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Zapata County ISD

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McKinney-Vento Homeless Resources

McKinney-Vento (Homeless) Program


The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act guarantees that eligible students have immediate and equal access to public education. Its goal is to eliminate barriers that prevent homeless children and youth from enrolling in and staying in school. Under McKinney-Vento, enrollment means not only attending classes but also fully participating in all school activities.  

Definition of Homeless: A student between the ages of 4 and 22 is considered homeless if the lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes students who are:

  • Living in a shelter (family shelter, youth shelter, domestic violence shelter, or transitional living program). 
  • Living in a motel, hotel, or weekly rental housing
  • Sharing housing with another family due to economic hardship or loss of housing 
  • Living in a abandoned building, a car, a campground, or no the street 
  • Living in substandard housing (without electricity, heat, or running water) 
  • Staying with friends or relatives because they are a runaway or an unaccompanied youth 

If you (a school age student) or your school-age child is experiencing any of these situations, please contact the District’s Homeless Liaison, Gloria Vela, for assistance. 

MKV Info for Parents - Spanish

MKV Info for Students - English

MKV Info for Students - Spanish

ZCISD Welcome Packet!

  • On our old website, several quick links (Link One, Link Two, Link Three, Link Four) were located at the top of the page for easy access. These links are now conveniently located under the Popular Links dropdown in the header. Simply click Popular Links to find them!

  • Use the Google Translate icon in the header, located next to the search feature, to translate the website into your preferred language. Simply hover over the icon to reveal a dropdown menu of language options.

    Research shows that an icon is more universally recognized by non-English-speaking users than the English word "translate." Additionally, most non-English speakers already have their internet browsers set to their preferred language, making our website translator a helpful secondary tool for added convenience.

  • If a parent disagrees on the eligibility, school selection or enrollment please contact Sara Hernandez, Homeless Liaison. The Act requires schools to enroll students immediately to the school in which they are seeking enrollment, until the dispute reaches its final resolution, including all appeals. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(E)(i). For unaccompanied youth, the liaison must ensure the youth is immediately enrolled in the school in which the youth seeks enrollment pending resolution of the dispute. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(E)(iv). Since the Act defines “enroll” to include attending classes and participating fully in school activities, students must be afforded full participation and provided all appropriate services while the dispute is pending.