent or guardian. The state public school admission statute assuring the right of homeless and other children and youth in similar circumstances to enroll in schools is Oregon Revised Statute ORS 339.115(7). 

Every school district in Oregon has at least one designated Homeless Student Liaison to provide direct assistance to homeless families and unaccompanied youths to access and achieve in school. To reach a district liaison, refer to the McKinney-Vento Liaison Contact List linked below or you may contact the district’s administrative office or the state Homeless Education Program office. 

American Rescue Plan - Homeless Children & Youth (ARP-HCY)

What is the American Rescue Plan?

For more information, visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/american-rescue-plan/

• U.S. Dept. of Education: Federal notifications, requirements, state allocations
  
• National Center on Homeless Education: Summary of federal agency resources
  
• SchoolHouse Connection: In-depth information, Q/A on purpose and use of ARP-HCY funds
  
• Oregon ARP-HCY Program FAQs
  
• ARP-HCY II Allocations
  

District Liaison Contacts

• 2023-24 McKinney-Vento Liaison Contact List

  McKinney-Vento Liaisons and Administrative Contacts for all Oregon School Districts (by county).
  

• 2019-2022 Oregon McKinney-Vento Subgrant Contacts
  

To ensure that families and students have access to assistance, districts must maintain a current McKinney-Vento contact with the state. Submit revisions or additions in a timely manner and refer to the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget Narrative User Guide (Contacts section, pages 8-9) for instructions.

Oregon’s Student Success Act has a Student Investment Account designed to support districts to reduce academic disparities and increase achievement of students in homeless living situations, those who are navigating poverty, and other historically underserved student groups. District Liaisons and ESDs are essential partners in this work. 

Homeless Student Data

 Data posted in this section (Counts of 1 to 5 students) have been suppressed to protect confidentiality. State totals are unduplicated, while other totals may include students identified more than once.

Resources

National Links

• U.S. Department of Education, Education of Homeless Children and Youth Programs

  Federal management of the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program, through the Office of Safe and Healthy Students.

• National Center for Homeless Education

  Under federal contract, NCHE provides technical assistance, webinars, topical briefs, and toolkits for school district Homeless Liaisons and State Coordinators.

• SchoolHouse Connection

  is 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

  The mission of NLCH is to prevent and end homelessness by serving as the legal arm of the nationwide movement to end homelessness.

• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

  membership organization for McKinney-Vento program staffs sponsoring annual national conference.
  

If you have any questions about these programs, please contact Chris James, McKinney-Vento Coordinator or Sarah Arbuckle, Administrative Specialist.