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determining the independent status of

unaccompanied homeless youth.

School District Collaboration

•

Consider each student’s eligibility

on a case-by-case basis. Start by

The McKinney-Vento Act is the primary

piece of federal legislation supporting the

understanding the McKinney-Vento Act’s

education of children and youth experiencing

definition of homeless . The National

homelessness. The Act guarantees homeless

Center for Homeless Education (NCHE)

students immediate access to the free,

provides a helpful brief on determining

appropriate public education to which they

homelessness by the definition, which

are entitled.

is available for downloading at http://

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, each

det_elig.pdf.

state must appoint a State Coordinator

•

Contact the local homeless education

for Homeless Education, charged with

liaison in your school district to discuss the

ensuring the full implementation of the

Act in all school districts through the

McKinney-Vento definition and how it

state. In addition, every school district in

applies to specific students (see sidebar

the United States must appoint a local

to the right).

homeless education liaison to ensure the

•

If the student cannot be qualified by

full implementation of the Act in all district

emergency shelter staff or a local liaison,

schools. State Coordinators and local liaisons

accept letters from those with whom the

are well-versed in the McKinney-Vento

student resides or from a professional in

definition of homeless (see sidebar on page

the community who can corroborate the

1). As such, they can be a valuable resource

student’s homeless status.

for institutions of higher education for

determining independent student status

•

Use Making Student Status Determinations

according to the definition and understanding

for Unaccompanied Homeless

the needs of students experiencing

Youth: Eligibility Tool for Financial Aid

homelessness. To contact your State

Administrators, available at

Coordinator, including to request contact

information for the local liaison in your area,

•

Do not require students to disclose

visit

personal details about past abuse in their

state_resources.php.

family or other causes for homelessness

The federal Education for Homeless Children

and separation from their parents.

and Youth program, authorized under the

Identification of unaccompanied homeless youth

McKinney-Vento Act, also maintains a

who attend your college or university

federal technical assistance and information

center: The National Center for Homeless

Education. For additional information about

•

Place posters and brochures around

supporting the education of children and

campus with the definition of homeless

youth experiencing homelessness, visit the

and contact information for someone

NCHE website at

who can link homeless students with

nche/ or contact the NCHE helpline at (800)

support services. A free poster, created

308-2145 of .

jointly by NCHE and the National

Association of Student Financial Aid

Administrators (NASFAA) is available for

downloading at

Supporting unaccompanied homeless youth who

nche/pr/he_poster.php.

attend your college or university

•

Create awareness among faculty and

staff about unaccompanied homeless

•

Refer unaccompanied homeless students

youth and the challenges they face so

to support services upon their admission.

they can help with identification and

support.

National Center for Homeless Education □ nche

Increasing Access To Higher Education For Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Information - National Center For Homeless Education Page 5

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