Homeless Students
Academics
Homeless Students
Rights under the McKinney‑Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Leona Group Schools provides an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect. Every homeless student has access to the same free and appropriate educational opportunities as students who are not homeless. This commitment to the educational rights of homeless students, youth, and unaccompanied youth applies to all services, programs, and activities we provide.
Who May Qualify
A student may be eligible for services as a “Homeless Student or Youth” under the McKinney-Vento Act if he or she is presently living:
- In a shelter
- In a motel or hotel
- In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
- Doubled up with others due to loss of housing or economic hardship
- In a campground due to the lack of alternative accommodation
Eligible Children Have the Right To:
- Receive a free, 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, or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or in which they were last enrolled), if that is the family’s preference — if the school district believes the selected school is not in the best interest of the children, it must provide a written explanation of its position and inform you of your right to appeal its decision
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested
- Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the children’s needs
There may also be supports available for preschool-age children.
How to Request Help
If you believe your child may be eligible, contact the front office and request McKinney-Vento services and the district liaison’s contact information. Families experiencing housing instability are not required to provide standard enrollment documentation.
Arizona Department of Education — Homeless Education Program Coordinator: (602) 542-4963 · Homeless@azed.gov
National Center for Homeless Education — 1-800-308-2145 · homeless@serve.org
azed.gov/homeless nche.ed.gov Parent Poster (English) Parent Poster (Spanish)