The McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program and Title I Part A provide students experiencing homelessness with protections and services to ensure they can enroll in and attend school, complete their high school education, and continue on to higher education — their best hope of avoiding poverty and homelessness as adults. If you have questions, please contact the Manager of the Family Resource Center,  Yvette Nava at 602-242-5828.

Alhambra Elementary School District shall provide an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect. Every student experiencing homelessness shall have access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless.

A student may be considered homeless if he or she is presently living in one of the following situations:

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations.
• In an emergency shelter
• In transitional housing
• With another family in a house or apartment due to a loss of housing or economic hardship
• In a place not designed for ordinary sleeping accommodations (car, park, or campsite)

All students experiencing homelessness have the right to:

Immediate Enrollment: Documentation and immunization records cannot serve as a barrier to the enrollment in school.

Transportation Services: McKinney-Vento eligible students attending their School of Origin have a right to transportation to and from the School of Origin.

Free School Meals: A homeless student automatically qualifies for free breakfast and lunch. No application is necessary.

Participation in Programs: McKinney-Vento eligible students are guaranteed the right to services comparable to services offered to other students in the school.

Unaccompanied Youth Experiencing Homelessness: McKinney-Vento eligible students are guaranteed the right to immediate enrollment without proof of guardianship.

Access to Extracurricular Activities: Removal of barriers to accessing academic and extracurricular activities for students experiencing homelessness who meet relevant eligibility criteria.

Dispute Resolution: If you disagree with school officials about enrollment, transportation, or fair treatment of a homeless child or youth, you may file a complaint with the school district.

• The complaint must be filed in writing with the district homeless liaison within 7 days.
• The school district must respond and attempt to resolve the dispute quickly.
• During the dispute the student must be immediately enrolled in the school until the matter is resolved.
• Whenever a dispute arises the parent or guardian must be provided with a written explanation of the school’s decision within 7 days, including the right to appeal through the Arizona Department of Education Dispute Resolution Process.

To find out if your student qualifies, please ask the school’s front office for a

McKinney-Vento Student Residency Questionnaire

or contact mckinneyventoforms@alhambraesd.org, (602) 242-5828