School & Education

There are laws that protect the educational rights of homeless children. The main federal law is called the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (MVHAA). It requires school districts to provide specific services and resources to homeless students. The main Illinois law is the Education for Homeless Children Act (EHCA). It protects access to education at the state level.

Who is homeless under MVHAA?

Any child or youth who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate place to live is homeless.

This includes children or youth who are:

• Living in a shelter,
• Sharing another person’s home because of economic hardship or loss of housing,
• Living in motels, hotels, parks, or camping grounds, 
• Living in cars, public spaces, substandard housing, or bus/train stations, and 
• Migrant children living in any of the above situations.

What educational rights do homeless children and youth have?

Homeless children and youth have the following rights under MVHAA.

Immediate enrollment

Schools must admit homeless children, even if the children missed the deadlines for application or enrollment. Schools cannot require academic records, medical records, or other documents. If students do not have these documents, the school should help them get these documents after they start school.

It is helpful to bring a letter from the shelter on the shelter's letterhead. It should say that your child is staying there. If you are staying with relatives or in a motel, bring a letter from your relative or social worker. It should state where you and your child are living. No school can refuse to admit your child because you do not have these letters.

Students not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian do not need an adult to enroll in school.

School choice

Homeless students have a right to stay at their “school of origin” while they are homeless, if it is in their best interest. The school of origin includes the following:

• The school that a child last attended when they had permanent housing,
• The school where they were last enrolled, and
• The designated receiving school, if the student has finished the final grade level of the last school.

The student can also choose to attend any local public school that other students in the area can attend.

Transportation

Homeless students can get transportation to and from school. This includes school activities.

The school can choose the form of transportation, but it must be appropriate. For example, the school can pay for public transportation, or arrange for school buses or taxi services.

If the student gets housing during the school year, the school must continue transportation services until the end of the school year.

Fee waiver

In Illinois, school fees are waived for homeless students. If a fee is “waived,” the student will not need to pay the money normally required. Homeless students can get free breakfast and lunch from school as well.

Examples of school fees that must be waived are:

• Charges for textbooks and class materials,
• Charges for use of school property, such as lockers and labs,
• School record and health service fees,
• Charges for field trips,
• Charges for uniforms,
• Charges for sports or fine arts programs,
• Graduation fees for caps and gowns, and
• Driver’s education fees.

Are other types of help are available?

Some school districts may be awarded grants to help children experiencing homelessness. If your school district has been awarded a grant, the school may be able to offer help with specific, eligible activities. Examples of eligible activities include: 

• Rental assistance, including utilities, security deposits, and rental application fees, 
• Transportation,   
• Emergency shelter, including temporary hotel stays, 
• Housing stability case management and housing locator services, and 
• Other "collaborative housing strategies," including school supplies, clothes, academic enrichment, and tutoring.

What if the homeless family has a disagreement with the school?

There might be disagreement between the family and the school about issues related to homelessness. To resolve the issue, the school must follow a dispute resolution process. The school must also provide enrollment and transportation until the dispute is over. 

The students and their families have a right to have a lawyer or advocate help them through the dispute process.

Where to get help

Each school district must have a McKinney-Vento liaison. If homeless students need help at school, they can go to the liaison.

Things that the liaison can help with include:

• Immediate enrollment,
• Transportation services,
• Connecting to community resources,
• Waiving fees, and
• Resolving disagreements with the school.

 You can find more information for Chicago students on the Chicago Public Schools' website.

You can find statewide information on the Illinois State Board of Education website.