Are you a new homeless liaison? This resource hub is for you!
Essential Tools and Support for New Homeless Education Liaisons
Remember, you’re not alone! Learn how to get connected and hear advice from seasoned liaisons across the country.
While often hidden, children and youth experience homelessness in all communities – rural, suburban, and urban. Fortunately, education can provide each child and youth with a pathway out of homelessness and into lifelong success.
That’s why federal law — the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act — requires every local educational agency (LEA) in the nation to designate a homeless liaison to ensure that children and youth experiencing homelessness are identified and assisted to enroll, attend, and succeed in school.
Liaison: “a person who establishes and maintains communication for mutual understanding and cooperation.”
– Merriam-Webster
The homeless liaison is a critical position, but it can be daunting – especially for those who are new to the role. This resource hub is designed to help new liaisons carry out their responsibilities and find inspiration and support.
What’s Included:
Information about the legal requirements of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
Tips and resources for getting started in your role
Practical strategies for identification, enrollment, attendance, transportation, and more
Understanding the Role of Homeless Liaison: Time and Capacity Considerations
Under the McKinney-Vento, the liaison must be able to carry out ten duties specified in the law (42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)). In order to ensure that local liaisons have sufficient time and capacity to carry out these duties, the U.S. Department of Education’s non-regulatory guidance recommends that state and local administrators review and consider:
The legal requirements for the position
Data indicating the prevalence and needs of homeless children and youths in the school district (including number of identified homeless students in the LEA as a percentage of students living in poverty, and any efforts that may be necessary to improve the identification of such children and youths)
Past technical assistance and monitoring findings
Three Ways to Get Started:
Introduce yourself to key partners, including your state homeless education coordinator, transportation director, registrar, other leadership within your district, and to liaisons in adjacent school districts.
Review the legal duties of the liaison and tips and resources for carrying out these duties. There’s a lot to take in, so consider familiarizing yourself generally with the full list, then delving deeper into each duty and accompanying strategies.
Review school district homelessness data from the past few school years.
In reviewing the legal duties of the homeless liaison, it is important to note that the law requires that liaisons “ensure that” the specified activities are carried out. This means that the liaison is responsible for coordinating activities both within and outside of the school system, and will need the support and partnership of many LEA colleagues and community partners to fulfill the role. Designating school site-based homeless liaisons, in addition to the LEA liaison, can help provide additional capacity to ensure adequate support for identification and services.
What’s required: Children and youth experiencing homelessness must be identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination with other entities and agencies [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(i)].
In order to identify children and youth experiencing homelessness, liaisons must fully understand the legal definition of homelessness. Under the McKinney-Vento Act, any child or youth who lacks fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence is considered to be experiencing homelessness. This includes those who are sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason; staying in motels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to the lack of an adequate alternative; staying in shelters or transitional housing; or sleeping in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, or similar settings. 42 U.S.C. §11434a(2).
Liaisons must ensure that children and youth who are identified are informed of their rights under the McKinney-Vento Act [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(6)(A)(i), (v), (vi), (viii)].
LEA colleagues: enrollment staff, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, teachers, educational assistants, principals and other administrators, counselors, social workers, school nurses, school resource officers, special education directors, Title III/English Learner directors, Title I staff, Native Education specialists, Bureau of Indian Education McKinney-Vento liaisons, and other school staff who have contact with students and may learn of a student’s change in living situation.
Community partners: organizations and service providers who typically interact with families, children, and youth experiencing homelessness; local law enforcement agencies, housing providers and landlords, public library staff, faith-based organizations, local businesses, local service organizations such as Lions Club, Rotary, and Optimist Clubs, local tribal health providers and service organizations, including urban Indian centers.
Consider using a housing questionnaire for students enrolling in the LEA for the first time. A housing questionnaire allows a family or unaccompanied youth to self-identify as experiencing homelessness.
Consider the procedure that should be followed when school staff learn about a student’s change in living situation, including how the school staff member will notify the liaison.
2. Enrollment
What’s required: Homeless children and youths are enrolled in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in, schools of that local educational agency [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)].
Staying in the school of origin:
Children and youth experiencing homelessness have the right to remain in their school of origin for the duration of their homelessness and until the end of the academic year in which they become permanently housed.
Enrollment must be immediate, even if children and youth lack documents typically required for enrollment [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C)].
Enroll means permitting the student to attend classes and participate fully in school activities [42 U.S.C. §11434A(1)].
Local educational agencies must make individualized best interest determinations, presuming that staying in the school of origin is in the best interest of the child or youth, and consider a number of student-centered factors [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(B)(ii)].
