Your Child’s Educational Rights When Homeless:  

McKinney Vento Act Ensures Educational Rights and Protection for Youth and Children Experiencing Homelessness  

- Stay in school of origin (to the extent feasible).

- Free and appropriate education.

- Attend and enroll immediately even if unable to provide records required for enrollment.

- Enroll or remain in school without a permanent address.

- Go to school where child last attended or school where temporarily living.

- Transportation (to the extent feasible).

- Participate in extracurricular activities and/or special education services if eligible.

- Written explanation and appeal if educational placement is denied.

- Automatically qualify for free and reduced meals at school.

What else should parents know?  

- Enroll the child in school as soon as possible.

- Parents should tell the school that their child is moving and give them the new address.

- Parents should let the child’s school know if they want their child to stay in his/her school of origin while the family is locating permanent housing.

- Parents should ask for a copy of their child’s school records, including immunizations to keep with them in the event they move to another school division and can’t remain in the school of origin.  

If you have any questions, please contact the child’s school OR request to speak with the school division’s contact person. 

Peninsula School Divisions Contact Numbers: 

Newport News Public Schools: 757-591-4651
Hampton Public Schools: 757-727-2440
York County Public Schools: 757-833-2215
Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools: 757-253-0004
Poquoson Public Schools: 757-868-3050

CLICK HERE for the Listing of Homeless Education Liaisons for Each School District