The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is the primary piece of federal legislation dealing with the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Person County Schools ensures that homeless students have equal access to the same free, appropriate, public education provided to other Person County children.

Definition of Homeless Students

Homeless students are children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term “homeless student” shall also be deemed to include the term “unaccompanied youth” which includes a youth who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. Homeless children and youth include those students who are as follows:

1. sharing the house of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;

2. living in motels, hotels, transient trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations;

3. living in emergency or transitional shelters;

4. abandoned in hospitals, or awaiting foster care placement;

5. living in a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations for human beings;

6. living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations or similar settings; or

7. living in a migratory situation that qualifies as homeless because the child lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SERVICES FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, CALL

• Cathy Waugh, Person County Schools Homeless Liaison, at (336) 322-1021 ext 21119.

• Jenna Regan, Senior Executive Director of Student Support Services at (336)-599-2191

• Candice Pulliam, Exceptional Children Data Manager and Program Specialist (336)-599-2191

NC HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM STATE COORDINATOR

LISA PHILLIPS PHONE: (336) 315-7491

HELPFUL LINKS

• More Information for Parents

• North Carolina Homeless Education Program

PCS McKinney-Vento Data