The educational outcomes of youth in foster care are far worse than those of other students, in part because transitions into or out of the foster care system and placement changes can lead to frequent school transfers, which are associated with a host of problems. Since the early 2000s, policymakers at the state and federal levels have passed…

The Education for Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY) program aims to ensure that all homeless children and youths have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education provided to other children and youths, including public preschool. For students without a stable living situation, the program provides funds to support access to…

This is the update to a brief originally published in Winter 2014. The word "homeless" typically does not bring to mind images of children and youth, but the reality is that many people experiencing homelessness are under the age of 18; some of them are a part of families experiencing homelessness, while others are youth experiencing…

The current Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which contains the most recent reauthorization of the McKinney Vento Act (M-V), places a focus on homeless youth that is intended to facilitate access to K-12 education, higher education and eliminate barriers in-between the two. Through each reauthorization of the McKinney Vento Act since its…

In early August 2020, as educators prepared for an uncertain school year, there was a worrying theme from school district homeless liaisons: numbers of identified homeless students were down--in some cases, significantly down--despite evidence of increased need. In September and October of 2020, a survey was conducted of local educational agency…

The number of homeless children and youth in the United States is on the rise (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2016). Between 2016 and 2017 in the Los Angeles County Homeless Count, there was a 41% increase in the number of homeless minors (The Los Angeles Service Authority, 2017). Education is key to bringing people out of…

The word "homeless" typically does not bring to mind images of children and youth, but the reality is many homeless people are under the age of 18. Some of them are a part of families experiencing homelessness, while others are on their own, despite their young age. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.)…

According to research (Fargo et al, 2012) and federal data (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD], 2015), veterans experience homelessness at a higher rate than non-veterans. Many veterans experience homelessness as individuals, while others experience homelessness with their families (2015), which may include school-age children.…

Although education is in many ways a responsibility of states and localities, the U.S. federal government also has an important role to play. National laws, court rulings, and policy guidance help ensure that English Learner (EL) and immigrant-background students have equitable access to a meaningful education. It is then up to states and school…

The McKinney-Vento Act was originally authorized in 1987 and originally sponsored programs to provide services to the homeless. The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that homeless children and youths have faced in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Under the McKinney-Vento Act, State educational agencies (SEAs)…

The purpose of the Education for Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY) program is to improve the educational outcomes for children and youths in homeless situations. The statute for this program is designed to ensure all homeless children and youths have equal access to public school education. It requires State Educational Agencies (SEAs) and Local…

The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ("McKinney-Vento") provides federal funding to states to address the problems that homeless children and youth encounter in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in the nation's public schools. McKinney-Vento requires states to develop plans that ensure homeless children and youth the…

In 2005-2006, close to one million homeless children in our nation faced unprecedented challenges trying to access and succeed in public schools. Fortunately, legislation was enacted to support this special needs population. The types of support mentioned in the McKinney-Vento Act include: transportation to and from school, immediate enrollment in…

Homeless youth face many barriers that limit their ability to complete a high school diploma and transition to postsecondary education. The federal government passed the McKinney-Vento Act over 20 years ago to address issues of access to public education for homeless youth. The most recent reauthorization of the law expanded the definition of…

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is the main federal program concerning the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. It provides federal funding to states, which then distribute the funds to their school districts through a competitive application process; the funds are used to ensure that children and youth…