Right to Dispute Eligibility, Enrollment, or Educational Placement

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act guarantees rights and services for homeless children and youth to remove educational barriers. The law requires states and school districts to follow a dispute resolution process when parents, guardians, or unaccompanied youth and schools disagree on the eligibility, enrollment, or educational placement of homeless children and youth. The dispute resolution process is intended to represent each party’s views for objective consideration so that disagreements can be brought to closure expeditiously, and the department has developed a dispute resolution process as required by the act.

Prompt resolution of disputes regarding the educational placement of homeless children and youths is critical. When a dispute arises over eligibility, school selection, or enrollment, the child or unaccompanied youth shall be immediately admitted to the school in which enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute. The dispute resolution process can be accessed here.