Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth (TEHCY) Program

All Texas public schools, charter schools, and education services centers, collectively known as local education agencies (LEAs), must follow federal rules concerning the education of homeless students. These requirements are detailed in the McKinney-Vento Act. 

ARP Homeless II Federal Grant

Webinar

TEA hosted a webinar to provide information on ARP Homeless II for prospective grantees. During this webinar, the TEA Grants Department provided an overview of the eGrant application and how to apply. Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (TEHCY) Program staff reviewed the requirements for receiving funds, the timeline for submitting your application, and the allowable expenditures for grantees. 

• ARP Homeless II Grant Information (PDF Presentation)
• eGrant Application Process (PDF Presentation)
• ARP Homeless II Webinar Recording
• ARP Homeless II Program Guidelines
• McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act - 16 Allowable Activities

McKinney-Vento Liaisons

Every Local Education Agency (LEA) must designate an appropriate staff person as a local homeless education/McKinney-Vento Liaison and submit that person's name to TEA. This information is to be submitted to the AskTED online directory by the LEA's AskTED administrator. AskTED is TEA's online Texas Education Directory (TED). AskTED is the database where the homeless education liaison's contact information is maintained.

The information in the TEHCY website directory is updated periodically from the AskTED directory. LEAs are no longer required to input this information directly to the TEHCY directory.

To learn how to use AskTED to access McKinney-Vento Liaison contact information directly, download the PDF instructions.

Trainings and Resources

McKinney-Vento 101

• McKinney-Vento 101 Recording, March 2024
  • Recording
• Webinar - September 27, 2022
  • Recording
  • PDF Presentation
• Sample Student Residence Questionnaire (PDF)
• Sample Intake Form (PDF)
• Immunization Flow Chart (PDF)
• Sample Transportation Letter (PDF)
• Sample FAFSA Verification Form (PDF)
• Dispute Resolution (PDF) 

McKinney-Vento 201

• Webinar - December 12, 2022
  • Recording
  • PDF Presentation

Homeless Student Identification Data

Every LEA must identify students experiencing homelessness within their district. This process must be done regularly and in a way that is auditable. In Texas, most districts choose to use a student residency questionnaire to help determine whether or not students qualify as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. 

• 2020-2021 TEHCY Program Infographic (PDF)
• 2018-2020 TEHCY Program Infographic (PDF)
• 2017-2019 TEHCY Program Infographic (PDF)

The Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth (TEHCY) Program Infographics summarize identification and graduation data for students experiencing homelessness enrolled in Texas public schools for all school years beginning in 2017.

McKinney-Vento Posters

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released new McKinney-Vento Posters.  There are two versions of the poster, one to assist parents of school-age youth and a second to assist unaccompanied youth.  The posters are available in both English and Spanish. 

Local Education Agencies (LEAs) can download the digital files below and post this information on their LEA homeless education program webpage.

LEAs should collaborate with their school staff and community partners (e.g. food pantries, faith-based organizations, local housing authorities, shelters, etc.) to share printed copies of this poster.  

• McKinney-Vento Posters for Parents English Version
• McKinney-Vento Posters for Parents Spanish Version
• McKinney-Vento Posters for Youth English Version
• McKinney-Vento Posters for Youth Spanish Version

Homeless Student Enrollment

Students who are experiencing homelessness are to be enrolled immediately. Districts cannot require students experiencing homelessness to provide proof of residency, immunizations, birth certificates guardianship documents, or any other sort of required paperwork before enrolling. Requiring missing paperwork or any other delay to enrollment is a violation of the McKinney-Vento Act. 

Homeless Student School Determination

Students who are experiencing homelessness have the right to attend school in their school of origin or in the school in the attendance area where the family or youth is currently residing. School of origin is defined as the school in which the child/youth was enrolled when they became homeless or the school in which the child/youth was last enrolled. The campus a child attends is determined by which campus can serve the best interests of the child. In Texas, a student experiencing homelessness may enroll in any district they choose, regardless of the location of their residence, school of origin, or attendance zone campus. 

• School Selection Provisions from the McKinney-Vento Act and the Texas Education Code
• Checklist for McKinney-Vento School Choice Considerations 
• TEC § 25.001(b)(5)