This guide suggests strategies to help states, districts, and schools overcome barriers that keep homeless children and youth from getting the education to which they are entitled, presenting approaches for helping them achieve the same high standards expected of all children. The promising practices all come from states and districts that have placed a strong emphasis on enrolling homeless children and youth in school and helping them succeed. This study involved three states (Illinois, Oregon, and Texas) and six school districts (Baltimore County, Maryland; Buck's County, Pennsylvania; 'Chicago, Illinois; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Santa Cruz, California; and Victoria, Texas). Researchers interviewed state coordinators of homeless education by telephone and visited the six districts to gather information about their programs. This report discusses educating homeless children and youth (the challenges this study addresses and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act); roles and responsibilities of state coordinators (e.g., raise awareness, disseminate information, and evaluate effectiveness); and promising practices from other state-level players, districts, and schools (e.g., awareness raising, immediate enrollment, transportation, and outreach). Four appendices present promising practices highlights, organizations and advocacy groups, recent publications, and questions and answers on the education of homeless children and youth.

A 1984 amendment to the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act instructs states to ensure that homeless students have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education as nonhomeless students. It provides local educational authorities increased flexibility to use funds, specify the rights of homeless preschoolers, give parents of homeless children and youth a greater voice in their children's school placement, and require educational authorities to coordinate with housing authorities. Researchers surveyed all state coordinators of education of homeless children and youth and visited school districts that did and did not receive McKinney grants. Data on four areas of state and local activity are provided: ( 1 ) 'changes in education and services to homeless children and youth under the reauthorized Act; (2) services and activities of the state Office of the Coordinator of Education of Homeless Children and Youth; (3) the McKinney Act subgrant award process, and how local education agencies with McKinney subgrants supplement services available to homeless children and youth and remove barriers to their school enrollment and success; and (4) establishment of programs and policies for homeless students in local education agencies. Recommendations of state coordinators and policy implications are included.

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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.