The 1987 Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act and amendments provide considerable protection for the education of homeless children and youth. They also provide formula grants to state education agencies to carry out the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program. This article reviews major program components and critiques these…

This study examined the school experiences and academic achievement of 46 adolescents in families who experienced homelessness and 87 permanently housed adolescents whose families received public assistance. Measures taken after the homeless students were rehoused showed that both groups valued school highly and were similar in cognitive abilities…

This paper highlights the educational rights and needs of homeless children under both the McKinney Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Section 1 explains the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, which included the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program mandating a free, appropriate public education for all…

The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (1987) provides considerable protection for homeless children's educational needs. States cannot create a separate education system for these kids, and must revise all restrictive policies, laws, and regulations. Educators should work to facilitate schooling continuity, minimize enrollment delays,…

This article summarizes the educational rights of homeless children and youth afforded by the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act and describes the educational problems they confront, including academic underachievement and poor school attendance. Factors exacerbating the outcomes of homelessness are outlined. (SLD)

The 1980s brought an unprecedented rise in the number of homeless families with children. That there may be as many as three million homeless persons in the United States, with families representing one-third of this population, indicates that homelessness is a social problem of catastrophic proportions. This paper finds that while Federal…

This document presents a report on the educational needs of homeless children in New York City. Data were analyzed from the following sources: (1) review of the current literature on the impact of homelessness on the physical and emotional well-being of children; (2) field-based interviews with 277 families in New York's shelters and hotels; and…

Homeless children confront abject poverty and experience a constellation of risks that are having a devastating impact on their well-being. This paper reviews research linking homelessness among children to hunger and poor nutrition, health problems and lack of health and mental health care, developmental delays, psychological problems, and…

This paper identifies the educational problems confronting homeless children, describes the Federal response to these problems, and discusses challenges for the 1990s. Although homeless children want to go to school more often than their permanently housed peers, they typically confront significant obstacles to access because of local enrollment…

Reviews community-based research on the effects of homelessness on children. Homeless children face threats to their future well-being resulting from health problems, hunger, poor nutrition, developmental delays, anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and educational underachievement. Contributing factors may include inadequate shelter,…

This monograph provides an overview of federal laws relevant to the provision of educational services to preschool children with disabilities (as well as additional laws pertaining to children who are homeless) and examines implementation of these laws in New York City. It begins with an overview of federal legislation including the Individuals…

Focuses on the educational needs of homeless children in New York City, obstacles to obtaining schooling and available services, and innovative strategies for the delivery of educational services. Part 1 provides an overview of the educational needs of homeless children, including a summary of the research literature on educational problems that…