McKinney-Vento provisions offer consistency, security to over 18,000 homeless students in the state
For many children experiencing homelessness, school is where they find a safe community and predictable routine. A key piece of legislation — the McKinney-Vento Act — plays a large role in keeping it that way for over 18,000 homeless students in Oregon.
Through data collection, educational protections and student liaisons, the McKinney-Vento Act ensures housing status does not interfere with the right to public education for children from preschool to college.
At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 832 of 46,459 students attending Portland Public Schools, or PPS, were homeless, according to McKinney-Vento program data. The data, which is updated each day, found 1.8% of PPS’ student population qualified as “homeless.” As of Feb. 21, 786 students in PPS are homeless.
Homeless children “lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence,” as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act, including sharing housing with others or living in motels, trailer parks, campgrounds, shelters, sleeping outside or places unfit for human habitation (without appliances, heat or water).
Students might be living in cars, abandoned buildings, parks, public spaces and train or bus stations. Most live with their families, but some unaccompanied youth live on their own, with no parents or guardians — some as young as 15 years old.
Student homelessness is an issue throughout the state. According to the National Center for Homeless Education, in the 2020-2021 school year, 18,485, or 3.3% of all students in Oregon, experienced homelessness. It can be challenging to track data for children experiencing homelessness, but they are accounted for when they enroll in public schools.
Provisions and services for K-12
Teachers and staff receive annual training on students’ rights under the McKinney-Vento Act.
When parents register children for school, office staff try to identify those who are homeless. They’re trained to ask questions and look for indicators like missing immunization records or lacking proof of residence, like a utility bill with an address. At this point, they can register without these requirements, and a school secretary will contact the McKinney-Vento liaison, who follows up by sharing resources with the parents. Parents can also self-advocate to expedite the process.
Originally known as the Homeless Person’s Survival Act, the McKinney-Vento Act was introduced during the Reagan administration in 1986 and signed into law in 1987. The law, which Congress passed to address an increasing number of people experiencing homelessness, has evolved over time to specifically serve homeless children’s educational needs. It also expanded the definition of “homelessness” to speed up the school enrollment process.
One of the most important McKinney-Vento provisions seeks to limit disruptions in a child’s education and learning community. The law allows students to stay at their school of origin regardless of changes to housing status and provides transportation to facilitate that stability.
Kathryn Snyder and her children moved many times before they found housing. Through the McKinney-Vento program, Snyder was able to keep her daughter in the same Tigard school while she focused on finding housing.
“The bus program really helped me as a mother,” Snyder said. “While initially being temporarily homeless to securing stable housing, the bus kept Emma going back and forth to school through that whole transition.”
Snyder lacks access to a vehicle, but the McKinney-Vento program helped her overcome that barrier to ensure her child could get to and from school.
“As a single mother without a vehicle, I can't even describe in words the help and peace of mind the bus program provided,” Snyder said. “Especially on those rainy, super cold days, that program got my baby to school and back home safe and warm. The gratitude I have in my heart for this program goes deep.”
PPS offers similar transportation programs for students without stable housing, thanks to McKinney-Vento subgrants. This can be a school bus, TriMet or sometimes a ridesharing service. Some parents may choose to enroll their children at the school closest to them when they move, which makes it easier to attend school events and integrate with the school community.
The American Rescue Plan Act has helped to fund this program since the pandemic. The future of the McKinney-Vento Act in PPS and other districts will continue to depend on federal funding along with sustainable practices.
Camedra Jefferson, director of funded programs at PPS, said the provisions apply throughout a school year in which a student is eligible, regardless of changes to living location or housing status.
“Once a student is McKinney-Vento eligible, they remain eligible for the entire school year,” Jefferson said. “If a family moves out of the district, they may remain in the school of origin or choose to attend school in their new school district. If they remain in PPS, we will provide transportation or share transportation costs with the new school district.”
PPS offers food pantries to supply food for families in need, along with free and reduced lunch for kids. SUN Community Schools is a service that offers after-school activities and academic enrichment at six districts in Multnomah County, located at schools in primarily low-income neighborhoods. The McKinney-Vento program connects homeless students and their families to these resources. Teachers fill in a referral form to McKinney-Vento if a child needs academic help, and this is sent to a tutoring service, Catalyst Pathways. Resources vary school by school, but the goal is to best serve the needs of each child.
'Student success advocate' connection
The McKinney-Vento Act provides liaisons in public school districts. They work to connect families with resources and keep kids in school. These are referred to as “student success advocates,” or SSAs, in PPS.
PPS currently has four SSAs, each assigned to a different cluster of schools.
“Overseeing the program, my role is to collaborate with the Teaching and Learning Department to ensure equitable services are provided to all students receiving McKinney-Vento services K-12,” Jefferson said. “During the initial intake process, the SSA reviews each referral to determine qualification status. Once eligibility is determined, the SSA notifies the enrolling school or school of origin to inform them the student must be immediately enrolled.
“The SSA also provides needed resources such as school supplies, backpacks, hygiene supplies, clothing gift cards and sets up transportation if needed.”
Through ongoing relationships with counselors, social workers, teachers, administrators and administrative assistants, SSAs aim to build an inclusive and supportive learning environment. For parents, SSAs are the hub for information about housing, shelters, utility assistance, rental assistance and food boxes. They may also connect families with medical and mental health resources. Families then move forward by contacting community agencies.
A school social worker can play a significant role in following through with further help.
“Our main goal is to provide the support students need to attend school on a regular basis,” Jude Apodaca, a PPS student success advocate, said.
Information about PPS’s McKinney-Vento program is available to parents on the Portland Public Schools website under “Funded Programs.”
McKinney-Vento services extend beyond K-12 education and preschool. Families experiencing homelessness are eligible for Head Start and Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten programs. All infant and toddler center-based services are year-round.
Head Start and Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten programs also provide social services and health services alongside preschool programming.
For students interested in pursuing higher education, the McKinney-Vento team works with school counselors to assist with college applications and financial aid for high school seniors. They also cover the cost of caps and gowns for high school graduation ceremonies.
During the 2021-2022 school year, 110 homeless students graduated from high school in PPS. Nine of them enrolled in a two-year college, and 14 have started at a four-year college, according to the district.
Challenges and rewards
Jefferson said the challenges of this work carry emotional weight.
“The most difficult aspect of this work is hearing the various experiences of our students and families,” Jefferson said. “Our families have faced so many challenges from domestic violence, eviction due to rising housing/rental costs, natural disasters, fleeing persecution in another country, or simply facing extreme financial hardship.”
Like other SSAs, Apodaca has spent countless hours helping families.
“The most rewarding are times when we're able to prevent an eviction, or the look on little students' faces when they receive new jackets and shoes,” Apodaca said. “It certainly makes your day.”
Another reward is hopeful — seeing an increase in graduation rates.
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