For youth separated from their parents or guardians because of a disaster, school provides a stable and secure environment, offering structure and supports to help them overcome the trauma they have experienced and regain their academic, social, and emotional footing. Therefore, schools and school districts or local educational agencies (LEAs) and…

Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Act, reauthorized in 2015 by Title IX, Part A of the "Every Student Succeeds Act" guarantees a child or youth identified as homeless the right to attend either the school of origin or the local attendance area school in the area in which they are currently residing. This brief explains the provisions…

The word "homeless" typically does not bring to mind images of children and youth; but in reality, more than 1 million children and youth experiencing homelessness have been identified by U.S. public schools every year since the 2010-2011 school year (National Center for Homeless Education, 2016). Further, the number of students…

Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.; hereafter the "McKinney-Vento Act"), reauthorized in 2015 by Title IX, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act, guarantees educational rights and supports for students experiencing homelessness. The Act requires State education agencies (SEAs) and…

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, which included an $800 million reservation within the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund to address the specific and urgent needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness, in light of the challenges of the COVID-19…

The purpose of the McKinney-Vento Act is to ensure that students experiencing homelessness have access to the education and other services they need in order to meet state academic achievement standards, and ultimately, to graduate prepared for college and career. Most homeless educators work one-on-one with homeless children, youth, their parents…

Homelessness often is accompanied by poverty, stress, and instability. As a result, children and youth in homeless situations frequently must overcome many educational challenges. The McKinney-Vento Act requires local educational agencies (LEAs, hereafter "school districts") to identify children and youth experiencing homelessness, and…

This Research-to-Impact brief is the fourth in a series by Chapin Hall's Voices of Youth Count on understanding and addressing youth homelessness. It summarizes key lessons learned from conducting point-in-time counts of youth experiencing homelessness in 22 diverse counties across the United States. Youth counts can provide communities with…

During a disaster, youth may be separated from their parents or guardians. Parents who have lost their homes may place youth temporarily with friends or relatives; or youth may be separated from their parents during an emergency evacuation. Additionally, some youth could be on their own before a disaster occurs. Unaccompanied youth who lack a…

Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC §§11431-11435, 2001; hereafter referred to as "The McKinney-Vento Act"), reauthorized in 2001 by Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act, guarantees a child or youth identified as homeless the right to attend either the school of origin or the local attendance…

Youth who receive services from public mental health, child welfare and delinquency, and homeless systems are often exposed to a number of overlapping child, family, school, and community risk factors. Minimal research, however, has focused on the extent to which single- or multiple-system involvement influences school dropout. Relying on an…

As state and district leaders evaluate characteristics of their student populations, many will find one number particularly startling: The number of homeless students has doubled in less than a decade. States can take several actions to serve these students better, some of which are incorporated in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Some of…

Sections 9302 and 9303 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended in 2001 provide to States the option of applying for and reporting on multiple ESEA programs through a single consolidated application and report. Although a central, practical purpose of the Consolidated State Application and Report is to reduce "red…

Homelessness is a lack of fixed, regular, and adequate housing often resulting from extreme poverty; economic hardship due to job loss, illness, or a similar reason; or devastation following a natural disaster. According to the Urban Institute, the mean income of families experiencing homelessness is less than half the federal poverty line. This…

Sections 9302 and 9303 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended in 2001 provide to States the option of applying for and reporting on multiple ESEA programs through a single consolidated application and report. Although a central, practical purpose of the Consolidated State Application and Report is to reduce "red…