A student who lives in any of the following situations is considered in temporary housing under the McKinney-Vento Act:

• Doubled up (with friends or relatives because they cannot find or afford housing)
• A shelter or transitional shelter,
• A hotel/motel,
• A car, bus or train,
• A park or public place, or
• An abandoned building

This includes unaccompanied youth who do not have a fixed, adequate, and regular nighttime residence. Unaccompanied youth are students not in the physical custody of their parent or legal guardian; this includes young people who

• have run away from home,
• have been kicked out of their homes, or
• have been abandoned by parents.

There is no age limit for unaccompanied youth, but these students are most often in their teens.

Student Rights

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, and Chancellor's Regulation A-780, a student in temporary housing has the right to:

• A free public education
• To stay in their current school or choose to attend a zoned school
• Not be denied immediate school enrollment because of their temporary housing status or they lack enrollment documentation
• Transportation services to and from school
• Continue to receive special education services regardless of school transfer Services comparable to those offered to other students

Complete the Housing Questionnaire and send it to your school to determine if your student is eligible to receive any of the support listed above.

Need help understanding your child's rights? Reach out to one of the contacts below:

• Look at the Parent's Guide to McKinney Vento Act (Open external link)for more information (translations included)
• For questions about educational rights, call the NYS-TEACHS toll-free hotline at 800-388-2014 or reach out to the DOE staff at your shelter facility
• For questions about special education services, call the Special Ed Hotline at 718-935-2007
• For questions about unaccompanied youth services, call DYCD Connect at 1-800-246-4646 or dial 311.

School Enrollment & Transfers

When choosing a school for your child, you can choose (based on seat availability):

• The last school your child was enrolled in; or
• Any school available to a child who lives in the same area

Students in temporary housing are not required to submit documentation (including address, proof of date of birth, and immunization records) in order to participate in any admission process or enroll in school. 

If your child will be attending the same school, complete the Housing Questionnaire and send to your school to notify them of the change in address and housing status.

If your child is currently not enrolled in school, or you want to change your child's school, follow the instructions below based on what grade they are in.