Students in kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) who are experiencing homelessness have special protections under a federal law called the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This law says that schools have to help homeless students enroll and stay in school, and have to provide them with transportation if needed.

This information is also available for download in the Know Your Rights Toolkit for Youth Experiencing Homelessness, pages 13-15.

Your Key Legal Rights

  • The right to enroll in public K-12 school if you’re experiencing homelessness. The school can’t deny you enrollment, even if you don’t have a parent or guardian to help you. Every public K-12 school district has a homeless liaison to help you.
  • The right to be provided with transportation, free meals, and other support you might need to stay in school, like supplies or tutoring.
  • The right to participate in school activities, extracurriculars, and social activities. You can ask your school to waive any fees that might come with these.

  • What is a Homeless Liaison?

A homeless liaison is someone who works at your school district who helps students experiencing homelessness get the support they need to stay in school. Under federal law, every public school district must have a homeless liaison. Their job is to make sure students can enroll in school, get transportation and meals, and receive the same educational opportunities as other students.

Homeless liaisons also work closely with families, shelters, counselors, and community organizations to connect students with helpful services. They help students who are experiencing visible homelessness and hidden homelessness (see 3 of the Know Your Rights Toolkit).

Find your school’s homeless liaison using this directory. You can also ask someone you trust, like a coach or a teacher, to tell you who the liaison is.

I’m a College Student Experiencing Homelessness—What Help Do I Have?

The resources available to college students experiencing homelessness vary by what state you live in and what college you attend.

  • Some states have laws that can help, like requiring colleges to have homeless liaisons or prioritizing students experiencing homelessness for housing. Use this resource to see if there are any helpful laws in your state.
  • Even in states where there are no helpful laws, some universities have dedicated staff or programs to help college students access resources and support. Check with your college’s student support office about what options they might have.

Take Charge of Your Benefits

  • Find out who your school’s homeless liaison is and contact them for help. Search here, or ask an adult you trust, like a coach or teacher.

  • Gather any documents you have (previous school records, ID, etc).

  • Ask your liaison about transportation options, tutoring or counseling, and free meal programs.

  • What you can say to the homeless liaison: “I’m experiencing homelessness and I need help. What can you do to help me stay in school and get connected to services?”

  • What you can say to a trusted adult at school: “I’m experiencing homelessness and I need help. Can you connect me with the homeless liaison?”