Over 30 students experience homelessness at our school; almost 70 experience it in our district. Despite the issue’s seeming invisibility, its growth across the County — rising from 2,739 to 4,452 individuals in 2023 alone — has created a necessity for the Mountain View-Los Altos School District to act in compliance with federal legislation to ensure these students have equal access to education.
The McKinney-Vento Act, passed in 1987 and reauthorized in 2015 under the Every Student Succeeds Act, requires school districts to support their homeless students. MVLA has implemented several initiatives to support students experiencing homelessness such as free bus passes for students who struggle to get to school.
“McKinney-Vento students are transitional in nature,”MVLA Wellness Coordinator William Blair said. “Sometimes they’re here in our district, and sometimes they’re in others, but we support them throughout.”
For students nearing graduation, AB 1806 offers crucial assistance by modifying local graduation requirements, allowing students facing homelessness to earn their diplomas.
Additionally, MVLA waives all costs associated with participation in activities at school for homeless students, including sports events and dances.
“If someone comes to us wanting to attend an event and says that money’s tight, we’ll find a way to get them in free of charge,” student activities coordinator Sarah Alvarado said. “There’s a sense of relief that students have when they realize that they can participate and that cost is no longer a barrier.”
MVLA also collaborates with local organizations such as the YMCA, Mentor Tutor Connection, Family Giving Tree, and the Stanford Teen Health Van to provide students tutoring services, school supplies, and access to free or low-cost health services.
District assistance goes beyond academic supplies: Daily necessities such as blankets and jackets are available for McKinney-Vento families, and experiences at the supply bank are often emotional.
“A family recently came to the supply bank and when I told her that they could take anything that they needed, she grabbed blankets and started crying and said ‘You don’t understand how much I needed this’,” MVLA McKinney-Vento District Liaison Alba Garza said. “It’s moments like these that remind us of the importance of what we do.”
Despite the clear benefits for the community, the McKinney Vento program operates with no dedicated budget, limiting its ability to expand services. Additionally, identifying homeless students remains a major hurdle — many families hesitate to report their living status in fear of the stigma associated with it.
“There are a lot of ways that the district could improve right now, and one of the ways is by supporting our McKinney-Vento students,” Blair said.
Still, continuing to raise awareness and securing more resources allows MVLA to best ensure that every student, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive.
“The students under McKinney-Vento have had to jump over hurdles and challenges that other students will never know,” Alvarado said. “It’s powerful that we’re able to offer some support to overcome them. I hope that we keep doing this with the resources that we have and create a step up for these students.”
For more information on available programs or to access the district’s resource guide on homelessness, please visit MVLA’s resource guide for McKinney-Vento students.
