This short document provides basic information to help housing and homeless assistance providers advocate with their families and youth for appropriate educational services, from birth through higher education. The rights and protections outlined here apply to all children and youth experiencing homelessness, as defined by the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act.
Grandparent/Other Caregiver
Update on Immigrant Students: How Schools Can Help (Spanish)
Los Estudiantes Inmigrantes, Y Como Las Escuelas Pueden Ayudar Las normas federales sobre los jóvenes y las familias inmigrantes se están cambiando con mucha frecuencia, incluyendo a los “DACA” y al estatus Temporal de Protección. Este documento comparte información sobre los derechos de los inmigrantes a la educación y sugerencias para las escuelas.
Update on Immigrant Students: How Schools Can Help
This brief (in English) by SchoolHouse Connection reviews how the federal rules on immigrant youth and families are changing rapidly, from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This brief provides basic information about eligibility for education services, and practical suggestions for schools.
Tips for Helping Homeless Youth Succeed in College
Access these tips at https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/tips-for-helping-homeless-youth-succeed-in-college/ This SchoolHouse Connection series is focused on helping youth experiencing homelessness succeed in college. We highlight best practices for supporting these students from institutions across the country. These are living documents that will be updated regularly to provide new and innovative practices. If you or your institution would like to… Read more »
Ensuring Full Participation in Extracurricular Activities for Students Experiencing Homelessness
This NCHE brief • provides an overview of the importance of extracurricular activities in supporting school engagement and success, • reviews McKinney-Vento Act requirements related to the extracurricular participation of students experiencing homelessness, and • suggests strategies for ensuring the extracurricular participation of students experiencing homelessness.
Better Make Room
https://bettermakeroom.org/our-story Better Make Room is about creating a space for all the great things you’ll do next. It’s about staking a claim, forging a path and lighting the way for others just like you. And it’s a lot more fun to get there together. The site includes: Tools – developed by the U.S. Department of… Read more »
Addressing Housing Insecurity and Living Costs in Higher Education: A Guidebook for Colleges and Universities
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/HousingInsecurityInHigherEd.html The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in partnership with the Wisconsin HOPE Lab, released a resource entitled Addressing Housing Insecurity and Living Costs in Higher Education: A Guidebook for Colleges and Universities. With high rates of college enrollment despite stagnant or declining family incomes and increasing college costs, today many college… Read more »
The Financial Aid Toolkit
https://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/tk/about/how-to.jsp The Financial Aid Toolkit provides school counselors and other college access mentors with information and resources about federal student aid. This site contains material about different types of financial aid, the FAFSA, outreach, and training opportunities. You’ll find fact sheets, videos, PowerPoint presentations, and other resources to share with students to help them learn… Read more »
UNDERSTANDING YOUTH RIGHTS: Helping Providers Navigate the Laws and Policies Affecting Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
The laws about runaway, homeless, or unaccompanied youth can seem to be confusing and vague. While physically apart from their parent or guardian, homeless youth lack certain rights that can lead to confusion about legal issues of consent, eligibility for emancipation, parents’ rights, accessing shelter, public education, health care, and public benefits. Recognizing these challenges,… Read more »
Privacy and Homelessness: FERPA 2016
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. 20 USC §1232g; 34 CFR Part 99. Specifically, it prohibits a school from disclosing personally identifiable information from students’ education records without the consent of a parent or eligible student, unless an exception to FERPA’s… Read more »