Information on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

If your family lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence and is forced to live in any of the following situations:

•Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (example: evicted from home, etc.).

•In a motel, hotel, campground or similar setting due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations.

•In an emergency or transitional shelter.

•Have a primary nighttime residence that is not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for humans.

•In a car, park, public space, abandoned building, substandard housing, bus or train station, or a similar setting.

In addition, a student who is not in the physical custody of a parent/guardian and is living in one of the situations listed above may be considered an unaccompanied youth.

Your eligible child(ren) have the right to:

•Enroll in school immediately, even if they are lacking documents normally required for enrollment.

•Choose between the local school where you are living or the school last attended before becoming homeless, when feasible.

•Receive transportation to school.

•Attend school and participate in school programs with children who are not homeless. Children cannot be separated from the regular school program because they are homeless.

•Receive all the school services available to other students.

Eligibility for McKinney-Vento rights is determined by the District’s Homeless Liaison and must be renewed each school year. Referrals can be made by contacting the office or completing a Student Residency Statement (SRS) form 1 and faxing/emailing to the Liaison’s office. The SRS form can be found at the local school or on the District’s website.

Washington Community School District

District Homeless Liaison: Teresa Beenblossom 319-653-1189

Stewart Elementary: Tracy Almelien 319-653-3244

Lincoln Elementary: Kelsey Martins 319-653-3011

Washington Middle School: Emily Miller 319-653-5416

Washington High School: Kathy Stender or Belinda Robinson 319-653-4245

Iowa Department of Education

State Homeless Liaison

Carolyn Cobb515-402-2736