School of origin includes both the designated receiving school at the next grade level (if there is a feeder school pattern) and preschools [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(I)].
Provide McKinney-Vento training to enrollment staff
Establish procedures for enrollment staff to notify the liaison when a new family or youth enrolls who is experiencing homelessness
Review online enrollment processes to ensure that they do not create barriers for families and youth experiencing homelessness
3. Identification of young children and referrals to early childhood programs
What’s required: Homeless families and homeless children and youth have access to and receive educational services for which they are eligible, including Head Start programs (including Early Head Start programs), early intervention services under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and other preschool programs administered by the local educational agency [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(iii)].
Preschool is also included in the definition of school of origin [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(F)(i), (g)(3)(I).
Visit this resource to get connected to early childhood partners listed above.
LEA partners: early childhood program administrators, child find and early childhood special education staff members, LEA administered pre-school program staff (serves ages 3-4)
Ask about younger siblings on enrollment forms and housing questionnaires
Get to know who your local early childhood development providers
Invite early childhood partners to McKinney-Vento training
Establish MOUs with local early childhood development providers to help facilitate referrals and enrollment.
4. Community Referrals
What’s required: Homeless families and homeless children and youths receive referrals to health care services, dental services, mental health and substance abuse services, housing services, and other appropriate services [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(iv)].
Medical providers like pediatricians and Tribal Health Centers
Housing programs
Local continuum of care
Local law enforcement agencies and first responders
Housing providers and landlords
Public library staff
Faith-based organizations
Local businesses
Local service organizations such as Lions Club, Rotary, and Optimist Clubs
Other organizations and service providers who typically interact with families experiencing homelessness
Indian Education Department staff at the SEA level
Consider hosting a community breakfast at the start of each new school year by inviting community service providers to gather to learn about McKinney-Vento and the services provided by each agency.
Consider convening community partners quarterly to discuss needs, referral processes, MOUs, information sharing, and to provide an update on the LEA’s McKinney-Vento program.
Consider putting MOUs or other information sharing systems in place so that families and school staff have an easy process to access community resources.
5. Full Participation
What’s required: The parents or guardians of homeless children and youths are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children.
Students experiencing homelessness must receive appropriate credit for full or partial coursework completed while attending a prior school [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(F)(ii)].
School counselors must provide assistance to homeless youth to advise, prepare and improve their college readiness [42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(K)].
Students experiencing homelessness must have access to academic and extracurricular activities, including magnet school, summer school, career and technical education, advanced placement, online learning, and charter school programs, if such programs are available [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(F)(iii)].
LEAs must develop, review, and revise policies to remove barriers to the identification, enrollment, and retention of homeless students in school, including barriers due to fees, fines, and absences 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(I).
Create a process to help students, especially unaccompanied youth, connect with athletic programs, clubs, or other extracurricular activities. Use this form to verify youth for athletic participation.
In partnership with school counseling staff, create a process to conduct a transcript audit for students identified as experiencing homelessness to look for partial or full credits from prior schools.In addition, if the student previously attended in the LEA where the student is currently enrolled but experienced disruption in enrollment, consider reviewing prior coursework done within the same LEA to evaluate for partial or full credits that can be applied to the transcript.
Provide training to school counselors and other LEA program staff who support college and career readiness.
6. Outreach and Awareness
What’s required: Public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths is disseminated in locations frequented by parents or guardians of such children and youths, and unaccompanied youths, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, in a manner and form understandable to the parents and guardians of homeless children and youths, and unaccompanied youths.
Community partners to post flyers, brochures and posters, including:
Shelter staff
Local government officials
Food pantry staff
Community social workers
LEA education foundation
Medical providers like pediatricians
Housing programs
Local continuum of care
Local law enforcement agencies and first responders
Housing providers and landlords
Public library staff
Faith-based organizations
Local businesses
Local service organizations such as Lions Club, Rotary, and Optimist Clubs
Other organizations and service providers who typically interact with families experiencing homelessness
LEA partners: office staff, administrators, cafeteria workers, student services personnel, Title III staff including translators and interpreters, Native education cultural specialists, audiovisual/media staff to help with creation of resources.
Families or youth to provide input on outreach materials
Consider creative places in the community to post information, such as: laundromats, post offices, libraries, motels, grocery stores, fast food restaurants, youth centers, ice cream shops, schools, district offices, health clubs, bus stations or bus stops, gas stations, coffee shops, police stations, convenience stores, doctors offices or health clinics, shelters, food pantries, public housing offices, etc.
