The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program is authorized under Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) (McKinney-Vento Act). The McKinney-Vento Act was originally authorized in 1987 and most recently re-authorized in December 10th, 2016 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that homeless children and youths have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, State educational agencies (SEAs) must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as other children and youths. Homeless children and youths must have access to the educational and related services that they need to enable them to meet the same challenging State academic standards to which all students are held. In addition, homeless students may not be separated from the mainstream school environment. SEAs and local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youths.

Feel free to contact Stephanie Quinlan, Perry Township Schools’ McKinney-Vento Liaison, if you have questions about the McKinney-Vento Act. She can be reached by phone at 317-789.3953 or via email at squinlan@perryschools.org.  Additionally, you may visit the Indiana Department of Education’s McKinney-Vento information page for frequently asked questions, rights and resources.

Indiana Department of Education’s (IDOE) Homeless Education Specialist, Charie Jones can be reached by phone at 317-232-0957 or via email at MckinneyVentoPoc@doe.in.gov.