Albuquerque Public Schools
McKinney-Vento
Offering services and support for children, youth, and their families who experience homelessness.
McKinney-Vento
Are you seeking immediate shelter? Please call Albuquerque Community Safety at 505-242-2677 for assistance; let the operator know you are requesting shelter for you and your children, remain where you are, and keep your phone on and charged.
Albuquerque Public Schools McKinney-Vento and Foster Care does not provide housing or hotel vouchers. We work with youth and families to connect to community organizations that provide shelter and housing support.
The trauma of homelessness, severe poverty, and high mobility combine to wreak havoc on the academic progress of children and youth in school. According to a the National Center for Homeless Education, more and more students continue to struggle with the burden of finding a stable place to live. The number of children and youth experiencing homelessness in America has topped 1.37 million. The largest and most important safety net for children and youth experiencing homelessness is the public school system, which provides both basic services as well as the education that is necessary to avoid poverty as adults.
Volunteer
Interested in volunteering to support our children and youth experiencing homelessness?
According to McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, children and youth experiencing homeless are “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence” and includes:
- Children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing or economic hardship, living in emergency or transitional shelters, abandoned in hospitals, or awaiting foster care placement,
- Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings,
- Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, and
- Migratory children who qualify as homeless due to living circumstances described.
Homelessness among families has increased considerably in recent years and is most often due to unexpected financial setbacks that create a situation where the family can no longer pay for their housing. Research indicates that the enriching experiences of a high-quality education can be especially beneficial for children and youth experiencing homelessness because they provide stability and daily routines that may otherwise be scarce in their lives.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is officially cited as 42 U.S.C. §§11431–11435, specifically Subtitle VII-B, which handles the Education for Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY) program.
Mission Statement
Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) McKinney-Vento and Foster Care shall provide the means, motivation, and encouragement needed for children and youth experiencing homelessness to reach their potentials as productive members of society in an educational environment that treats all students with dignity and respect.
What is Title I?
Title I is a federally funded program designed to meet the needs of students primarily in the areas of language arts, math, science, and higher thinking skills. Homeless children are eligible for these services regardless of where they attend school.
McKinney-Vento Key Contacts
- Cristal Wilson, Director, (505) 256-8239
- Ann Gutierrez, Community Partner Coordinator, (505) 256-8239 ext. 46913
Contact Information
Mailing Address:
1730 University Blvd. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Physical Address: