Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (as reauthorized by Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act) defines homeless as follows:

The term "homeless children and youths"--

(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and (B) includes--

(i) children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;

(ii) children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C));

(iii) children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and

(iv) migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).

View the full text of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Learn about homelessness in our community. 

Children and youth experiencing homelessness have the right to:

Receive a free and appropriate public education.

Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.

Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents.

Enroll in the local school near where they're living or continue attending th school or origin (the school the child attended when permanently housed or in which the child was last, enrolled) if that is your preference and is in the child's best interest. If the school district believes the school you select is not in the best interest of your child, then the district must provide you with a written explanation of its position and offer you the opportunity to appeal its decision.

Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested by the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth.

Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the student's need.

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Michigan Department of Education