States have taken significant action in 2026 to strengthen educational stability and expand support for children and youth experiencing homelessness. New laws and investments span K-12 education, early childhood, higher education, housing, vital documents, health care, and other essential services.

One of the clearest trends is growing state investment in the education and stability of students experiencing homelessness.

• California made the largest dedicated state investment in students experiencing homelessness to date, committing $116 million over three years;
• Illinois restored funding for its Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant Program after more than 15 years without an appropriation;
• New York became the first state to add students experiencing homelessness and students in foster care to its Foundation Aid formula; and
• Washington preserved both the education and housing components of its Homeless Student Stability Program. 

These states are using different approaches, but together they signal growing recognition of the role state funding can play in complementing federal McKinney-Vento resources and meeting the needs of students experiencing homelessness.

States also enacted important new protections and removed practical barriers to education and essential services.

• Massachusetts became the first state to automatically refer young children entering shelters for early intervention assessments.
• Vermont and West Virginia expanded access to vital documents, health care, housing, and other supports.
• Oregon, Washington, and Connecticut codified educational protections for students experiencing homelessness in state law.

These gains reflect the sustained work of state advocates, policymakers, young people, families, and partners who have worked across legislative sessions to turn policy ideas into meaningful protections and investments.

This update highlights selected state policy wins and significant 2026 proposals, including links to enacted bills or funded budget legislation.

Major State Funding Wins

• California: The 2026-27 state budget commits $116 million over three years for competitive grants to local educational agencies to improve the identification and support of K-12 students experiencing homelessness. It is the largest dedicated state investment in students experiencing homelessness to date. The National Center for Youth Law led sustained advocacy for the investment, working with young people, educators, advocates, and legislative champions. (AB 126. Enacted)
• Delaware: The state provides $800,000 for the new Stable Housing for Schoolchildren Program, which will provide rental assistance to families experiencing homelessness with children enrolled in K-12 schools, helping families move from shelters, motels, and other unstable living situations into rental housing. (SB 336. Enacted)
• Illinois: The FY 2027 budget provides $2 million for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant Program, the first state appropriation for the program in more than 15 years. The Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness led advocacy to restore the funding. The budget also provides $2.5 million to the Illinois Board of Higher Education for programs to improve student retention and completion, explicitly including efforts to address basic-needs insecurity and housing and homelessness prevention. (HB 111. Enacted)
• New York: For the first time, the state’s Foundation Aid formula includes new funding weights for students experiencing homelessness and students in foster care, directing additional state education aid to districts based on the number of these students they serve. Advocates for Children of New York and more than 120 organizations in the Coalition for Equitable Education Funding advocated for changes to the formula to better reflect student needs. (S9006C. Enacted)
• Washington: The state preserved both components of the Homeless Student Stability Program (HSSP). The enacted budget provides $1.2 million annually for school-district grants through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and $4 million over the 2025-27 biennium for housing-stability grants that connect students and families with housing and community supports. Together, the two components receive $6.4 million over the biennium. Building Changes led the advocacy for continued HSSP funding. (ESSB 5998. Enacted)

New Protections and Supports Enacted in 2026

Strengthening educational protections

• Connecticut (HB 5259): Codifies rights related to school selection, transportation, notice, and appeals for students experiencing homelessness and their families. The Center for Children’s Advocacy led advocacy for this legislation. (Enacted)
• Oregon (HB 4149): Codifies key educational protections for students experiencing homelessness in state law, including immediate enrollment, school stability, dispute resolution, transportation, and liaison responsibilities. SchoolHouse Connection was proud to support Rep. Emerson Levy, the Maslow Project, and other advocates who worked to advance the legislation.  (Enacted)
• Virginia (HB 38): Requires teachers and other school personnel to receive specialized mental health awareness training that includes the needs of youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability. (Enacted)
• Washington (HB 2594): Codifies state-level educational protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness, including protections related to enrollment, school stability, transportation, and access to services. Building Changes led advocacy for the enactment of this legislation. (Enacted)

Supporting young children and families

• Maryland (HB 849): Protects access to the Child Care Scholarship Program for children who are homeless by exempting them from enrollment freezes and providing priority access when the program has a waitlist. (Enacted)
• Massachusetts (H. 5555): Massachusetts became the first state to require children under age 3 entering specified shelters to be referred for an early intervention evaluation and assessment within 30 days. Following evaluation, eligible children can receive early intervention services. The policy was enacted through the FY 2027 budget after years of advocacy by Horizons for Homeless Children. (Enacted)

