Homelessness Services

New Jersey McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program

The Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth (McKinney - Vento EHCY) program provides homeless students with protections and services to ensure they enroll in and attend school, complete their high school education and poised for success after graduation so they may avoid poverty and homelessness as adults.

The McKinney-Vento EHCY program ensures homeless children and youth have equal access to a free, appropriate public education. In addition, the program funds supplemental academic support services for homeless children and youth to ensure their school success.

Homeless children and youths must have equal-access to the educational and related services they need to meet the state academic standards to which all students are held. Additionally, students may not be separated from the mainstream school environment. SEAs and local agencies must review and undertake steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act as barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance or success in school of homeless children and youths. School districts, according to federal law and state code, must have a district homeless liaison to work directly with homeless students and families to supply needed services.

The tenets of the law provide children and youths experiencing homelessness with the following:

• Immediate enrollment even when records are not present
• Right to remain in the school of origin, if in the student’s best interest
• Transportation to the school of origin
• Support for academic success