Skip to main content

Charles City County Public Schools

Educate - Engage - Empower

Division Social Worker-Student/Family Services

McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act

  • The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act  as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have full and equal access to an appropriate public education and experience. A student is considered to be experiencing homelessness if he or she lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence, and is:

    • Sharing housing with relatives, friends, or strangers due to economic hardship or lack of housing;
    • Living in emergency or transitional shelters;
    • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to economic hardship or lack of housing;
    • Living in cars, parks, public spaces, bus or train stations, or abandoned buildings;
    • Migratory children or youth living in circumstances described above; and/or
    • Unaccompanied youth, meaning youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian, such as runaways and youth denied housing by their families. 

    The McKinney-Vento Act ensures educational rights and protection for youth and children experiencing homelessness.

    Parents/Guardians who think they may qualify for services under McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act should contact, Joy Johns, School Social Worker, at jjohns@ccps.net or (804)829-9256.

    • Immediate school enrollment and full participation in all school activities, even when required, records for enrollment are not available.
    • The right to remain at school of origin.
    • Transportation to and from the school of origin.
    • Rights and protections for unaccompanied youth (youth who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian), who are experiencing homelessness. This includes allowing them to be immediately enrolled without proof of guardianship.

    • Transportation to school of origin to promote school stability.
    • Assistance with some school fees.
    • Resource room with household items, clothing, hygiene products, school supplies, and food.
    • Case management for families and unaccompanied youth.
    • Connections to community resources.

Foster Care Information

  • If you need to schedule a Best Interest Determination (BID) for foster care school placement, please contact Joy Johns, School Social Worker and Foster Care Liaison, at jjohns@ccps.net or 804-829-9256. 

  • "In accordance with § 22.1-3.4 of the Code, a student who has been placed in a foster care placement, as defined in § 63.2-100, by a local social services agency shall be immediately enrolled in school even if the placing social services agency is unable to produce the documents required for enrollment. In such cases, the person enrolling the student must provide a written statement that, to the best of his knowledge, sets forth (i) the student's age, (ii) compliance with the requirements of § 22.1-3.2, and (iii) that the student is in good health and is free from communicable or contagious disease."

    Info from: Virginia Department of Education

Parent Education Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)

  • Building positive futures for Virginia's children by working collaboratively with families, schools, and communities in order to improve opportunities for excellence in education and success in school and community life.

    Our special focus is children with disabilities.

  • For access to resources, services, and trainings, please visit PEATC Homepage or contact Joy Johns, School Social Worker and PEATC Liaison at jjohns@ccps.net or 804-829-9256.