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McKinney-Vento & Foster Youth

mcKinney-vento

All school-aged homeless children are entitled to the same free and appropriate public education that is provided to non-homeless students. Schools are required to remove barriers to the enrollment, attendance, and academic success of homeless students.

Students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; may include:

  • Loss of housing and now sharing/renting with others due to economic hardship*. Unable to afford housing for your own family (would otherwise be homeless).
  • Living in an emergency shelter or assisted/transitional housing (Human Options or other program).
  • Living in a hotel or motel due to economic hardship*.
  • Living in a campground, park, or car.
  • Unaccompanied homeless minor.

*Economic hardship is described as a loss of housing, a natural disaster, a lack of adequate housing due to not being able to meet financial means required to sustain one's own apartment/house/single-family living dwelling.

**Extended beyond compulsory attendance age to address the needs of preschool, early head-start, and student with special education needs.

  • School of origin may include:
    • The school attended by a student experiencing homelessness (when permanently housed) or last enrolled.
    • A school attended in the prior 15 months which may not be the last enrollment but where the student feels a connection.

*After becoming permanently housed: High school students can continue at their school of origin until graduation, and K-8 students can continue at school of origin until the end of their current academic school year.

  • School of residence is:
    • The local school in the attendance area where the student is currently spending their nights.

Students may have the right to:

  • Immediate enrollment in the school they last attended (school of origin) or the local school where they currently reside, even if they do not have all the documents normally required at the time of enrollment.
  • Continue to attend their school of origin, if requested, and it is in the best interest of the student.
  • Receive the same special programs and services, if needed, as provided to all other children.
  • Receive the full protections and services provided under all federal and state laws, as it relates to homeless children, youth, and their families.
  • After becoming permanently housed: High school students can continue at their school of origin until graduation, and K-8 students can continue at school of origin until the end of their current academic school year. All students (TK-12), once permanently housed, also have the right to enroll in their school of residence. 

School sites must immediately begin the enrollment process for homeless students, regardless of the lack of:

  • Academic Records   
  • Proof of Residency   
  • Medical Records   
  • Immunization Records

*Should parents/guardians be unable to provide the above documents at the time of enrollment, the McKinney-Vento liaison will support in obtaining the documents once the student is enrolled. 

Click on the title of the organization to find additional information about their services.

Family Solutions Collaborative Service Request Form

 

SHELTERS

  • Human Options
  • Stay Housed OC
    Online tool to help Orange County renters and landlords understand their rights and responsibilities to prevent an eviction.
  • Waymakers Teen Shelter
    Short-term, crisis intervention to homeless, runaway, and at-risk youth in OC, Emergency shelter, 24 hour supervision, individual, group, and family counseling.
    Laguna Beach: (949) 494-4311
    Huntington Beach: (949) 842-6600
  • Casa Youth Shelter
    Short-term and long-term placement programs to provide basic needs for youth and individual, group, and family counseling.
    (800) 914-CASA or (800-914-2272)
  • Hope Harbor
    Temporary housing and care for teen girls 12 - 17 who are runaways or at risk for homelessness because of volatile family situations. Need willingness and participation from both teen and parents. Need to call to initiate intake process to determine eligibility and suitability to program.
    (714) 832-0207

 

HOUSING RESOURCES

Foster Youth

Students have the right to stay in the same school after they move to a new foster care placement. 

  • School of origin may include:
    • The school attended when the student first entered foster care,
    • The school most recently attended, or
    • Any school attended in the last 15 months where the student feels connected.
  • School of residence is:
    • The local school in the attendance area where the student is currently spending their nights.
  • The school district must work with the student, education rights holder,* caregiver, and/or social worker/probation officer to develop a plan to transport the student to their school of origin.
  • Foster youth students have the right to matriculate with their peers.
  • Education Code Section 48853(d) states that if any dispute arises as to the school placement of the student, the student has the right to remain in their school of origin, pending resolution of the dispute.

  • Students have the right to immediately enroll in their school of origin or school of residence.
  • School sites must immediately begin the enrollment process, even if the student does not have enrollment documents or did not check-out from their previous school. The foster youth liaison will support in obtaining missing enrollment documents once the student is enrolled.
  • The previously attended school must send the student's educational records to the new school once enrolled.
  • Students have the right to participate in any activities available at the new school, such as sports teams, tutoring, or after-school clubs.

  • If a student changes schools during the school year, they have a right to partial credits in all classes that they are passing when they leave their previous school, even if they do not complete the entire class.
  • After a student changes schools, the new school must accept the partial credits issued by the previously attended school.
  • After a student changes schools, they have the right to be enrolled in the same or similar classes they were enrolled in at their previously attended school.
  • A student cannot be forced to retake a class or part of a class that they have already completed with a passing grade, if it would take them off-track for high school graduation.
  • A student may have the right to take or retake any class that they need to go to a California State University or University of California.

Students behind on credits, who transferred schools after 10th grade, may be eligible to graduate under AB 167/216 by completing the state graduation requirements instead of the school district’s requirements.

Students have the right to access school records if they are 16 years or older or have finished 10th grade.