Who is homeless?

The term "homeless children and youth" means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes:

• Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement.
• 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.
• Migratory children who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described above.

 The Laws and Provisions

The (federal) McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, as part of the No Child Left Behind Act, and the Illinois Education for Homeless Children Act ensures homeless children have a right to:

• A free, appropriate public education including a priority to preschool programs
• The choice of staying in the school of origin or attending any public school that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the child is actually living are eligible to attend
• Immediate enrollment even when required documents such as school records, medical records, proof of residency, or other such documentation cannot be produced at the time of enrollment
• Assistance with transportation if needed

McHenry County Homeless Liaisons

One of the key provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act was to have every school district designate a Homeless Liaison.  This would be the one person in the district that knows the law, and can help assist the student and family to the fullest extent.  The McHenry County School District Homeless Liaison's are listed below:

For additional information please log onto the Lake County Regional Office of Education website.