Children/youth Experiencing Homelessness

Pennsylvania's Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program was established to make sure homeless youth have access to a free and appropriate public education while removing barriers that homeless children face. Its goal is to have the educational process continue as uninterrupted as possible while the children are in homeless situations.

Section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Act10 defines “homeless children and youths” as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. The term includes —
 

· Children and youths who are:

• sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as “doubled-up”);
• living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations;
• living in emergency or transitional shelters; or
• abandoned in hospitals;

· Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; 

· Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and 

· Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.

If you are aware of any children in the school district who may possibly fit the above criteria, please contact a school principal or the school district’s homeless liaison, Scott McCaskey at 724-634-3030 or smccaskey@wmasd.k12.pa.us. Services and support is available for these students.

Homeless Liaison

Scott McCaskey724-634-3030 ext. 1127smccaskey@wmasd.k12.pa.us 

Homeless Education Documents