Housing & McKinney Vento

In transition? Unstable housing situation?

Let us connect you with the support to keep your education on track. Hardships happen, and the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, a federal law, ensures immediate enrollment and educational stability for homeless children and youth. Our district-appointed liaisons are here to facilitate, locate and assist our families and students who find themselves needing support during these difficult moments to continue receiving the highest standards of education.

Do You...

Live in a shelter, motel or campground?
Live doubled-up with other people or couch-surfing?
Live in a car, park or abandoned building?

Get covered in three simple steps

TALK to your school counselor. Your school counselor will complete an intake form which will identify your student's needs and any community resources available to you
COMPLETE the Housing Questionnaire
CONTACT the McKinney-Vento Office for any additional resource assistance

Missed the bus?

Please contact the Transportation Department at 253-571-1910.

Find more information under "McKinney-Vento transportation" below.

Who qualifies?

The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." The act provides examples of children who fall under this definition as:

Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason
Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations
Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodations (e.g. park benches, etc.)
Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations.

Understand your rights under the McKinney-Vento Act

Under the McKinney-Vento Act you have a right to an education without barriers, this means you have the right to:

Receive a free public education
Enroll in school immediately, even if you lack documents normally required for enrollment
Attend classes while the school gathers your missing documents
Enroll in the school closest to you or the school you were last enrolled in (school of origin), even if you have been forced to relocate
Receive transportation to and from your school of origin
Receive all the same educational services other students receive, even if you can't pay
Participate in before and after school programs
Receive counseling
Receive free breakfast and lunch
Participate in special education, bilingual vocational and gifted programs as qualified
Receive school supplies
Receive extra academic support through Title I funding
Receive evaluation for any disabilities

McKinney-Vento transportation - missed busses & bus transfer

Missed buses

If a student misses their school transportation a total of three times in the year without contacting the Transportation Department at 253-571-1910 about those missed rides, their school district transportation will be canceled.
To restart school bus transportation, the student or family will need to contact their McKinney-Vento liaison. If transportation is started back up, step #1 starts again.

Bus transfer

Students not attending their home school might need to take two buses to get to school. When that is the case, school buses will meet at a transfer site and students will board a second bus, which will take them to school.
For students’ safety, drivers will ensure that students wait on their first bus until their transfer bus arrives. Students will have a badge that confirms they are on the correct transfer bus.

Help Support Our Students

Your donations directly support McKinney-Vento students experiencing housing insecurity in Tacoma.

Donate onlineDonate by Mail

Please make checks payable to TPS Tone Trust and mail to:

Tacoma Public Schools
Attn: McKinney-Vento Department
PO Box 1357
Tacoma, WA 98401

Find resources

Resources for students and families

Housing Assistance

Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness Coordinated Entry

Call 211 to speak to someone directly
Sign up online
Drop in Centers:
- Housing Solutions, Tacoma Rescue Mission 253-383-4493
- CCS Family Housing Network; 5050 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA 98409; 253-471-5340
- Nativity House Shelter; 702 S 14^th St, Tacoma, WA 98405; 253-502-2780
- Associated Ministries; 901 S 113^th St, Tacoma, WA 98405; 253-383-3056

Community Support

Resource Guide Start, Pierce County Resources
TANF and Support Services, Washington State Department of Health, 877-501-2233
Youth Ride Transit for Free, My Orca
Youth Resource List, Tacoma Learns

Legal Rights

Frequently Asked Questions on the Educational Rights of Children and Youth in Homeless Situations From Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Student Rights for Homeless Children and Youth Programs From the US Department of Education
Dispute Resolution (Guide, Form, Receipt)

Emergency Shelter and Housing

Families & Adults

Pierce County Emergency Shelter Availability, updated daily
Adams Street Family Shelter, Tacoma Rescue Mission, 253-383-4493, ext. 1500
Metropolitan Development Council Housing; Housing, Metropolitan Development Council 721 Fawcett Ave #204, Tacoma, WA 98402; 253-383-3921
The Salvation Army Jarvie Memorial Family Lodge; 1521 S. 6^th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98405; 253-572-8452 Ext. 127
Bethlehem Family Shelter, 253-475-4173
Give Me a Chance Family Shelter, 253-572-6751

Domestic Violence

YWCA Emergency Shelter, 24-Hour Hotline 253-383-2593
Family Renewal Center, Toll Free Number 1-888-550-3915
Korean Women’s Association Domestic Violence Assistance, 253-359-0470
Puyallup Tribe Community Domestic Violence Advocacy Program, 24-Hour Hotline 253-680-5499 or 253-722-3518

Youth

Tacoma Youth Shelter, The Coffee Oasis (253) 328-6127
The Beacon Center Young Adult Shelter, City of Tacoma (253) 753-7089
Youth Ascend Washington Resource Tool
Youth Crisis Residential Center, (253) 212-3432
Housing, REACH Center, 253-383-3951

Food Assistance

Find Food, Emergency Food Network, (253)584-1040
Food is Free Project, Food is Free Washington, (253) 677-8848
Food Bank Locator, Nourish Pierce County, (253) 383-3164
St. Leo’s Food Bank, Food Connection, (253) 383-5048
Food Banks, Pierce County
Get Help, My Sister’s Pantry, (253) 627-1186
Basic Food/SNAP Benefits, Washington State Department of social and Health Service, 877-501-2233
Life Center Cares, (253) 846-3875
Fircrest Christian Food Bank, (253) 564-7862
Nutrition Services, Tacoma School District, (253)571-3370

Tacoma Rescue Mission, (253) 383-4493
My Sister’s Pantry, (253) 627-1186
Just Threads Clothing Bank, (253) 798-7631
Life Center Cares, (253) 846-3875
Fircrest Christian Clothing Closet, (253) 564-7862

Eviction Help

Eviction Protection, Pierce County
Housing Justice Project, Tacoma Probono, (253) 572-5134
Eviction Help, Northwest Justice Project, 855-657-8387

Job Programs

Basic Food employment and Training, Washington State Department of social and Health Services
Job Seekers: Find Your New Job, Workforce Central, (253) 208-0869
Help For Your Job Search, Work Source, (253) 593-7300
Employment, Tacoma Community House,
Student Opportunities
- Internships, Tacoma Public Utilities
- Jobs 253 Opportunities, Tacoma Public School
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Work Source, (253) 593-7300
- Youth Works and WorkFirst, Pierce County Housing Authority (253) 591-5450

Education

Palmer Pathways Pre-Apprenticeship, Palmer Scholars, (253) 572-9008
Apprenticeships, Tacoma Public Utilities
Education, Metropolitan Development Council, (253) 383-3921
Tacoma-Seattle, ActSix, (253) 444-0004
College Bound Washington, Washington State Achievement Council
Upward Bound, US Department of Education

In This Section

Housing & McKinney Vento

Do You...

Get covered in three simple steps

Missed the bus?

Who qualifies?

Understand your rights under the McKinney-Vento Act

McKinney-Vento transportation - missed busses & bus transfer

Help Support Our Students

Find resources

Resources for students and families

Emergency Shelter and Housing

Food Assistance

Child Care Resources

Utility Payments and Bills

More Resources

Housing & McKinney Vento

Do You...

Get covered in three simple step​s

Missed the bus?

Help Support Our Students

Get covered in three simple steps