The Federal McKinney-Vento Act and Texas State Law guarantee that you can enroll in school if you live:

• in a shelter (family shelter, domestic violence shelter, youth shelter, or transitional living program)
• in a motel, hotel, or weekly rate housing
• in a house or an apartment with more than one family because of economic hardship or loss
• in an abandoned building or a car, at a campground, or on the street
• in temporary foster care or with an adult who is not your parent or legal guardian
• in substandard housing (no electricity, no water, and/or no heat)
• with friends or family because you are runaway or unaccompanied youth

If you live in one of these situations, you do not need to provide the following to enroll in school:

• proof of residency
• immunization records or TB skin test result
• birth records
• legal guardianship papers

You may also:

• continue to attend the school in which you were last enrolled, even if you have moved away from the school’s attendance zone or district
• receive transportation from your current residence back to your school of origin
• qualify automatically for Child Nutrition Programs (free school meals)
• participate fully in all school activities and programs for which you are eligible
• contact the district liaison to resolve any disputes that arise during the enrollment process

Visit the Community Resources page for an extensive list of medical services, housing, cold weather shelters, childcare and more.

Additional information and resources are:

• 211 Get Connected.  Get Answers.
• Texas Homeless Education Office
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
• National Center for Homeless Education- McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act