Authorized under Federal law through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, the Schoolhouse Link Program provides services to ensure identified homeless children and youth have access to a free and appropriate public education by removing barriers due to homelessness.

The Schoolhouse Link is a long-standing partnership between Sarasota County Schools and the Safe Children Coalition, Schoolhouse Link Program.

The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law that defines the education rights of homeless children and youth and the responsibilities of Local Education Agencies (LEAs). If you qualify as homeless, you have the following rights under the McKinney-Vento Act:

• Right to equal access to the same free, appropriate public education as housed students.
• Right to attend either the last school in which you were enrolled (school of origin) prior to being homeless or the zoned school for where you are currently residing.
• Right to immediately enroll in school, even if you are missing required documents, such as immunization records and proof of a physical.
• Right to free meals, regardless of income.
• Right to request transportation assistance to the school of origin.
• Right to have the requirement of residency documents temporarily waived (the Schoolhouse Link team will work with you to obtain required documents while the student attends school).

Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, a child or youth is considered homeless if he or she lacks a fixed, adequate, or regular nighttime residence.

• Fixed - is a stationary and permanent building or structure
• Regular - is a dependable place to stay and used on a regular basis
• Adequate - meets the physical and psychological needs of the child or youth

Living situations may be complicated, therefore families and unaccompanied youth reporting homelessness should complete a residency questionnaire at any school site and contact Schoolhouse Link who will determine eligibility. Children and youth living in the following circumstances will likely be eligible for rights under homeless status and services through Schoolhouse Link:

• Temporarily living in shelters, parks, vehicles, and other public places.
• Temporarily sharing the housing of others due to a loss of housing or economic hardship.
• Staying in a pay by the day/week motel due to an inability to afford regular housing.
• Children of migrant workers whose nighttime residence is not fixed, regular or adequate.
• Unaccompanied youth who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and lack a fixed, adequate or regular nighttime residence.

Living situations that are not considered homeless under the Act include:

• Families sharing adequate housing due to cultural preferences or convenience.
• Families sharing housing by choice or are now in regular housing with the host family.
• Children and youth in foster care.
• Youth who are incarcerated, attending private schools, or treatment facilities.
• Other living situations that are “fixed, regular, and adequate".
• Most trailers would be considered fixed, regular, and adequate residences, however, the condition and size of the trailer, and the number of people living there may impact the determination.

The youth, parent, or guardian can call the Schoolhouse Link office at 941-923-6100 to answer a few questions about the current nighttime living situation.  Families are also asked to complete a Student Residency Questionnaire at their child's school. 

Students experiencing homelessness or who are in transition may want to attend the school of origin rather than attend the current zoned school. In this case, the school staff will refer the youth or family’s request to the Schoolhouse Link office. The Schoolhouse Link team will consult with the parent, unaccompanied youth and school-based staff to determine the school placement choice that is in the best interest of the child/youth. The following factors will be considered:

• The desire of the parent or unaccompanied youth
• Safety issues related to travel or school placement
• Anticipated length of stay at the current location
• The commuting distance and likely impact on student's education
• Age of the child and the child’s need for specialized instruction, if indicated.

Schoolhouse Link can connect families with local resources like shelters, public housing, and places that provide financial aid.  For local housing information, we recommend the following website: http://floridahousingsearch.org/   

Click on any of the following to learn more:

• McKinney-Vento Act at a Glance
• 100 Frequently Asked Questions
• https://www.hungerfreeamerica.org/about/our-work/usda-national-hunger-hotline