McKinney-Vento Support
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Policy
The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, signed into law in 1987, supports challenges enrolling, attending and succeeding in school for any student experiencing housing insecurity. For any support, questions or resource you can contact your campus based social worker or Great Oaks Legacy Charter Schools District Liaison, Veronica Cargill at vcargill@greatoakslegacy.org.
Purpose: To ensure that all children and youth experiencing homelessness within the Great Oaks Legacy Charter School have immediate access to a free, appropriate public education, regardless of their housing situation, in accordance with the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Definitions:
● Homeless: A child or youth who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including those living in shelters, motels, cars, or doubled-up with others due to a lack of housing, or those living in places not meant for habitation.
● Local Liaison: A designated staff member responsible for coordinating the district's McKinney-Vento program, identifying homeless students, and ensuring their educational needs are met.
Student Eligibility:
● Any child or youth considered homeless according to the federal McKinney-Vento definition is eligible for services under this policy.
● The school district will use a streamlined process to determine eligibility. Once a student/family is identified the campus based social worker will be notified and reach out to the parent/guardian. They will determine their current housing circumstances and identify supports, services or resources that the family needs or would benefit from. The campus based social worker will then notify the district liaison of the newly identified family to ensure all needs of the family have been met and make a determination regarding eligibility under McKinney Vento. When possible documentation will be provided of current housing status such as a verification letter from a shelter. In the event the documentation is unavailable the district can still qualify a student based on parent/guardian verbalizing their circumstances.
Key Provisions:
Immediate Enrollment: Homeless students must be enrolled in school immediately upon identification, regardless of missing documentation, and placed in the school they would attend if they were living in the attendance area where they are currently residing. Enrollment staff have been educated regarding McKinney Vento policies and will also reach out to the district liaison when a new student is enrolled and meets or potentially meets qualifying for MCKinney Vento services.
School of Origin:
Homeless students have the right to remain in their school of origin, even if they move to a new residence within the district, unless doing so is not in the student's best interest. If the district determines the student attending their school is not in the best interest of the student, written notice must be provided to the family in a timely manner outlining the reason.
Transportation: The district will provide necessary transportation to and from school for homeless students, including to their school of origin if applicable. This can include a bus or bus tickets where indicated. Note this is provided by Newark Public Schools (NPS)Transportation Department and requires an affidavit signed by a notary*, as per NPS, to show proof of residing in New Jersey.
*Great Oaks Legacy Charter Schools can provide notary services for families at the campus most convenient for them
Liaison Responsibilities:
● Identify and locate homeless students through outreach to community agencies, shelters, and other relevant organizations.
● Provide support and guidance to homeless students and their families regarding enrollment either virtual or in person on site to support the family/student, attendance, academic support, and access to other necessary services.
● Advocate for the needs of homeless students at the school and district level.
● Maintain confidential student records related to homelessness.
● Ensure staff participate in annual training regarding understanding McKinney Vento and support to improve identifying students/families who may be in need of support and services due to their homelessness status.
● Collaborate with campus based staff including social workers to ensure families are getting support needed.
● Liaison can assign appropriate campus based staff, such as campus social workers to carry out some of the identified duties as indicated for each family/student.
● Liaison provides data to appropriate parties within the district to ensure all reporting is provided to the State/Regional coordinators as requested.
Parent/Guardian Notification and Involvement:
● Parents/guardians of homeless students will be informed of their rights under the McKinney-Vento Act and encouraged to participate in the educational decision-making process.
● Parents/guardians are informed of their rights via emails, text, posters in school buildings, social media posts, parent meetings and various school events that share information regarding McKinney Vento
Collaboration with Community Agencies: The district will collaborate with local homeless service providers to ensure coordinated support for homeless students.
Dispute Resolution: A process has been established to address any disagreements regarding a student's eligibility or placement under the McKinney-Vento Act, including avenues for appeals.
Monitoring and Review:
The district will regularly monitor the implementation of this policy, including data collection on the number of homeless students served and the services provided. The policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure compliance with federal regulations and address emerging needs.
Implementation:
This policy will take effect on January 23, 2025.
Revised August 11, 2025: Revised to reflect enrollment on site in person in the Liaison Responsibilities section, and add dispute resolution form as an addendum rather than a second document.