The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act is a federal law that governs the educational rights of children and youth in homeless situations.
Homeless children have the right to a free, appropriate public education.
A student is homeless if they:
* live in a shelter or transitional housing
* live in a motel, campground, car, abandoned building or on the streets
* share the housing of friends or relatives due to loss of housing (eviction and foreclosure) or cannot afford housing
* live on the streets
A student is a homeless unaccompanied youth if he/she:
* live in a shelter or transitional housing
* live in a motel, campground, car, abandoned building or on the streets
* share the housing of friends or relatives due to loss of housing (eviction and foreclosure) or cannot afford housing
* live on the streets
* and, is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian (has runaway, been asked to leave home or is being abused0
Students who are homeless have the right to:
* immediately enroll in and attend school without having health or school records and a permanent address
* enroll in the school where you are living or the school attended when permanently housed, if in your child's best interest
* receive transportation to and from the school of origin
* participate in school activities for which they are eligible
* utilize dispute resolution process if you have a grievance
For more information, please contact LWS school secretaries at: High School, Dawn Janis @ 605-455-6233, Middle School, Charlene Pratt @ 605-455-6184; and Elementary, Lorraine Munoz @ 605-455-6200