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.

This book is for educators who wish to serve students who temporarily share housing with other families, live in homeless shelters or motels, nd/or camp out in cars and other stopgap places.

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Schools and districts are seeing unprecedented numbers of students and families living without residential stability. Although the McKinney-Vento Act has been around for over two decades, many district- and site-level practitioners have a difficult time interpreting and implementing the Act’s mandates within their local contexts. This book provides much-needed guidance to help educational leaders support students who are homeless and highly mobile students who face significant barriers related to access and academic success. The authors employ several different strategies to help translate complex state and federal policies into effective practices. They include policy analysis, examples of successful approaches, tools for training staff, youth experiences, and address the role of school districts in serving marginalized students. Serving Students Who Are Homeless can be used as a professional development tool at the local and district level, and as a textbook in higher education settings that prepare entry-level and advanced-credential administrators, counselors, school psychologists, and curriculum leaders. Book Features: Guidance for understanding and implementing the law and tools for training staff. Case studies that include the voices of students, families, and practitioners. Questions and activities to facilitate professional development discussions. “I have worked in this realm for more than a decade and, sadly, the numbers of homeless families and children continue to rise. The information and strategies identified within the pages of this book will prove to be an invaluable resource to the work of counselors, school personnel, teachers, administrators, and advocates for homeless students.” —Melissa Schoonmaker, Los Angeles County Office of Education “Homelessness brings an array of daunting challenges to students, families, and schools. As more and more communities are experiencing these challenges throughout the US, Dr. Hallett and Dr. Skrla have skillfully developed a critical new resource that can help those in most need. I admire their work!” —Peter Miller, University of Wisconsin–Madison