The incarceration of a parent may leave a young person with no safe and stable place to stay and in the physical custody of someone who is not their parent or guardian. These young people may be struggling with a variety of difficult emotions and questions about what has happened to their parent and what… Read more »
Identification (includes Veterans, Active Military, Parent Incarceration)
Texas Education Agency Sample Student Residency Questionnaire (SRQ)
This information will help determine if the student meets eligibility requirements for services under the McKinney-Vento Act.
School Selection
The McKiney-Vento Act guarantees a child or youth identified as homeless the right to attend either the school of origin or the local attendance area school. This brief explains the provisions in the law related to school selection and offers strategies for implementing them in a school district.
Supporting the Success of Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY Fact Sheet)
Research and data, including surveys of homeless and formerly homeless youths, indicate that experiencing homelessness can have significant negative impacts on children academically, socially, and emotionally. The Education for Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY) program, authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento Act), is designed to address the needs of homeless children and youths… Read more »
Supporting the Education of Unaccompanied Students Experiencing Homelessness
Homelessness is a devastating circumstance for any child or youth; but for youth on their own, the stresses of homelessness are multiplied. The myriad of challenges faced by youth experiencing homelessness on their own puts these students at risk of dropping out or school failure. Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, reauthorized in… Read more »
Who Is Homeless?
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 (ESSA), ensures educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. This brief explains the legislation and offers strategies for implementing it… Read more »
Determining Eligibility for Rights and Services Under the McKinney-Vento Act
This NCHE brief: explores in detail the definition of homeless included in Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and provides a step-by-step guide for making determinations of McKinney-Vento eligibility on a case-by-case basis.
Identifying Children and Youth in Homeless Situations
This NCHE brief: summarizes the key provisions of Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act related to the identification of children and youth experiencing homelessness; and provides an overview of implementation strategies at the state and local levels.
Supporting School Success for Homeless Children of Veterans and Military Service Members
Best Practices in Interagency Collaboration Brief Series
Supporting School Success for Homeless Children of Veterans and Military Service Members
According to research (Fargo et al, 2012) and federal data (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD], 2015), veterans experience homelessness at a higher rate than nonveterans. Many veterans experience homelessness as individuals, while others experience homelessness with their families (2015), which may include schoolage children.
Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents – August 2014
Safeguarding Children of Arrested Parents, by the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE
June 12, 2013, Deputy Attorney General of the United States James M. Cole delivered remarks at the White House where he announced that “the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), with funding support from the Department of Justice (DOJ) is developing a model protocol and training on protecting the physical and emotional well-being of children when their parents are arrested.”
Student Residency Questionnaire/SRQ (Spanish) for the PEIMS Homeless Status Indicator
This sample template is meant only to be an example of how a district might combine various components into a form that could collect the required information. This is not a mandated form—it is an example prepared for a hypothetical school district to serve as a starting point for districts. Likewise, there is no requirement… Read more »
Student Residency Questionnaire/SRQ (English) for the PEIMS Homeless Status Indicator
This sample template is meant only to be an example of how a district might combine various components into a form that could collect the required information. This is not a mandated form—it is an example prepared for a hypothetical school district to serve as a starting point for districts. Likewise, there is no requirement… Read more »
Confirming Eligibility for McKinney-Vento Services
This NCHE brief: summarizes the key provisions related to eligibility included in the McKinney-Vento Act; provides recommended practices for confirming the McKinney-Vento eligibility of children and youth; and informs training and collaboration practices on confirming eligibility.
Confirming Eligibility for McKinney-Vento Services: Do’s and Don’ts for Local Liaisons
Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, schools must identify children and youth in homeless situations and provide appropriate services. One such service is immediate enrollment in school, even when students lack paperwork normally required for enrollment, such as school records, proof of guardianship, a birth certificate, immunization or other health records, and proof of residence. In complying with the immediate enrollment mandate, some school districts may be concerned that families or youth may claim falsely to be homeless in order to gain access to services for which they are not eligible or to gain enrollment in a school outside of their local attendance area.
Due to the stigma associated with homelessness, the vast majority of students seeking eligibility for services under McKinney-Vento does so in good faith and with good reason. If a question arises about a student’s eligibility, schools may wish to confirm the details of the student’s living situation. All such efforts must be grounded in sensitivity and respect, keeping the academic well-being and best interest of the student in the forefront. Using invasive or threatening techniques to confirm a student’s eligibility can humiliate families and youth and may place an already tenuous temporary living arrangement in jeopardy. This may destabilize the family or youth further and may create a barrier to the student’s enrollment, thereby violating the McKinney-Vento Act. Additionally, employing these techniques may violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).