Removing barriers to vital documents and essential services

• Vermont (H.657): Allows certified unaccompanied homeless youth ages 16 and 17 to obtain identification and vital records and to access health care, housing, banking, and other essential services without parental consent. SchoolHouse Connection was proud to support Rep. Jubilee McGill and other advocates working to advance the legislation. (Act 136, Enacted)
• West Virginia (SB 947): Allows individuals experiencing homelessness who are under age 18 to obtain a certified copy of their birth certificate at no cost, removing a significant barrier to education, employment, housing, and other services. SchoolHouse Connection was honored to support Senators Vince Deeds, Amy Grady, and Mike Woelfel in advancing the legislation. (Enacted)

Expanding higher education access

• Washington (SB 5963): Strengthens the Passport to Careers Program and allows eligible participants, including unaccompanied homeless youth, to automatically qualify as income-eligible for the Washington College Grant, reducing barriers to financial aid. The Washington Student Achievement Council led the effort, with support from Treehouse and other partners across the state. (Enacted)

Bills Still Under Consideration

Legislative sessions continue in some states and several proposals to address youth homelessness are still being considered.

• California (AB 2766): Would require California Community Colleges with student housing to give housing priority and other support to students experiencing homelessness and foster youth. The bill has passed the Assembly and advanced through Senate committees and is awaiting a Senate floor vote.
• California (AB 2251): Would require institutions participating in the Cal Grant Program to establish transparent cost-of-attendance policies and adjustment processes consistent with federal standards. The bill has passed the Assembly and advanced through Senate committees and is awaiting a Senate floor vote.
• Michigan (SB 1124): Would allow certain youth experiencing homelessness or runaway youth age 14 and older to consent to medically necessary physical, mental, and behavioral health care without parental consent. A homeless education liaison, school social worker or counselor, youth service provider, attorney, or other specified individual may document the youth’s status. SchoolHouse Connection was proud to work with Sen. John Cherry to develop and introduce the legislation. The bill awaits a Senate committee hearing.
• Michigan (HB 5471 and HB 5403): Legislators continue working to provide youth experiencing homelessness access to vital documents at no cost, with the assistance of homeless liaisons, designated educators and youth service providers. SchoolHouse Connection has supported the work of Rep. John Roth, sponsor of HB 5471 (birth certificates) and Rep. Brenda Carter, sponsor of HB 5403 (state IDs). The bills await a House committee hearing.  
• New Jersey (S2620/A1197): Would require the state to bear a portion of the cost of transporting certain students experiencing homelessness to school. S2620 advanced through the Senate Education Committee and is pending in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee; A1197 is pending in the Assembly Education Committee.

Promising Proposals That Advanced in 2026

Several additional proposals made meaningful progress this year but did not reach enactment. Their advancement may provide a foundation for renewed efforts in future sessions.

• Alaska (HB 334): Would waive fees and ease documentation requirements for young adults ages 18 to 25 experiencing homelessness seeking state identification cards and certified birth certificates. The bill advanced from a House committee before the legislative session ended.
• California (AB 673): Would establish a pilot grant program to provide temporary housing and related supports for unaccompanied homeless youth. The bill passed the Assembly and advanced through Senate policy committees before being held in the Senate Appropriations Committee in August.
• Maryland (HB 1353): Would waive fees for vital records and certain motor vehicle-related costs for individuals experiencing homelessness and shorten the waiting period before certain unaccompanied homeless youth may take examinations for a provisional driver’s license. The bill passed the House but did not clear the Senate before adjournment.
• Missouri (HB 2722): Would establish the Success for Homeless and Foster Youth in Higher Education Act, including designated homeless and foster student liaisons and other supports at public institutions of higher education. The bill advanced through House committees before the session ended.

Looking Ahead

As the 2026 legislative year winds down, SchoolHouse Connection will continue to support legislators and advocates where bills are still under consideration, assist in the implementation of newly enacted laws, and strategize with partners to build on this year’s progress in 2027.

For more information or to get involved in state advocacy, contact Rodd Monts, Director of State Policy.