Thursday, January 16, 10:45AM -- The Past, Present, and Future of Federal Policy on Family Homelessness
This session will review federal policy on child, youth, and family homelessness, provide a current update, and offer ways that attendees can take action to shape the future. Areas of focus will include the reform of federal homeless assistance, as well as early care, education, housing, and antipoverty programs.
- Learn more about our work in federal policy.
- Learn more about our work in state policy.
- Handouts and Resources:
Thursday, January 16, 2:45PM -- Youth Voices: Experiences with Homelessness
This session is a facilitated discussion among youth from across the country who experienced homelessness during their K-12 education. They will discuss the challenges that they experienced in their education as well as the people, programs, and internal attributes that have helped them persist and achieve success.
- Learn more about our Youth Leadership and Scholarship Program.
- Handouts and Resources:
Friday, January 17, 8AM -- Keynote: Sesame Street in Communities
- Handouts and Resources:
- PowerPoint Presentation
- Guide to Using Sesame Street in Communities’ Resources on Family Homelessness
- Childproofing Checklist for Housing and Homeless Service Providers
- Early Care and Education Advocacy: A Tip Sheet for Housing and Homeless Assistance Providers
- Young Children Experiencing Homelessness: An Overview
- Preschool to Prevent Homelessness: Research, Rights, and Resources
Friday, January 17, 9:15AM -- Driving Change with Education Data Metrics
Attendees will learn strategies for using data to evaluate areas of need, set goals, and demonstrate success. Discover what data systems are available and explore examples of work across the country that use the evaluation of data to change the lives of students experiencing homelessness.
- Handouts and Resources:
Friday, January 17, 9:15AM -- Implementing CCDF Final Rule: North Carolina's Efforts to Implement Provisions that Increase Access to Child Care Subsidies for Families Experiencing Homelessness
This session focuses on a two-year initiative aimed at reaching out to homeless families and housing providers to increase participation in subsidized childcare. Participants will learn about the specific strategies used and will receive a template to create an outreach plan.
- Learn more about early childhood and homelessness.
- Handouts and Resources:
Friday, January 17, 11:00AM -- Education Leads Home: A National Campaign to Improve Educational Outcomes for America’s Homeless Students
Public schools identified 1.5 million homeless students during SY 2017-2018, in addition to an estimated 1.3 million children under the age of six. Education Leads Home is a national campaign focused on improving educational outcomes for these students, raising awareness of key challenges, and increasing implementation of proven practices and policies. Attendees will learn more about the campaign’s three goals, the work being done across the country to achieve them, and how this can be incorporated into their own work.
- Learn more about Education Leads Home.
- Handouts and Resources:
- PowerPoint Presentation
- Data Self-Assessment: How Do You Track The Educational Progress of Students Experiencing Homelessness?
Friday, January 17, 11:00AM -- The Health and Well-Being of Homeless High School Students: Lessons from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
This session will take a closer look at the mental, emotional, and physical health needs of homeless high school students across the country. Attendees will learn tangible action steps to promote safety and health for students experiencing homelessness.
Handouts and Resources:

Policy Updates
Congressional action is heating up on a number of bills related to child, youth, and family homelessness, including FY2021 funding, higher education, and homeless assistance. Please read the updates below and take action to help children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness.
- FY2021 funding for targeted homeless children and youth programs;
- Higher education for homeless and foster youth; and
- HUD homeless assistance reform for children, youth, and families.

Resources
At SchoolHouse Connection, we listen closely, then work with practitioners to create tools and resources to meet their needs. SchoolHouse Connection resources, and some created by our partners, are listed below. We also conduct webinars on many of these same topics. If you have an idea for a tool, resource, or webinar, please email us.
Resources are categorized by the following subject areas:
- Early Childhood
- PreK-12
- Higher Education
- Housing
- Unaccompanied Youth
