There is no question that students who experience homelessness, like all students, are entitled to be educated. A federal law, known as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, requires states to provide homeless children and youth with the same access to free appropriate public education as is available to other students. The Act also requires states to review and revise barriers to the identification, enrollment, attendance or success in school of homeless students, to avoid the segregation of homeless students from the mainstream school environment, and to provide access to the education and services needed to ensure that homeless students have an opportunity to meet the same challenging academic achievement standards to which all students are held. This publication is designed to help parents, guardians, caregivers, and youth understand the circumstances that are considered "homelessness" under the school enrollment laws and the legal concepts, procedures, and rights involved in disputes over the enrollment of homeless students in local public schools. This publication provides useful information for parents whose children have been enrolled in a school district but who are experiencing homelessness. It is also intended to be of assistance to homeless parents whose children are not currently enrolled in school, as well as to homeless youth not living with a parent or guardian ("unaccompanied youth"). [This guide was revised and updated by Cindy Fine in consultation with Elizabeth Athos. For the third edition to this report, see ED584831.]