Enroll a Displaced Child in School Without Permanent Housing

The federal definition (McKinney-Vento Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11434a) covers a child who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. That includes a shelter, motel, car, park, abandoned building, or substandard housing — and staying doubled up with relatives or friends because of loss of housing or economic hardship.

Check the child's situation against this list:

• Shelter, motel, hotel, or campground
• Car, park, bus or train station, abandoned building
• Doubled up with family or friends because housing was lost
• Living in the home of a family that is itself homeless
• Migratory or seasonal work housing that is not adequate

The law covers preschool through grade 12, and an unaccompanied youth qualifies on their own. If any line matches, the child qualifies — nobody has to be on the street.