McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Definition of the Term “Homeless Children and Youth”

The term “homeless children and youth” is defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as:

• Children who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.
• Children and youth who are sharing the housing of others, with or without their parents, due to loss of housing (doubled up).
• Children living in motels or hotels or trailer home due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
• Children living in emergency or transitional shelters.
• Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
• Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
• Unaccompanied youth includes youth, not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
• Migratory children and youth who are living in a situation described above.
• Children awaiting foster care placement.

Support and Information

In compliance with federal law (McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of ‐Pub. L. 100‐77, July 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 482, 42 U.S.C. § 11301 et seq.) it is the policy of the Detroit Public Schools to provide a free and appropriate education for all children as defined in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Homeless children and youth must be given full opportunity to meet state and local academic achievement standards.