Students — Is your temporary living situation:

  • A shelter (family, domestic violence, youth, or transitional living.)
  • A motel, hotel, weekly-rate housing or campground due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
  • Housing with no electricity, water, and/or heat.
  • A car, park, abandoned building, on the street, or at a bus or train station.
  • Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship.
  • Temporary foster care or living with someone/others who are not your parents or legal guardian.
  • If you have run away from home, been kicked out of your home, been abandoned by your parents/guardians, or separated from your parents/guardians for any other reason.

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, make sure you know your rights to receive services and support in your school under the Federal McKinney-Vento Act and Pennsylvania State Law.

illustration of one student sitting on books and holding a telescope, and another student walking wearing a backpack

You have the right to:

  • Receive a free, appropriate public education.
  • Enroll in school and attend classes immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
  • Continue to attend the school in which you were last enrolled even if you have moved away from that school/district if it is your preference and feasible OR enroll in the local school.
    • If the school district believes that the school selected is not in your best interest, the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision while you stay enrolled in the current school until dispute is resolved.
  • Participate fully in all school activities and programs for which you are eligible.
  • Receive transportation to and from your school if you request it.
  • Help with school supplies, planning for college/post-secondary school, and other needs.
  • Receive free school meals.

Find your school’s homeless liaison to discuss eligibility and your rights.

Parents — Is your family’s temporary living situation:

  • A shelter (family, domestic violence, youth, or transitional living.)
  • A motel, hotel, weekly-rate housing or campground due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
  • Housing with no electricity, water, and/or heat.
  • A car, park, abandoned building, on the street, or at a bus or train station.
  • Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship.

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, your children may have the right to receive services and support in school under the Federal McKinney-Vento Act and Pennsylvania State Law.

Your children have the right to:

  • Stay in the same school, even if you move, and receive free transportation to and from that school if it is in their best educational interest to stay.
    • If the school district believes that the school selected is not in your child’s best interest, the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision while your child stays enrolled in the current school until dispute is resolved.
  • Immediate enrollment, even if you don’t have the documents that are typically required for enrollment.
  • Receive free school meals.
  • Access to school supplies and resources.
  • Support to participate in extracurricular activities.
  • Connecting younger children to early childhood services.
  • College readiness assistance for high school students.
  • Referrals to the community for help with other needs.

Find your school’s homeless liaison to discuss eligibility and your rights.