McKinney Vento Homeless Education

  • Information provided to the school district on a student’s or family’s living situation is confidential and is only used to determine the educational rights of students, supports and services.

    McKinney Vento Homeless Education

    If your family lives in one of the following situations:

    • In a shelter 
    • In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
    • In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
    • Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship

    Your school-age children may qualify for certain rights and protections under the Federal McKinney-Vento Act.

    McKinney Vento Education Comprehensive Rights and Protections
    Homeless Youth Rights

    Your eligible children have the right to:

    • Receive a free, appropriate public education. 
    • Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment. 
    • Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents. 
    • Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school or origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is your preference and is feasible. 
    • Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to your children's needs.

    Foster Youth Services

    Many youth in foster care experience multiple changes in home placements as they are placed with foster parent(s), guardian homes (kinship/relative or non-relative) and group homes. Because of the complexities of their experience, many foster youth perform below grade level, are held back in school, and have lower graduation rates than their peers. Foster Youth Services supports and advocates for the academic success of foster youth in collaboration with District offices, schools, care providers, child welfare, community-based agencies, and youth.

    Foster Youth Services ensure equitable access to education for foster youth by removing barriers to education in accordance with CA law (AB 490), such as:

    • School Stability - The right to remain in their original school when they enter foster care of move (if in their best interests)
    • Immediate Enrollment - The right to be immediately enrolled in a new school (even without health/education records)
    • Partial Credit - The right to receive partial or full credit for work completed at other schools (all students have this right)
    • Fairness - The right to not be punished for court-related absences

    Foster Youth Rights
    Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (Contra Costa County Office of Education)


    Questions?  Please contact:
    Connie McCarley, Assistant Director of Educational Programs
    925-944-6850 ext. 2030