Public school data reported to the U.S. Department of Education during the 2017-2018 school year shows that an estimated 18,625 public school students experienced homelessness over the course of the year. Of that total, 255 students were unsheltered, 2,453 were in shelters, 1,507 were in hotels/motels, and 14,410 were sharing housing. *

Northwest Allen County Schools is committed to serving all our students to develop the talent and nurture the creativity of each learner. Services are available to assist our families.

McKinney-Vento

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act developed as a result of upwards of 50 percent of homeless children not attending school. Congress created this act which was signed into law by President Ronald Regan on July 22, 1987, to provide states with funding to eliminate barriers to education. The goal of the McKinney-Vento Act was to ensure the enrollment, attendance and success of homeless children and youth in school. 

The NACS District McKinney-Vento liaison is Assistant Superintendent Gloria Shamanoff. Please contact her directly with questions about available services. 

NACS CONTACT:

STATE CONTACT:

Who Is Homeless?

Homeless students who lack a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence qualify as homeless. This includes students who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason. Students who lack alternate and adequate accommodations may be living in:

• motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds;
• emergency or transitional shelters;
• public or private place not designed for human dwelling;
• cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.

In addition, other students who count as homeless include those who are considered migrants, are awaiting foster care placement, or who are considered “Unaccompanied Youth,” meaning they meet the definition of homeless and they are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.

COVID-19 information

For information to help support McKinney-Vento eligible students through the community-wide impact of COVID-19, please visit Indiana Department of Education - COVID 19 Resources for Indiana Schools.

Residency and Educational Rights

Students who are in temporary, inadequate and homeless living situations have the following rights:

• Immediate enrollment in the school they last attended or the school in whose attendance area they are currently staying, even if they do not have all the documents normally required at the time of enrollment;
• Access to free meals and textbooks, Title I and other educational programs as well as other comparable services including transportation;
• Attendance in the same classes and activities that students in other living situations also participate in without fear of being separated or treated differently due to their housing arrangements.

McKinney-Vento Internet Resources

https://www.doe.in.gov/elme/mckinney-vento-internet-resources

*source: United States Interagency Council on Homelessness