CONTACT INFORMATION

Xavier Piña, Ed.D. Homeless/Foster Care Liasion 559-583-5000 extn 5001 supt@auesd.org

Homeless & Foster Youth

Part of the student services offered by the Armona Union Elementary School District are the McKinney-Vento and Foster Youth programs. Students who do not have a permanent residence and are living in hotels, cars, shelters, etc. are identified as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. Students are identified as Foster Youth when they move often or change foster care placements more than once during a school year.
The goal of these programs is to offer homeless and foster youth students the same educational rights and opportunities as other students to assist them in succeeding at school. AUESD is dedicated to provide educational stability, equal access to public education, and academic success to these two populations of students by providing the following services students identified as McKinney-Vento or Foster Youth:

  • The right to stay at the same school for the duration of homelessness or foster youth status.
  • Immediate enrollment in any AUESD school.
  • Automatic eligibility for the free and reduced meal program.
  • McKinney-Vento students also receive school bus transportation to and from their school of origin within AUESD even if they move out of the district’s area during the school year.
Homeless Legislation

Provides information and resources for homeless children and youths and their right to enroll, attend, participate fully, and succeed in school.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento Act) (42 U.S.C. § 11431-11435) is federal legislation that ensures the educational rights and protections of children and youths experiencing homelessness. It requires all local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure that homeless students have access to the same free, appropriate public education, including public preschools, as provided to other children and youths. The McKinney-Vento Act defines LEAs as public school districts, direct-funded and locally funded charter schools, and county offices of education. The McKinney-Vento Act also authorizes the funding for the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program.