Services for Homeless Students

Students in our district who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime home may qualify for extra help.

We work with families to help students stay in school and access stable services. Federal law, called the McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act, gives children the right to a free, appropriate education regardless of their housing situation. Schools must remove barriers to children in temporary housing to enroll, attend and succeed in school.

Eligibility

Those eligible for McKinney-Vento services include:

  • Youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
  • Youth living in motels, hotels or campgrounds
  • Youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
  • Youth abandoned in hospitals
  • Youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a sleeping place (e.g. park benches, etc.)
  • Youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, buses or train stations
  • Migratory youth living in any of the above situations

Services

If any of the above situations apply, your family and/or your child may qualify for services such as free meals, transportation to school and additional tutoring. 

If you are in need of hygiene items or basic clothing, you are welcome to fill out a Comfort Closet request form. Please turn in the form to the front office or counseling center of your school. You may also email the form to [email protected] or [email protected].

We work with local agencies to provide services. We also work with other school districts to provide transportation to students’ original schools.

If you believe you qualify for services, please fill out a housing questionnaire form and return it to your school’s office: 

More Information

Please talk with your school counselor or our McKinney-Vento student liaison, Gaynel Holt, for more information. You can contact Gaynel Holt at [email protected] or at 360-662-1764.

Click here for information on the Dispute Resolution process.

Other resources:

ckschools.org