Title VII, Part B - Homeless - McKinney-Vento

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The McKinney-Vento Assistance Act is the primary federal (U.S.) law dealing with the education of children and youth in homeless situations. The McKinney-Vento Act protects the right of homeless children and youth to get to, stay in, and be successful in school while they or their families are homeless.

The law focuses on maintaining school stability and school access and providing support for academic success for homeless kids. The law also requires schools and states to use child-centered, best-interest decision making when working with homeless children and their families to choose a homeless child's school, services, and other needed resources.

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Allowable Uses of Funds 

  • Tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other educational services that help homeless children and youths reach the same challenging State academic standards the State establishes for other children and youths. (Section 723(d)(1))
  • Expedited evaluations of eligible students to measure their strengths and needs. Evaluations may also determine a homeless child or youth’s possible need or eligibility for other programs and services.  (Section 723(d)(2))
  • Professional development and other activities for educators and specialized instructional support personnel that are designed to heighten the understanding and sensitivity of such personnel to the needs of homeless children and youths. (Section 723(d)(3))
  • Referrals of eligible students to medical, dental, mental, and other health services. (Section723(d)(4))
  • Assistance to defray the excess cost of transportation not otherwise provided through Federal, State, or local funds, to enable students to remain in their schools of origin. (Section 723(d)(5))
  • Developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs for preschool-aged homeless children that are not provided through other Federal, State, or local funds. (Section 723(d)(6))
  • Services and assistance to attract, engage, and retain homeless children and youths. (Section 723(d)(7))  
  • Before-and after-school, mentoring, and summer programs for homeless children and youths in which a teacher or other qualified individual provides tutoring, homework assistance, and supervision of educational activities. (Section 723(d)(8)) 
  • Payment of fees and costs associated with tracking, obtaining, and transferring records necessary to enroll homeless children and youths in school. The records may include birth certificates, immunization or other required health records, academic records, guardianship records, and evaluations for special programs and services. (Section 723(d)(9)) 
  • Education and training for parents and guardians of homeless children and youths about the rights of, and resources available to increase the meaningful involvement of parents and guardians of homeless children or youths in the education.
  • Coordination between schools and agencies providing services to homeless children and youths in order to expand and enhance such services. Coordination with programs funded under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act must be included in this effort. (Section 722(g)(5)(A)(i)). 
  • Specialized instructional support services, including violence prevention counseling, and referrals for such services. (Section 723(d)(12)) 
  • Programs addressing the particular needs of homeless children and youths that may arise from domestic violence and parental mental health or substance abuse problems. (Section 723(d)(13)).  
  • Providing supplies to non-school facilities serving eligible students and adapting these facilities to enable them to provide services. (Section 723(d)(14)) 
  • Providing school supplies, including those to be distributed at shelters or temporary housing facilities, or other appropriate locations. (Section 723(d)(15)) 
  • Providing extraordinary or emergency services needed to enable homeless children and youths to attend school and participate fully in school activities. (Section 723(d)(16))

The Homeless Liaisons Contact List is in a downloadable excel document on the NDDPI website at https://www.nd.gov/dpi/data.  Scroll down to a gray box and click the “School Directory Contact Information.”  Within this excel file, there are multiple worksheets at the bottom.  Scroll left and right to find the Homeless Liaisons tab.

As part of the Federal Title Monitoring process, the education of students experiencing homelessness will be monitored.  If you receive McKinney-Vento or ARP-HCY funding, monitoring will include a deeper process using the Guidance for Monitoring document.  If you have been monitored through the Federal Title Monitoring process in the past three (3) years, subgrant monitoring documentation will be verified before the site visit.  

2024-25 – Application/initial planning year
2025-26 – Monitoring*
2026-27 – Close out

*The Guidance for Monitoring document may be used for APR-HCY as well.