McKinney-Vento Education in Maine

The Maine Department of Education and Maine schools follow the provisions of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This law helps students whose housing situations are impacting their education. All students are guaranteed the right to a free, appropriate, public education. They can remain enrolled in the schools they have been attending even if they are temporarily staying out of the district but also have the right to enroll in their new school of residence. To help keep students in school during times of housing instability, enrollment should be immediate, even if families cannot provide typically required documents or immunization records right away. Schools must provide transportation for students who need it to attend school. McKinney-Vento protections apply to all public school students, pre-K through grade 12 who “lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence”, including children and youth:

• Sharing housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship
• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate housing
• Living in emergency or transitional housing
• Abandoned in hospitals
• Having a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodations
• Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
• Migratory students meeting the descriptions above
   

Migrant Education, McKinney Vento, and ESOL Programs Collaboration

ESOL Programs staff, McKinney Vento liaisons, and Migrant Education Program staff frequently collaborate to support students that qualify for their programs. Oftentimes, Multilingual Learners, Migratory children, and Students Experiencing Homelessness qualify for one, two, or all three of these programs. Therefore, in order to best identify and serve all children who may qualify for these services, the Maine Department of Education recommends these screener forms to be included as part of enrollment packets for every student, every year:

• Migrant Education Program School Survey
• Maine's Multilingual Learner Identification Policy and Language Use Survey
• Sample McKinney Vento Screener Form

The Maine Department of Education appreciates all of the great work schools are doing to support these students. Please follow each program's policies and guidelines for the implementation of these forms and contact each program's corresponding administration for follow up and questions. 

MV Liaison Hub

MV and Higher Education

MV Professional Development

 

Find a McKinney-Vento Liaison Every Maine school system has a local McKinney-Vento Liaison to assist families and youth who are experiencing housing instability.  McKinney-Vento Liaison Search

McKinney-Vento Data McKinney-Vento students in Maine (.xls) ESSA Dashboard (Maine DOE) McKinney-Vento Data Webinar (Video) Maine MV Data (Ed Data Express) Maine State Profile McKinney-Vento (NCHE)

 

Resources for People Experiencing Housing Instability

Maine Housing Resources

1. Check with your local Housing Navigator
   Aroostook County: Aroostook County Action Program, Presque Isle Housing Authority, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness Kennebec, Somerset Counties & Brunswick: Immigrant Resource Center of Maine Androscoggin County: Lewiston Housing Authority, Immigrant Resource Center of Maine, ProsperityME Midcoast and Penobscot County: Penquis Community Action Agency, Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness Cumberland County - ProsperityME, South Portland Housing Authority
2. Hub Coordinator
3. General Assistance - Families may be eligible for General Assistance if they do not have the income or resources to meet basic needs. If you are unable to reach your local GA office or you have questions or concerns, call our toll-free hotline at 1-800-442-6003. General Assistance | Department of Health and Human Services (maine.gov) For help with legal assistance related to GA: General Assistance in Maine | Pine Tree Legal Assistance (ptla.org)
4. Local Housing Authority - Housing Authorities’ mission is to develop, provide and assist decent, safe and affordable housing for lower income persons. MaineHousing administers voucher programs in all areas of the state not served by a Local Housing Authority.
5. Local Shelter Provider– Even if an individual is not interested in staying at a shelter, many shelters have programs and resources to support finding housing for anyone facing homelessness in the community, regardless if they stay at the shelter or not. The shelters listed below provide emergency shelter. For information on other shelters or resources in your area, dial 2-1-1. York County - Quality Housing Coalition, York Community Service Association & Fair Tide
6. National Runaway Safeline
7. For resources and services for children not yet in public school, please contact the Child Development Services Liaison, Jackie Hersom at Jacquelyn.N.Hersom@maine.gov, or (207) 242-7725.

Statewide Organizations that Help Low-Income Families

• Maine Youth Action Board through New Beginnings
• Gateway Community Services Maine Transportation Resources through ME DHHS
• Statewide Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Statewide Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) | Department of Health and Human Services (maine.gov) 
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Statewide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Department of Health and Human Services (maine.gov)
• MaineCare Health Care Assistance | Department of Health and Human Services (maine.gov)
• Good Shepherd Food Map Food Map | Maine Food Pantries | Good Shepherd Food Bank (gsfb.org)
• Maine Needs Maine Needs Basic material needs (clothing, hygiene products, household items)
• 211 211 Maine | Services Directory & Assistance Programs Connection to a range of services
• Help Me Grow Help Me Grow Maine Free service for pregnant families and children 0-8
• Migrant Education Program Migrant Ed Program For families who work in agriculture or fishing Community Based
• Organization Partnerships with ME DOE:
  • Androscoggin, Knox, Waldo, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Lincoln, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford counties: Signe Lynch at slynch@newbeginmaine.org
  • York, Cumberland counties: Hannah Ryde at hryde@preblestreet.org
  • Piscataquis, Hancock, Penobscot, Washington, Aroostook: Stormi Petravicz at stormipetravicz@shawhouse.us

 

McKinney-Vento Outreach Materials

 

ARP funds received from the USDOE support the implementation of this project. The project has an award totaling $795,000 dollars of which 100% is federally funded and directly attributed to project implementation. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by the USDOE or the U.S. Government.