Consider the native languages of the youth and families in your district, and provide outreach materials in those languages.
Consider different ways of providing outreach materials, such as visual posters, QR codes with audio clips, short video clips on LEA social media, PSAs, etc.
7. Policies and Dispute Resolution
What’s required: Enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with this law.
LEAs must review and revise policies to remove barriers to identification, enrollment and retention. This includes barriers to fees, fines, and absences [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(I)].
In the event of a dispute over eligibility, school selection, or enrollment, the child or youth must be immediately enrolled in the school in which they seek enrollment, pending a resolution of the dispute and all appeals 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(E)(i).
Liaisons must work with families and youth to navigate the dispute resolution process, including all appeals [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(E)(i)].
The parent or guardian, or the unaccompanied youth, must be provided with a written explanation of any decisions related to eligibility, school selection, or enrollment made by the school, LEA, or SEA, including information about the right to appeal [42 U.S.C. §11432 (g)(3)(E)(ii)].
The liaison must carry out the dispute resolution process as expeditiously as possible [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(E)(iii)].
The LEA must provide the parent, guardian, or youth with a written explanation with the reasons for the best interest determination, in a manner and form understandable, including the right to appeal [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(3)(B)(iii)].
Title III staff, including translators and interpreters
Building level administrators
Teachers
Student services personnel, such as counselors and social workers
Attendance staff
Native education cultural specialists
Consider using SchoolHouse Connection’s Policy and Procedure workbook, review and update LEA policies.
Consider which LEA staff will be involved in the appeal process, taking into account the roles of the LEA staff in each layer of appeal.
Consider creating templates for letters and timelines.
8. Transportation
What’s required: The parent or guardian of a homeless child or youth, and any unaccompanied youth, is fully informed of all transportation services, including transportation to the school of origin, and is assisted in accessing transportation.
LEAs must provide adequate and appropriate transportation to the school of origin upon the request of a parent or guardian, or in the case of an unaccompanied youth, upon the request of the McKinney-Vento liaison [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)].
For other transportation (not school of origin transportation), LEAs are required to provide transportation comparable to that provided to housed students [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(4)(A)].
LEAs must eliminate lack of transportation as a barrier to the student attending school [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)].
McKinney-Vento does not specify any mileage or time limit for transportation to and from the school of origin.
If transportation to and from the school of origin crosses district lines, the two districts involved must agree on a method to share the cost and responsibility of transportation, or share it equally [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)(II)].
The mode of transportation cannot present a barrier to attendance [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(1)(I), (g)(7)].
To the extent that lack of access to transportation is a barrier to extracurricular activities for a homeless particular student, an LEA is required to provide this student with transportation to or from extracurricular activities. U.S. Department of Education Guidance, Question J-11.
Local community-based organizations that have access to vehicles or methods of transportation
Business office staff
Liaison in the sharing LEA
Consider a process to notify liaisons in neighboring LEAs of the shared transportation cost and method, in advance of sending a bill. Neighboring LEAs may have additional methods of transportation that are more efficient or cost effective.
Consider creative ways to provide transportation so that students can participate in extracurricular activities.
Consider ways to partner with LEA transportation staff so that transportation is set up quickly and does not create barriers for attendance.
Consider providing training on McKinney-Vento to district transportation staff, including bus drivers, cab drivers, and other transportation services.
9. Professional Development
What’s required: School personnel providing services under this law receive professional development and other support.
State coordinators are required to provide professional development programs for liaisons and others. 42 U.S.C. §11432(f)(6).
Liaisons are required to participate in professional development and other technical assistance offered by the state. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iv).
Some state coordinators may require specific training on McKinney-Vento.
Liaisons must ensure that school personnel receive professional development and other support. 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(ix).
Consider how all LEA staff will be trained at the beginning of the year and what the mode of training will be, such as modules, in-person trainings, professional development days, etc.
Consider how to train new staff who are hired after the initial staff training.
Consider how to offer additional trainings throughout the year, or consider other ways to keep school staff members aware of McKinney-Vento, such as a newsletter or bulletin.
Consider creating a simple process for any staff member to refer students to the homeless liaison; share this at trainings.
10. Unaccompanied Youth
What’s required: Unaccompanied youths are immediately enrolled in school [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(3)(C), (g)(1)(H)(iv)]; have opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic standards as the State establishes for other children and youth, including through implementation of partial credit procedures [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(F)(ii)]; and are informed of their status as independent students and are able to obtain assistance from the local educational agency liaison to receive verification of such status for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(x)(III).
