Homeless Assistance
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Families in Transition/Homeless
Assistance
Walla Walla School District's Families in Transition/Homeless Education
Program is in place to address and support the educational needs
of students who find themselves in temporary or transitional housing
during the school year. Our Program works closely with local shelter
and housing providers, local community agencies and resources, and
the City of Walla Walla, County
of Walla Walla and Washington state's
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. We work together
to ensure educational stability for students in short-term/temporary
and transitional/homeless housing situations so they feel supported
and encouraged while they secure permanent housing.
Who is considered eligible for the Homeless Education Program's (McKinney-Vento) assistance and services?
Any child or youth, including migrant and unaccompanied youth, who
lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence is considered
homeless and McKinney-Vento eligible for assistance and services.
This includes children and youth who are temporarily sharing housing
with others due to loss of housing or economic hardship, those who
are living in hotels, camping grounds, emergency shelters, cars,
bus or train stations, or other similar settings, transitional housing
programs, and those awaiting foster care or are in temporary placements.
If you have a student/child who may qualify for our
Program's assistance and services or would like more information,
please contact our Homeless Education Liaison:
Connie Taylor-Randall
Principal on Special Assignment
Homeless Liaison
Walla Walla School District
509-526-6736 | crandall@wwps.org
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act was authorized
by Congress, December 2001, as part of the No Child Left Behind
Legislation. The purpose of the McKinney-Vento Act is to remove
barriers to education for homeless/transitional students and provide
educational support and stability.
Education Rights of Children and Youth Who Qualify for Services & Assistance
Our schools provide equal and comparable access to all students
regardless of their home living situation. McKinney-Vento eligible
children and youth have specific rights that include:
- Maintain attendance at the school of origin-current school for
the remainder of the current school year (if this is in the child’s
best interest and feasible) or enroll in the neighborhood school
where currently residing.
- Transportation assistance if needed.
- Eligible for FREE food services
- Appropriate support services and programs for which they are
eligible such programs as gifted, children with disabilities, vocational
education, preschool
- Assistance obtaining needed records and documentation
- Academic assistance through the district's federally funded Title
I program
- Parent or guardian involvement in school activities
The Homeless Education Program also works closely with neighboring
school districts including College Place, Milton-Freewater, Dayton,
Waitsburg, etc., in an effort to create a region-wide educational
network to support students and their families in short-term/temporary
and transitional/homeless housing situations.
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