The McKinney-Vento Act is a federal law that provides services to children who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. Examples of this could be: you are staying in a shelter/FEMA trailer; sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing or economic hardship; living in a car, park, campground, or other inadequate accommodations; temporarily living in a motel or hotel due to loss of housing or economic hardship; and/or living alone as a minor student without an adult (unaccompanied youth).

If eligible, children have a right to receive a free, appropriate public education; enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment; enroll in a local school or continue attending your school of origin; receive transportation to and from the school of origin if you request this; and receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, in accordance with your child's needs.

The Ridgewood Public School District is committed to helping students and families in transition and are experiencing homelessness within the boundaries of our school district. The school district administration and the teachers work together with families to help homeless students continue to be successful in school. 

The district’s Director of Special Programs serves as the Homeless Liaison designee, who has been appointed to advocate for these students.  Some of the ways the liaison can help are:

• Provide advocacy and resources to the family and student for basic needs; 

• Informing on the rights of homeless children and youth;

• Provide training on how to recognize the signs and symptoms of homelessness;

• Provide teaching strategies to be inclusive of these students;

• Provide guidance in how to enroll in school and access school services;

• Helping to coordinate transportation services for homeless children and youth when necessary; and

• Collaborating and coordinating with the State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth and community and school personnel responsible for providing education and related support services to homeless children and youth.

Dr. Michelle Fenwick, District Homeless Education Liaison
Email Dr. Michelle Fenwick