Ghana is witnessing an increasing number of 2nd generation street children (SGSC) living in the street of Accra, the capital city as a result of many factors including teenage pregnancy among street girls, ethnic conflicts and rural-urban migration. Street presents enormous risks to street children; they are excluded from safe-family environment,…

Across America, the numbers of homeless children and families are growing as a result of many factors including the recent economic crisis, home foreclosures, and natural disasters. Because of an increase in the number of homeless children throughout the United States, this population has unmet needs that can be targeted in school settings under…

On July 17-18, 2008, the National Education Association hosted the NEA National Summit on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) Issues in Education in Chicago, Illinois. The purpose of the Summit was to gather leading researchers, scholars, and practitioners on GLBT issues in education to assess the status of GLBT students in the United…

During the course of a natural disaster or similar emergency, youth may be separated from their parents or guardians. After the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes, for example, many youth were evacuated without their parents or guardians and sent to different locations, leaving the youth alone in the care of relief agencies. Other youth were on their own…

Because studies reveal a relationship between high student mobility and low academic achievement, school administrators are faced with the challenge of raising academic achievement in an era of increased student mobility. Wide variations in state requirements create additional difficulties for mobile students, who tend to be disadvantaged in other…

It is critical that teachers and administrators seek out and serve the invisible children in their classrooms and schools. When they acknowledge the condition of homeless and foster children, they can begin to address their unique learning needs and close their learning gaps. Based on definitions provided by the McKinney-Vento Act, some schools…

"The Navigator" is a free newsletter published by the Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA) focusing on directions and trends in higher education policy. The theme of this issue is: "Education and Homeless Youth: Policy Implementations." The lead article, authored by CHEPA director William G. Tierney, describes CHEPA's study of the…

Four years ago, the author assumed the job of Director of Education for a school serving elementary children who had been traumatized by homelessness and associated problems, such as family, domestic, or community violence. The paper relates the struggle of her staff to create a healing school out of a chaotic program that lacked both an effective…

This article provides an overview of educational reform efforts that have been targeted toward assisting homeless students. The authors first review some of the difficulties and barriers that confront homeless children in terms of school access and academic success. The authors then examine four different types of educational reforms for homeless…

Discusses the Home, Education, Readiness, and Opportunity (HERO) program developed in 1993 to address the educational needs faced by homeless school-age children. This article argues that educational services must be accompanied by psychological supports and that these are best served by school social workers. (Author/MKA)

This document's primary focus is on a subset of the population of mobile children--infants, preschoolers, children and youth with disabilities and their families who are highly mobile. First, a background section provides information about policies and practices developed for mobile children at the federal level under the McKinney-Vento Program.…

Mental health experts consider the return to school to be a critical step in the healing process for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by disasters. Going to school helps these students find the structure, normalcy, and routine that is essential to their health and well-being. Federal law (The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance…

Residency requirements, transportation needs, lost records, the timeliness for special education placement, and substantiated guardianship pose the main reasons for homeless children's barred access to education. Two national organizations offer suggestions for removing such barriers, and exemplary efforts to educate homeless youth are occurring…

Unaccompanied youth are young people who lack safe, stable housing and who are not in the care of a parent or guardian. They may have run away from home or been forced to leave by their parents. Unaccompanied youth live in a variety of temporary situations, including shelters, the homes of friends or relatives, cars, campgrounds, public parks,…

Homeless children are usually thrust outside their neighborhoods and into a different school or school district. School districts attempting to meet the educational, emotional, and socialization needs of these children face numerous challenges. This article discusses homeless New Jersey children, highlighting residency, records, transportation,…