Who is Considered Homeless
The education provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act, which are now incorporated within No Child Left Behind, ensure educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. The law directly applies to homeless unaccompanied youth who also receive some special attention within the Act.
The term “homeless children and youth”—
- A. means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and
- B. includes —
i. children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;
ii. children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings…
iii. children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
iv. migratory children who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).
Resources
- McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2001 – Title X, Part C of the
- No Child Left Behind Act – Sec 725
- TEHCY Support Hotline Families and educators can call 1-855-85TEHCY (1-855-858-3429)
- Web-Based Intake Form Submit questions and requests anytime through the intake button on the TEHCY Web Portal.
Texas Education Agency Launches New Hotline to Support Students
Experiencing Homelessness
Austin, TX – October 8, 2025 – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has launched Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth (TEHCY) Support, a comprehensive statewide initiative designed to provide direct assistance to families and educators supporting students experiencing homelessness under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.