Homeless Education Resources

Overview

Below are helpful resources for supporting homeless education. These resources include state and national organizations, migrant education, special education and families displaced by natural disasters.

Jump to a section:

• Resources for Families Displaced by Wildfires and Other Natural Disasters
• State and National Organizations
• Migrant Education
• Special Education and Homelessness

Resources for Families Displaced by Wildfires and Other Natural Disasters

Children and youth who are displaced by disasters, may be eligible for support like other students in homeless situations, under the McKinney-Vento Act.

Below are national briefs and resource links to assist school districts and families that have been impacted and displaced by natural disasters. These resources and more can be found at NCHE’s Disaster Preparation and Response.

Connecting Schools and Displaced Students brief series

This brief series explains how the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act applies to students displaced by disaster and how the Act can assist these students and their families. Each brief in the series targets information either to youth experiencing homelessness on their own, relief agencies, or school district administrators. The series includes the following handbooks:

•  Meeting the Educational Needs of Students Displaced by Disasters: Youth on Their Own

•  What Relief Agencies Should Know About the Educational Rights of Children Displaced by Disasters

•  What School District Administrators Should Know About the Educational Rights of Children Displaced by Disasters

A McKinney-Vento Toolbox: Constructing a Robust and Rigorous Homeless Education Program, In Case of Disaster and Every Day

This toolbox is designed to help school districts implement the McKinney-Vento Act fully, so they can address the needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness on a daily basis and in times of disaster. The toolbox contains information and practical lessons learned and resources developed during the recovery process. Specifically the following section addresses Implementation of the McKinney-Vento Act, including Disaster Response. 

A full copy of the toolbox can be found here: A McKinney-Vento Toolbox: Constructing a Robust and Rigorous Homeless Education Program, In Case of Disaster and Every Day.

Connecting Schools and Displaced Students handbook series

This handbook series explains how the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act applies to students displaced by disaster and how the Act can assist these students and their families. Each handbook in the series targets information either to parents of displaced children, relief agencies, or educators.

The series includes the following handbooks:

• After the Storm: Information for Parents on How Schools Can Help After Disasters (A Handbook for Parents)
• Disaster Relief Agencies and Schools: Working Together to Ensure School Enrollment and Success (A Handbook for Local Liaisons and State Coordinators)
• From the School Office to the Classroom: Strategies for Enrolling and Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness (A Handbook for Local Liaisons, Enrollment Staff, and District Administrators)
• School as a Safety Net: Connecting Displaced Children With Educational and Support Services (A Handbook for Relief Agency Staff and Volunteers)

CDE’s McKinney-Vento Office can provide your district with the Handbook Series at no cost. Please contact Paula Gumina with the quantity being requested, contact name, and mailing address. If you prefer to order the Handbook Series directly, with a minimal cost associated, order handbooks here.  

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State and National Organizations

• SERVE: The National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE. The Center provides research, resources, and information enabling communities to address the educational needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness.
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY): NAEHCY connect educators, parents, advocates, researchers, and service providers to ensure school enrollment and attendance, and overall success for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by the lack of safe, permanent, and adequate housing.
• US Department of Education (DOE): DOE's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
  • Education for Homeless Children and Youths unit
• Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: The mission of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is to work collaboratively toward the prevention of homelessness and the creation of lasting solutions for homeless and at-risk families, children, and individuals throughout Colorado.
• Hunger Free Colorado: The organization addresses policy change, collaborative programming, and strategic resource development, targeted awareness building, and measuring progress. It was formed from the restructuring of the Colorado Anti-Hunger Network and Colorado Food Bank Association.
• United Way 211 Information: 2-1-1 is an easy-to-remember and universally recognizable number that makes a critical connection between individuals and families in need and the appropriate community-based organizations and government agencies. 211 online has a database of local resources at your fingertips.

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Migrant Education

• NCHE Migrant Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness brief (PDF): This brief identifies the key provisions of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Dealing with migrant children and youth experiencing homelessness and offers strategies for implementations.
• CDE's Migrant Education Webpage

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