Avery County Schools - 775 Cranberry Street Newland NC 28657 - 828 733 6006

McKinney Vento Homeless Liaison/Foster Care Point of Contact: Ms. Amanda Guy, amandaguy@averyschools.net, 828-733-6006 ext. 1501

Director of Federal Programs: Mrs. Megan Pollard, meganpollard@averyschools.net, 828-733-6006 ext. 1511

42 USC § 11431 - STATEMENT OF POLICY the following is the policy of the Congress:

(1) Each State educational agency shall ensure that each child of a homeless individual and each homeless youth has equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths 

(2) In any State that has a compulsory residency requirement as a component of the State's compulsory school attendance laws or other laws, regulations practices, or policies that may act as a barrier to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of homeless children and youths, the State will review and undertake steps to revise such laws, regulations, practices, or policies to ensure that homeless children and youths are afforded the same free, appropriate public education as provided to other children and youths 

(3) Homelessness alone is not sufficient reason to separate students from the mainstream school environment 

(4) Homeless children and youths should have access to the education and other services that such children and youths need to ensure that such children and youths have an opportunity to meet the same challenging State student academic achievement standards to which all students are held.

Children or youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including:

• Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason 

• Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations 

• Living in emergency or transitional shelters 

• Living in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings 

• Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings 

• Migratory children living in the above circumstances 

• Unaccompanied youth living in the above circumstances 

Parent Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Rights: Unaccompanied homeless youth are ensured the same educational rights that the McKinney-Vento Act provides for other homeless students, which include the right to:

• Enroll immediately, even if they do not currently have paperwork normally required for enrollment 

• Attend either the local attendance area school or the school of origin, with the placement decision based on the student's best interest 

• Remain in the school of origin for the duration of the homelessness or until the end of the school year in which the student becomes permanently housed 

• Receive transportation to and from the school of origin 

• Receive educational services, such as free school meals, Title I services: and participate in gifted and talented programs, vocational education, alternative education, and any other services comparable to what housed students receive 

• Not be stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless 

NCHE Parent Right Brochure: 
English 
Spanish 

In addition to the provisions that apply to all homeless students, the McKinney-Vento Act includes the following provisions specifically for unaccompanied homeless youth:

• Unaccompanied homeless youth shall be immediately enrolled without proof of guardianship. 

• During a dispute over school selection or enrollment, unaccompanied homeless youth shall receive a written statement explaining the school's decision, the youth's right to appeal the decision, and a referral to the local liaison. 

Youth Educational Rights Posters English & Spanish |
Parent Educational Rights Posters 
English & Spanish 

Local Liaisons shall assist unaccompanied homeless youth in:

• Selecting a school of attendance and enrolling in school. 

• Requesting transportation to and from the school of origin, 

• Enrolling in school immediately while disputes are resolved. 

Please direct all questions about eligibility and services to: 

Avery County Schools, McKinney-Vento Liaison and Foster Care Point of Contact: Ms. Amanda Guy

Email Address: amandaguy@averyschools.net, Phone Number:  828-733-6006, ext. 1501

Additional McKinney-Vento information and homeless data: NC Homeless Education Program - Lisa Phillips, State Coordinator - Iphillip@serve.org 

NCHEP "About" web page: Historical Data National Center for Homeless Education

National Homeless Data 
North Carolina Data 

Avery County Schools McKinney-Vento Data: 

Recent years of data:

2016-2017 - 7 students

2017-2018 - 14 students

2018-2019 - 8 students

2019-2020 - 10 students

2020-2021 - 3 students

2021-2022--32 students

2022-2023--77 students

2023-2024: 53 students as of September 8, 2023