An unaccompanied youth is a child or youth who meets the definition of homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act and is not in the physical custody of a parent or legal guardian [42 U.S.C. §11434A(6)]. An unaccompanied youth can be a student of any age.
Lack of a legal guardian or guardianship documents cannot delay or prevent the enrollment of an unaccompanied youth [42 U.S.C. §§11432(g)(3)(C), (g)(1)(H)(iv)].
Financial aid administrators at local colleges and universities
Homeless higher education liaisons
GEAR UP and TRIO colleagues
LEA enrollment office staff
Service providers
Consider the use of a caregiver form when an unaccompanied youth enrolls in order to document an emergency contact for the youth.
Establish procedures with school counselors to support youth in college and career readiness, as well as FAFSA completion.
Provide unaccompanied homeless youth with FAFSA determinations to give to financial aid offices. Remind students to keep a copy for their records.
Liaisons can now designate other high school staff to provide unaccompanied homeless youth determinations. Establish processes like this FAFSA Referral Form between designee and liaison to identify students.
Connect unaccompanied homeless youth with higher education professionals. Check if your state has homeless higher education liaisons or other states policies to help homeless youth succeed in college.
Support at the State Level
Every state education agency (SEA) is required to designate a State Coordinator, who also has specific responsibilities, including providing technical assistance to ensure compliance, providing professional development, and collaborating with other agencies. The contact information for state coordinators can be found here.
Remember, you are not alone!
By connecting with our SHC team and with other liaisons across the country, we can collectively ensure that children and youth experiencing homelessness receive the unwavering support they need to thrive.
Connect with the SHC team and other liaisons across the country!
We’re excited to share interviews with McKinney-Vento liaisons from across the country, offering valuable advice for both new and experienced liaisons.
Courtney Jones, McKinney-Vento Liaison for Clover School District (South Carolina)
Courtney shares key advice for new liaisons, emphasizing the importance of training, leveraging district support, and building relationships with other liaisons and local organizations. He highlights the need for a calendar to track displaced students, sensitive communication about homelessness, and teamwork for effectively identifying and supporting McKinney-Vento students.
Melissa Douglas, McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison for Kansas City Public Schools (Missouri)
Melissa reflects on her 17 years of service with the district, including 13 years as a McKinney-Vento Liaison. In this video, Melissa shares her personal journey, the challenges and rewards of advocating for students experiencing homelessness, and the crucial role of partnerships in creating a safe, supportive environment. From addressing transportation and residency barriers to emphasizing self-care, Melissa provides a look at the complexities of her work and her mission to ensure every student has access to education, no matter their circumstances.
Leslie Navarro-Walker, McKinney-Vento liaison from Cherry Creek (Colorado) & Claire Bergman, a McKinney-Vento liaison from Sun Prairie (Wisconsin)
Leslie shares a powerful example of how understanding a student’s situation can transform discipline into a moment of support. And Claire, a McKinney-Vento liaison from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, highlights the importance of restorative justice approaches, which focus on healing and connection rather than punishment. She explains how SROs, when educated on homelessness, can be partners in creating a supportive school culture that addresses the root causes of student behavior, like trauma and instability.
Shannah Cariño, the Homeless Liaison for Akron Public Schools (Ohio)
Shannah shares her eight years of experience in ensuring homeless youth receive equal educational opportunities. She emphasizes the importance of a guiding mission statement, establishing communication chains, and building relationships within the district and community. She discusses overcoming challenges, advocating for families, and the value of empathy and support. She also highlights the significance of training staff and focusing on the positive impact of everyday compassionate actions.
Estella Garza, the Director of Family & Student Support Services at the San Antonio Independent School District (Texas)
Estella is a dedicated homeless liaison with over 30 years of experience. She sheds light on the challenges and work of her team to support students experiencing homelessness. Estella shares about the significant impact of the McKinney-Vento Act, the importance of understanding federal and state laws, and her personal connections with families and students whose lives she has influenced. This conversation highlights the critical role of continuous support, data analysis, and community collaboration in enhancing educational opportunities for children and youth experiencing homelessness.
Charlotte Kinzley, Director of Homeless and Highly Mobile Student Services for Minneapolis Public Schools (Minnesota)
Charlotte Kinzley, the district liaison for Minneapolis Public Schools, as she discusses her role in supporting over 3,000 students experiencing homelessness. With a background in emergency shelter and transitional housing, Charlotte shares essential strategies for identifying and assisting homeless students. She emphasizes the importance of community partnerships, equitable funding, and parent advisory work.
