• Homeless Education

  • Knox County Schools ensures homeless students have equal access to the same free appropriate public education as provided to other students.  The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Improvement Act gives children and youth in homeless situations the right to attend school, no matter where they live or how long they have lived there. Homeless students also have access to transportation to and from their schools or origin or zoned schools.

    Knox County Schools provides a full time Homeless Liaison to work with and assist homeless children and their families. The Liaison provides ongoing sustainability in the program by ensuring that homeless children are immediately enrolled in school and receive the appropriate services and resources for which they are eligible. They are provided with school supplies and transportation to their schools of origin to help maintain stability in their educational services.

  • McKinney-Vento Program (MVP) Help


    How does McKinney-Vento define homelessness?

    The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youth as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason. The definition includes (but is not limited to) children and youth who are:

    • Sharing housing with others (doubled up or couch-surfing) 

    • Living in hotels or motels 

    • Living in shelters or transitional housing 

    • Living in places unfit for human habitation, such as cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, and bus and train stations.  

     

    What rights do homeless students have through the McKinney-Vento Act?

    Enrollment: Immediate enrollment in school, even without required documents. The school will help obtain documents while the student is enrolled in school. 

    School of Origin: Attend their school of origin unless contrary to the wishes of the parent/unaccompanied youth and/or not in the student’s best interest.  The school of origin is defined as the school the homeless child or youth last attended while permanently housed or the school in which the student or youth was last enrolled, which includes Preschools and “receiving schools.” (i.e., the feeder school for a student’s school of origin). A homeless student or youth must be able to remain in his or her school of origin for the duration of homelessness or until the end of the school year in which the child or youth becomes permanently housed. (US DOE) 

    Transportation: Transportation to and from their school of origin  

    Services: Services comparable to other students, including Title 1 services, career and technical education, PreK Programs, and programs for gifted and talented students. 

    Support: Support for academic success and issues including access to a district McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison

     

    How Can the McKinney-Vento Program (MVP) Help?

    • Assistance with school enrollment process and paperwork

    • Transportation to school 

    • Obtaining birth certificates, immunization records, and school records 

    • Advocate for student and family rights 

    • School supplies and backpacks 

    • Free breakfast and lunch 

    • Clothing, shoes, hygiene items, and diapers 

    • Food 

    • Housing and community resource information 

    • Referrals to medical, dental, and mental health services 

    • KAT passes 

    • FASFA letters 

     

    Referral Process for the MVP

    Refer family or unaccompanied youth to the school Social Worker to complete the MVP paperwork and connect with resources.

      Policies and Procedures

      • Policies


        » J-140 - Students Experiencing Homelessness

         

        Dispute Resolution Procedure


        Level I: Appeal to the Homeless Liaison or School Culture Supervisor

        If a parent or unaccompanied youth wishes to appeal the LEA's decision related to eligibility, enrollment, or school selection, the appeal is submitted to the LEA's homeless liaison or school culture supervisor. 


        Level II: Appeal to the Superintendent

        If the dispute is unresolved, the parent or unaccompanied youth may appeal the Level I decision to the superintendent or designee. 


        Level III: Appeal to the Board of Education

        If the dispute is unresolved, the parent or unaccompanied youth may appeal the Level II decision to the Board of Education.  

        Level IV: Appeal to the State Coordinator

        If the dispute continues to be unresolved, the parent or unaccompanied youth may appeal the Level III decision to the McKinney-Vento state coordinator at the Tennessee Department of Education. 


        Appeal to the State Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Federal Programs and Oversight

        If the parent, unaccompanied youth, or district wishes to appeal the Level IV decision rendered by the McKinney-Vento state coordinator, an appeal may be submitted to the assistant commissioner of the division of federal programs and oversight. 

      Resources

      Forms