Homeless Education

Greene County Schools provides a Homeless Education Program for students who qualify for assistance under the Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act, which was reauthorized in Dec. 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Homeless Information
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What is the McKinney-Vento Act?

The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that homeless children and youths have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school with a strong emphasis on the importance of school stability for homeless children and youths. Changing schools multiple times significantly impedes a student’s academic and social growth. Therefore, the McKinney-Vento Act calls for school districts to maintain students in their school of origin to promote school stability and greater educational outcomes overall, unless it is not in the student’s best interest.

Under Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, § 725, homeless children and youths means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes:

1. children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of  housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters, or are abandoned in hospitals;
2. children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
3. children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and 
4. migratory children (as defined in § 1309 of the ESSA) who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described in this definition.

Program Services

Since the beginning of the Homeless Education Program, Greene County has had an increasing number of students who fit the homeless criteria as established by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the Tennessee State Plan. The following are some services offered by the GCS Homeless Education Program:

• Expedite school enrollment and assist with the transfer of school records
• Arrange tutoring, enrichment activities, and transportation as needed
• Provide essential school supplies and clothing needed for a specific class
• Act as a referral source and coordinate services between the schools and agencies to meet the students' various needs, as well as the needs of their families
• Provide information to parents and unaccompanied youth regarding their children's education rights as homeless individuals and the resources available to them

Right to Dispute

As a parent, you have the right to dispute the findings of the district in regards to Homeless designation.  Please read the MV Dispute resolution process document on our documents page.

If you want to dispute the designation please contact the District Homeless Liaison.

Dispute Resolution Document 5.18.2020

District Homeless Liaison          Homeless Education Coordinator

Chris Malone                                                  Alisha Ricker

910 West Summer St.                              Phone: 423.930.0454

Greeneville, TN 37743                                                         

Phone:  423.639.4194                                               

Email Chris Malone

A Way to Make a Difference

Greene County Schools encourages individuals and organizations to volunteer their time or donate supplies to community agencies that assist families in need. The GCS Homeless Education Program accepts donations of school supplies, non-perishable food items, hygiene items, and new children's books to distribute to the students in the program. For more information, or to refer a homeless family or youth, please contact Greene County Schools Homeless Education Program Coordinator, Alisha Ricker, at (423) 930.0454