top of page

Tales from the Field: Determining Eligibility and Transportation for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

In this fourth installment, NYSTEACHS continues to take a different approach to the blog and share actual calls from the field. We hope that these actual scenarios and the responses to them will help McKinney-Vento liaisons when faced with similar situations in their schools. As always, a wealth of resources are available on our website, include many recordings and documents from our previous webinars and web series.

The Tale:

This week let’s take a look at a student that left home:

A 17-year-old girl living in the North Country School District had a fight with her mother and left home to live doubled-up with a friend’s parents in a neighboring district. She has requested transportation back to her school in the district of origin. The McKinney-Vento Liaison spoke to the girl's mother, who said she didn’t kick her daughter out of her home and the girl is free to return at any time. The Liaison wants to know if this student is an Unaccompanied Homeless Youth if she wasn't forced to leave home.


Questions:

1. Is the student McKinney Vento eligible?

2. Based on McKinney-Vento legislation, is the child eligible to receive transportation?

Resources:

  1. First, review the McKinney-Vento Act and New York State guidance regarding families and McKinney-Vento eligibility. As always, you can find a wealth of resources on eligibility right here on our NYSTEACHS website.

  2. Next, read about laws on providing transportation to the district of origin. You can find that information HERE.

  3. After reviewing the rules on eligibility, if you’re still unsure of what to advise, you are absolutely encouraged to call the helpline for assistance: 1-800-388-2014.

Answers:

Question 1: Is the student McKinney Vento eligible?

Yes. This student is McKinney-Vento eligible since she is an unaccompanied homeless youth. An unaccompanied youth is not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian and the housing is not fixed, regular and adequate. According to the National Center for Homeless Education, (Supporting the Education of Unaccompanied Students Experiencing Homelessness Brief, 2017, pp. 2-3), the McKinney-Vento Act neither authorizes nor requires schools to make judgments about the validity of why a student is not living with a parent or guardian. Rather, determinations of McKinney-Vento eligibility are to be based solely on the definitions of unaccompanied and homeless included in the Act. Therefore, even if the student could return home, she is still eligible for the McKinney-Vento designation.

The McKinney-Vento Act defines “homeless children and youths” as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term includes— Children and youths who are: sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as “doubled-up”); living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations; living in emergency or transitional shelters; or abandoned in hospitals (Education Law §3209(1)(a); 8 NYCRR §100.2(x)(1); see also 42 USC §11434A(2)(B)(i); U.S. DOE’s Non-Regulatory Guidance, Question A-2,).

Question 2: Can the Child receive transportation to the school of origin?


 
 
 

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


NYSTEACHS.org

749 E 135 Street

Bronx, NY 10454

41 State Street, Suite 403

Albany, NY 12207

34 South Broadway, Suite 601

White Plains, NY 10601

We provide information, referrals, and trainings to schools, school districts, social service providers, parents, and others about the educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness in New York State. NYS-TEACHS is funded by the New York State Education Department.
 

Tel: 800.388.2014 | Fax: 212.807.6872 | info@nysteachs.org
 

If you are unable to access files on our site, please contact the team at NYS-TEACHS and we will provide you with the information in an alternative format.

MI-Logo_h_w-white 2.png

The New York State Technical and Educational Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYSTEACHS.org) is operated by Measurement Incorporated under a contract with the New York State Education Department.

© 2025 NYS-TEACHS. All rights reserved.

The content of this website does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the
New York State Education Department. 

bottom of page