McKinney-Vento Homeless Children & Youth Program

​McKinney-Vento Homeless Children & Youth Program works with the schools and community agencies to make sure students and families who are experiencing housing difficulties have resources available to them.

McKinney-Vento Act (section 725) defines "homeless children and youth" (school age or younger) as children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who:

• Share the housing of another person/family due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
• Living in hotels, motels, camp grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations
• Living in emergency or transitional shelters
• Abandoned in hospitals
• Unaccompanied youth who are not in physical custody of a parent or guardian

In determining whether or not a child or youth is homeless, consider the relative permanence of the living arrangements.  Determination of homelessness should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Rights of the homeless child or youth:

• Homeless child or youth have the right to remain at their school of origin
• Homeless child or youth have the right to transportation
• Access to educational programs and educational resources (expedited assessments, tutoring, etc)
• Waiver of fees/costs associated with required aspects of the educational setting (registration fees, lunch fees, course fees)

Visit the Illinois State Board of Education's Homeless page.  

• McKinney-Vento Training for Enrolling Staff 2020 Illinois
• ​​McKinney-Vento (Homeless) Teacher & School Staff Training

Find your school district’s McKinney Vento Liaison: School District Homeless Liaison Locator

If you have any questions about the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children & Youth Program, please contact Brandy Howard at (815) 599-1408 ext. 134.