Homeless Services

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS​

River Trails School District 26 is committed to ensuring that all of our students obtain an ongoing education without disruption due to housing difficulties.

The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act provides a definition of homeless children and youth to be used by state and local educational agencies (LEAs) in 42 U.S.C. § 11434(a)(2). It defines homeless children and youth to be those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Examples of what this means may be:

  • sharing housing due to a loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
  • living in hotels, motels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to a lack of alternative, adequate housing
  • abandoned in hospitals
  • awaiting foster care placement
  • living in a public or private place not designated for, or normally used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human being;
  • living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar places
  • living in one of the above circumstances and who are migratory according to the definition in Section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

If your housing situation has changed, you may be eligible for services under the McKinney-Veto Act.

For immediate assistance, please contact our Homeless Liaison, Dr. Carie Cohen at 224-612-7304 or ccohen@rtsd26.org.

You may also contact your school social worker who can assist with resources such as food, school supplies, clothing and other necessities.
Fabiola Martinez - Euclid 224-612-7432
Tobie Rangell - Indian Grove- 224-612-7541
Amanda Zavilla - River Trails Middle School 224-612-7648
Beth Kelpsch - River Trails Middle School 224-612-7704
Liliana Geati - Prairie Trails 224-612-7814

Several resources are available to parents, guardians and educators.

Please refer to the links below:

Illinois State Board of Education

National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth

Illinois Department of Human Services- Homeless and Housing Assistance

Village of Mount Prospect Human Services (housing, food pantry, social services)