OSPI’s Website Address Change

We are excited to announce an important update regarding our website URL. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve functionality and increase internet security, we are changing our current URL from k12.wa.us to ospi.k12.wa.us. Read more about this change and its impact

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McKinney-Vento Act

Contact Information

Melinda Dyer
McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistant Director

Keith Woodruff
McKinney-Vento Program Supervisor
District duties | Rights of students

Vivian Rogers Decker
Homeless Student Stability Education Program Supervisor

The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that serve homeless students.

McKinney-Vento Awareness

Produced by Seven Griddle Media through a contract with OSPI, this McKinney-Vento Awareness video series is intended to help school districts bring awareness to the services available for students and families experiencing homelessness in Washington state under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.

Defining Homeless

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The act provides examples of children who would fall under this definition:

  • Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
  • Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations
  • Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
  • Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
  • Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)
  • Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
  • Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations

Resources