The McKinney-Vento Homeless [Education] Assistance Act is a federal law ensuring immediate enrollment and educational stability for students experiencing homelessness. McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states to support district programs serving children, youth & families without their own permanent address. Centennial BOCES is a regional leader specializing in McKinney-Vento consultation, such as technical assistance, problem solving, resource brokerage, ideas, and community/ program building.

Who:  Any student who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate home

Any displaced child or youth who fits any of the below descriptions has educational rights under the McKinney-Vento Act.

• Solo, independent and living with someone else who is not their parent/ legal guardian, 
  
• Family moved in with another family due to an economic hardship (not having enough money), the lack of affordable housing and / or fleeing a domestic, family crisis
  
• In a shelter, motel / hotel
  
• Inadequate (for example, mold, non-working bathroom, kitchen, broken window, inconsistent electricity, water, heat, etc.) trailer or house, outside, car, camper, abandoned building, barn, places not designed for human habitation, ad hoc living environment
  
• Living in a shelter or in a transitional housing program
  
• Living in any other houseless situation 
  

McKinney-Vento Specific Rights

• Automatic enrollment
  
• Immediate enrollment when a youth is unaccompanied, independent of parents or legal guardians
  
• Continued attendance in school of origin, or the school they last attended while housed
  
• Transportation to the school of origin (if it's a barrier) through school bus, district vehicle, public transportation, taxi or provision of fuel assistance
  
• All general school fees waived
  
• Free meals; do not need to fill out Free / Reduced lunch form
  
• High school counselor career and college preparation navigation
  
• Independent Status on FAFSA, meaning they do not need to file their parents / legal guardians tax information, which increases their free grant money​

State & National Rights

Legal Right to Food

Youth have the right to consistent, wholesome food through the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is a free $200 / month food debit card! You can shop for yourself at your local grocery store!

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) | Colorado Department of Human Services 

Print it out, fill it out with an adult, write “student, federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, don’t live with parents, often moving / temporary living situations, ____, …., with a smart adult, go in the morning for a few hours to your local county human services, if necessary, be fearless to politely talk with their supervisor & get your card in the afternoon!

Legal Right to Consent to Shelter
This bill (SB20-106) is for 15-17 year olds.
Consent To Shelter And Services By Homeless Youth | Colorado General Assembly 

The purpose of the McKinney-Vento (MV) project administered by the Centennial Board of Cooperative Educational Services (CBOCES) is to ensure educational access, school stability as well as academic and social success for students experiencing housing insecurity throughout communities located in North central, Northeastern, and East central Colorado. In partnering with the North East and East Central BOCES, services and supports are offered to 50 school districts.


Additionally, Greeley / Evans School District 6, Poudre School District, Thompson School District & Saint Vrain Valley School District, are able to take advantage of Regional Consultation services and leveraged resources for their students experiencing homelessness through collaboration with the CBOCES regional Migrant Education Program (MEP) grant. CBOCES also operates three alternative high schools located in Fort Morgan (Morgan County), Greeley (Weld County) and Longmont (Boulder County) for both rural and urban students, many who disproportionally experience homelessness throughout the year.

Role of Liaison & resources to get you familiar with the McKinney-Vento law:

  1.  You will read in the homeless liaison brief that part of your responsibilities is to determine McKinney-Vento program eligibility and school placement.  The following determining eligibility brief: here and a supporting school selection checklist are great resources that will provide step by step determinations on these processes.

  1.  Supporting students experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic has delivered a new set of challenges related to school stability, enrollment, and academic success.  Schoolhouse connections offers resources to learn more about homelessness during the times of COVID, and CDE has also updated COVID FAQs to support you in navigating this ever changing environment.

Over 2,000 students in grades pre K - high school / GED receive services and support through our MV project. Our MV services range from high quality professional development, 4 annual regional McKinney-Vento Summits (Limon, Sterling, Fort Morgan & Greeley), on-site consultation with district staff and students, community resource development and delivery, and solution-focused problem solving with students / families as they confront educational, social barriers and houselessness.


