FORT MORGAN LOCATION

821 W. PLATTE AVENUE

FORT MORGAN, CO 80701

​PHONE (970) 867-8297

​FAX (970) 867-6129

GREELEY LOCATION

2020 Clubhouse Drive

Greeley, CO 80634

Phone (970) 352-7404

Fax (970) 352-7350

Marc Fortney coverage area​​

For an updated list of all district liaisons, click here

For questions or assistance, contact Marc Fortney, Master of Social Work, the McKinney-Vento Northeast Regional Consultant, at mfortney@cboces.org or at (970) 381-6321 call/text
 

Every district is Federally mandated to have a Homeless Education Liaison

​Resources​

Resources for Homelessness

National Center For Homeless Education
center.serve.org/nche
1.800.308.2145

​Local United Way
Search 211 online or dial 211 on  the phone

Local Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, and other places of worship are good sources of assistance. 

Always Open Resources (24/7 365)

National Runaway Safeline
1800RUNAWAY.org
1.800.RUNAWAY

​Colorado Crisis Line:
Text "Talk" to 38255
970.494.4200
coloradocrisisservices.org

Students in Housing Transition

Homeless Education (McKinney-Vento)

​​The McKinney-Vento Homeless [Education] Assistance Act is a federal law ensuring immediate enrollment and educational stability for students experiencing homelessness. McKinney-Vento provides federal funding to states to support district programs serving children, youth & families without their own permanent address. Centennial BOCES is a regional leader specializing in McKinney-Vento consultation, such as technical assistance, problem solving, resource brokerage, ideas, and community/ program building.

Who:  Any student who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate home

Any displaced child or youth who fits any of the below descriptions has educational rights under the McKinney-Vento Act.

• Solo, independent and living with someone else who is not their parent/ legal guardian, 
• Family moved in with another family due to an economic hardship (not having enough money), the lack of affordable housing and / or fleeing a domestic, family crisis
  
• In a shelter, motel / hotel
  
• Inadequate (for example, mold, non-working bathroom, kitchen, broken window, inconsistent electricity, water, heat, etc.) trailer or house, outside, car, camper, abandoned building, barn, places not designed for human habitation, ad hoc living environment
  
• Living in a shelter or in a transitional housing program
  
• Living in any other houseless situation 
  

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RIGHTS:

• Automatic enrollment
• Immediate enrollment when a youth is unaccompanied, independent of parents or legal guardians
  
• Continued attendance in school of origin, or the school they last attended while housed
  
• Transportation to the school of origin (if it's a barrier) through school bus, district vehicle, public transportation, taxi or provision of fuel assistance
  
• All general school fees waived
  
• Free meals; do not need to fill out Free / Reduced lunch form
  
• High school counselor career and college preparation navigation
  
• Independent Status on FAFSA, meaning they do not need to file their parents / legal guardians tax information, which increases their free grant money​
  

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The purpose of the McKinney-Vento (MV) project administered by the Centennial Board of Cooperative Educational Services (CBOCES) is to ensure educational access, school stability as well as academic and social success for students experiencing housing insecurity throughout communities located in North central, Northeastern, and East central Colorado. In partnering with the North East and East Central BOCES, services and supports are offered to 50 school districts.

Additionally, Greeley / Evans School District 6, Poudre School District, Thompson School District & Saint Vrain Valley School District, are able to take advantage of Regional Consultation services and leveraged resources for their students experiencing homelessness through collaboration with the CBOCES regional Migrant Education Program (MEP) grant. CBOCES also operates three alternative high schools located in Fort Morgan (Morgan County), Greeley (Weld County) and Longmont (Boulder County) for both rural and urban students, many who disproportionally experience homelessness throughout the year.

Over 2,000 students in grades pre K - high school / GED receive services and support through our MV project. Our MV services range from high quality professional development, 4 annual regional McKinney-Vento Summits (Limon, Sterling, Fort Morgan & Greeley), on-site consultation with district staff and students, community resource development and delivery, and solution-focused problem solving with students / families as they confront educational, social barriers and houselessness.

CBOCES also operates the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) - Basic Center Program (BCP) for 12-17 year old youth. With our state partners at the Colorado Rural Collaborative, we are able provide Emergency Shelter through our Host Home Model, where we provide counsel, advice, tangible resources, and some financial support for up to 21 days! 

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The CBOCES MV project collaborates with other community agencies and programs, such as Child Find, Head Start, the MEP, Title I Part A, Title II, Title Ill, Special Education, the School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP), local school districts, colleges and universities, non-profits, governmental and faith-based organizations to address the unique needs of MV students, families, and educators. The outcomes of our MV project are to promote and increase the enrollment and retention of students in school leading to academic and social success, graduation, and college and career readiness.

Partnering with Migrant Education

The McKinney-Vento Act is also purposefully integrated with our regional Migrant Education Program. Our students' experiences of high mobility (migrant) and housing insecurity parallel one another in a troubling way. According to our 2013 regional MEP data, migrant students are six times more likely to experience a housing crisis than their non-migrant agricultural peers.

Our migrant team builds relationships with families based on trust and respect, and brokers resources for many families who meet the criteria for migrant, refugee, homeless, and immigrant programs. 

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

​For information about eligibility for services through McKinney-Vento, visit the Colorado Department of Education's website.

Frequently Asked Questions About Educational Rights of Homeless Children and Youth