Lakewood School District's Homeless Education Program is in place to address and support the educational needs of students who find themselves in temporary or transitional housing during the school year. Our program works closely with local shelters and housing providers, local community agencies and resources, Snohomish County, and Washington State's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. We work together to ensure educational stability for students in short-term/temporary and transitional/homeless housing situations so they feel supported and encouraged while they secure permanent housing.

The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act is a federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth.  McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that serve homeless students.

Who is considered eligible for the Homeless Education Program's (McKinney-Vento) assistance and services?

Any child or youth, including migrant and unaccompanied youth, who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence is considered homeless and McKinney-Vento eligible for assistance and services.  This includes children and youth who are temporarily sharing housing with others due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason; those who are living in hotels, camping grounds, emergency shelters, cars, bus or train stations, or other similar settings; or those in transitional housing programs.

Education Rights of Children and Youth who Quality for Services and Assistance

The Lakewood School District provides equal and comparable access to all students regardless of their home living situation.  McKinney-Vento eligible children and youth have specific rights that include:

1. Ability to maintain attendance at the school of origin-current school for the remainder of the current school year (if this is in the child's best interest and feasible) or enroll in the neighborhood school where currently residing
2. Transportation assistance if needed
3. Eligibility for FREE food services
4. Appropriate support services and programs for which they are eligible for such programs as highly capable, special education, career and technical education, preschool
5. Assistance obtaining needed records and documentation
6. Academic assistance through the district's federally funded Title I program
7. Parent or guardian involvement in school activities

The Lakewood School District also works closely with neighboring districts in an effort to create a region-wide educational network to support students and their families in short-term/temporary and transitional/homeless housing situations.

Additional Resources About Homeless Services