Student Rights
Under the McKinney-Vento Act, children in homeless situations have a right to:
- Go to school, no matter where they live or how long they have lived there,
- Attend either the local school or the school of origin, if this is in their best interest; the school of origin is the school the child attended when he/she was permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled,
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin,
- Enroll in school immediately, even if missing records and documents normally required for enrollment such as a birth certificate, proof of residence, previous school records, or immunization/medical records,
- Enroll, attend classes, and participate fully in all school activities while the school arranges for transfer of records,
- Have access to the same programs and services that are available to all other students including transportation and supplemental educational services,
- Have access to free school meals/lunch programs,
- Attend school with children not experiencing homelessness; segregation based on a student’s status as homeless is prohibited.
- Have homeless status treated as an educational
record under FERPA