Joseph Charter School

Educational Rights of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness 

Students may qualify for certain rights and protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Act if they live in any of the following situations:

• In a shelter

• In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation

• In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station

• Doubled up (sharing the housing of others, whether relatives or friends, due to loss of housing, economic hardship, domestic violence or similar reason.)

• Students who are unaccompanied (living w/o a parent or guardian) and are living in circumstances described above

• Migrant students who qualify as homeless because the students are living in circumstances described above

Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Have the Right To:

• Go to school, no matter where they live or how long that they have lived there 

• Continue in the school that they last attended before becoming homeless 

• Receive transportation to the school they last attended 

• Enroll in school without giving a permanent address 

• Enroll in & attend classes while the school arranges for the transfer of immunization records or any other documents required for enrollment

• Receive free meals at school

Family Rights Under Title IA

• Right to request teacher qualifications

• Request opportunities to meet with staff for parent involvement

• Participate in decisions affecting your child

• Review school’s Title I program and make suggestions

• Participate in school activities