CBOCES also operates the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) - Basic Center Program (BCP) for 12-17 year old youth. With our state partners at the Colorado Rural Collaborative, we are able provide Emergency Shelter through our Host Home Model, where we provide counsel, advice, tangible resources, and some financial support for up to 21 days! 

The CBOCES MV project collaborates with other community agencies and programs, such as Child Find, Head Start, the MEP, Title I Part A, Title II, Title Ill, Special Education, the School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP), local school districts, colleges and universities, non-profits, governmental and faith-based organizations to address the unique needs of MV students, families, and educators. The outcomes of our MV project are to promote and increase the enrollment and retention of students in school leading to academic and social success, graduation, and college and career readiness.

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

If you or someone you know is a 12-17 year old who has left home; not welcome; been kicked out;  ran away; is homeless; sleeping different places and seeking help; or you're concerned; please contact us, a school, a school's Homeless Education Liaison, or a youth serving agency. All year long, we serve 16 counties in the Northeast quadrant of Colorado. 

We are here to problem solve, counsel, provide rapid financial help, and other important resources for survival. We also provide coping skills/wellness, along with support for emergency shelter through a Host, meaning a caring, cool adult who opens their home for 21 days or longer. Let's get you a phone, a winter jacket, hygiene, bed & bedding, hobbies, mental wellness supplies (art, books, etc.), pay some money for your stay, fix your car. . . . Maybe you are already staying with this adult & could use some extra sources of power and TLC. Youth deserve to be treated in a kind and caring way!

CBOCES operates the Federal civil rights law - the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) – Basic Center Program (BCP) via the Colorado Rural Collaborative. Since 2014, we have served dozens of youth, 12-17 years of age, with counsel, education and housing. We have also successfully mentored dozens of youth at statewide, multi-day Youth Summits.  These summits focus on self-introspection and development, youth leadership, volunteerism advocacy and mountains of crazy fun! CBOCES also helps in the framing and delivery of the Youth Summits, which have been held in a neat & enlightening location, such as Grand Junction or Denver.

​For information about eligibility for services through McKinney-Vento, visit the Colorado Department of Education's website.

For questions or assistance, contact Mario Gonzalez at mario.gonzalez@cboces.org

Every District is Federally mandated to have a Homeless Education Liason

Solo, Unaccompanied Minors without Homes: https://nche.ed.gov/resources/

Frequently Asked Questions About Educational Rights of Homeless Childrean and Youth: https://naehcy.org/resources/

Colorado Map of Eviction Assistance Services: https://dola-online.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ZoneLookup/index.html?appid=dadc979eb66f41fb96e9ac935292330c

Educational Rights: https://nche.ed.gov/educational-rights-poster-youth/

Colorado Map of Eviction Assistance Services: https://dola-online.maps.arcgis.com/apps/ZoneLookup/index.html?appid=dadc979eb66f41fb96e9ac935292330c

Graduating from College as a Homeless Youth Video: https://fosteringsuccess.colostate.edu/youth-from-unaccompanied-backgrounds-access-thrive-and-graduate-college/

National Center for Homeless Education: https://nche.ed.gov/

Splash LGBTQIA Youth Services: https://splashnoco.org/

Foster Care Experiences Chafee Program: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/colorado-chafee-program

Foster Youth Financial Assistance Program Higher Education: https://www.cboces.org/sys/page/b1e78a102bbf49a7b3299954a1293806/design?version=20250210-10193996#toggle

Fostering Success Program: https://fosteringsuccess.colostate.edu/

Rocky Mountain Human Services: https://www.rmhumanservices.org/

Legal Help for Housing and Evictions: https://www.copovertylawproject.org/

Weld Country Housing Navigation Center: https://www.unitedway-weld.org/programs/housing-navigation-center/

Local United Way
Search 211 online or dial 211 on  the phone

Local Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, and other places of worship are good sources of assistance. 

Always Open Resources (24/7 365)

National Runaway Safeline
1800RUNAWAY.org
1.800.RUNAWAY

​Colorado Crisis Line:
Text "Talk" to 38255, to text with a mental wellness specialist
970.494.4200
coloradocrisisservices.org