West Chicago-area districts review McKinney‑Vento rights, enrollment and supports for unhoused students

West Chicago — Leaders from four local school districts met in a joint session Oct. 12 for an hourlong training on the McKinney‑Vento Homeless Assistance Act and Illinois requirements for students living in unstable housing.

The presentation, delivered by Sarah Norton, Director of Community Partnerships for West Chicago School District 33, reviewed who qualifies as McKinney‑Vento eligible, the districts’ duty to identify students, rules for immediate enrollment and transportation obligations, and local resources including county mini‑grants and community partners.

Norton said the work is “disruptive for adults,” noting the effect of housing instability on children’s schooling: “It really is disruptive for adults to go through these kinds of situations, and so you can imagine the impact it has on our kids.” She walked the group through federal and state differences, enrollment procedures and common local scenarios.

Why it matters: The training clarified that districts must enroll McKinney‑Vento students immediately, even without records, and provide services such as transportation, free meals and fee waivers to reduce barriers to attendance. Norton said these practices aim to preserve continuity in learning and reduce the academic losses that follow frequent moves.

Most important points Norton presented included: - Eligibility: Students missing any element of “fixed, regular and adequate housing” can qualify, including those “doubled up” with other families for financial reasons, families in transitional shelters or motels when no stable alternative exists, refugees and unaccompanied youth. - State vs. federal rule in Illinois: Under the Illinois Education of Homeless Children Act, caregivers may choose whether an eligible child remains in the school of origin or enrolls in the school of residence; Norton said that Illinois law must be followed where it offers greater protections. - Immediate enrollment: Districts must enroll eligible students within one to two days even without prior records; districts should obtain a birth certificate or equivalent within 30 days. - Transportation: Districts must provide transportation to the school of origin when requested; options include placing the student on an existing route, mileage reimbursement (the presenter cited district staff reimbursement rates, roughly $0.57 per mile), or contracted certified taxi providers. When students live outside a district but attend inside it, Norton said districts must cost‑share transportation with the student’s home district. - Fee waivers and funding: Eligible students are automatically eligible for free lunch and waiver of required school fees; Norton said DuPage County mini‑grants can cover nonrequired costs (she reported District 33 accessed about $30,000 this year under a roughly $300 per‑student cap used for clothing, tutoring and other needs).

District 33 figures: Norton said shifting identification from front‑office self‑reporting to trained family liaisons raised District 33’s identified McKinney‑Vento population to roughly 500 students (about 9.5 percent of that district’s enrollment, based on the Illinois report card data Norton cited). She said District 94’s reported rate on last year’s report card was 5.3 percent; Winfield and Benjamin data were listed as unavailable on the state report card.

On special categories: Norton reviewed rules for unaccompanied youth (who may enroll without a parent or guardian), students in foster care and those with disabilities (IDEA services must be provided immediately alongside McKinney‑Vento rights). She emphasized confidentiality for unaccompanied youth and said staff should coordinate with local law enforcement or SROs if immediate safety concerns appear.

Identification and outreach: Norton urged districts to make identification proactive — revise intake forms to ask about living arrangements rather than use the term “homeless,” train teachers and staff to recognize signs of housing instability, and coordinate with local agencies such as PADS, World Relief and DuPage County services (including the 2‑1‑1 hotline) to find supports.

Procedures and dispute resolution: Norton described an administrative dispute process overseen by the Regional Office of Education (ROE) and said the ROE’s McKinney‑Vento advocate, Heather Britton, supports districts in complex eligibility questions. She noted Illinois guidance allows districts to review prolonged doubled‑up status (an 18‑month guideline for additional review) and to redetermine eligibility during summer phone checks.

Local logistics and programs: Norton described District 33’s family liaisons who perform intakes, home visits, attendance monitoring and referrals — a change she credited with increased identification and support. She said about 45 McKinney‑Vento students in District 33 currently use district transportation services and that the district uses contracted providers (including EverDriven) with parent‑facing apps for tracking rides.

Questions and follow‑up: Norton encouraged board members to consult ROE guidance for complex cases and shared online resources including ISBE materials and SchoolHouse Connection for legal Q&A. She also said the presentation as delivered by Heather Britton met the board‑training requirement on McKinney‑Vento issues.

Formal meeting action: The joint meeting closed with a motion to adjourn that was seconded; members voted by voice and the motion carried.

The session provided board members from District 33, District 30, District 25 and CHSD 94 with operational detail and local examples for identifying and serving students experiencing housing instability, and highlighted county and state resources intended to reduce barriers to school attendance.