# ![](media/image1.png){width="1.1944444444444444in" height="1.1944444444444444in"}

# 

# 

# EDUCATION FOR 

**HOMELESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH PROGRAM**

**TITLE VII-B OF THE MCKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS ASSISTANCE ACT,**

**AS AMENDED BY THE**

# NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT OF 2001

> **NON-REGULATORY GUIDANCE**
>
> ![](media/image2.png)

**UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION**

**WASHINGTON, DC**

**July 2004**

#  

> **TABLE OF CONTENTS**

Summary of Updates in this Guidance Page 1

A. Introduction Page 2

> B. Federal Awards to States Page 4
>
> C. State Uses of Funds Page 5
>
> D. Office of the Coordinator Page 5
>
> E. Prohibition Against Segregation Page 8

F. Local Liaisons Page 9

G. School Placement, Enrollment and Eligibility for

Services Page 13

H. Transportation Page 19

I. Comparable and Coordinated Services Page 22

J. Homeless Unaccompanied Youth Page 23

> K. Subgrants to LEAs Page 23
>
> L. Local Uses of Funds Page 24

M. Coordination with Title I, Part A Page 27

N. Contact Information Page 30

Appendices

> Appendix A: Definitions Page 31

Appendix B: Related Education Laws Page 32

Appendix C: Draft Standards and Indicators of Quality Page 33

Appendix D: Sample Student Residency Questionnaire Page 37

Appendix E: Sample Dispute Resolution Process Form I Page 38

Appendix F: Sample Dispute Resolution Process Form II Page 39

Appendix G: References Page 40

**Summary of Updates in this Guidance**

This revised non-regulatory guidance for the McKinney-Vento program,
which replaces the March 2003 guidance, includes new questions that
address the following issues:

-   Whether children awaiting foster care placement are eligible for
    McKinney-Vento services (Item G-10);

-   Whether children displaced from their homes by a natural disaster
    are eligible for McKinney-Vento services (Item G-11);

-   Whether an LEA must provide transportation services to homeless
    children attending preschool (Item H-8).

Additionally, the updated Guidance provides reorganization of some
questions and minor edits to the March 2003 Guidance.

#  

# A. Introduction

# 

**A-1. What is the purpose of the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless
Children and Youth (McKinney-Vento) program?**

The McKinney-Vento program is designed to address the problems that
homeless children and youth have faced in enrolling, attending, and
succeeding in school. Under this program, State educational agencies
(SEAs) must ensure that each homeless child and youth has equal access
to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public
preschool education, as other children and youth. Homeless children and
youth should have access to the educational and other services that they
need to enable them to meet the same challenging State student academic
achievement standards to which all students are held. In addition,
homeless students may not be separated from the mainstream school
environment. States and districts are required to review and undertake
steps to revise laws, regulations, practices, or policies that may act
as a barrier to the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of
homeless children and youth.

**A-2. What is the statutory authority for the McKinney-Vento program?**

The program is authorized under Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento
Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC 11431 et seq.), (McKinney-Vento Act).
The program was originally authorized in 1987 and, most recently,
reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

**A-3. What is meant by the term "homeless children and youth"?**

The McKinney-Vento Act defines "homeless children and youth" as
individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
The term

includes --

-   Children and youth who are:

> \- sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing,
> economic hardship, or a similar reason (sometimes referred to as
> *doubled-up*);

-   living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to
    lack of alternative adequate accommodations;

-   living in emergency or transitional shelters;

-   abandoned in hospitals; or

-   awaiting foster care placement;

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Children and youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a
    public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a
    regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;

-   Children and youth who are living in cars, parks, public spaces,
    abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or
    similar settings; and

-   Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are living
    in circumstances described above.

**A-4. How does the current McKinney-Vento program differ from the
predecessor program?**

The principal differences between the current McKinney-Vento program and
the predecessor program include the following:

-   *Express prohibition against segregating homeless students* -- The
    statute expressly prohibits a school or State from segregating a
    homeless child or youth in a separate school, or in a separate
    program within a school, based on the child or youth's status as
    homeless. (*See* Section E of this guidance.)

-   *Requirement for transportation to and from school of origin* (see
    definition in Appendix A) -- The State and its local educational
    agencies (LEAs) must adopt policies and practices to ensure that
    transportation is provided, at the request of the parent or guardian
    (or in the case of the unaccompanied youth, the liaison) to and from
    the school of origin. There are specific provisions regarding the
    responsibility and costs for transportation. (*See* Section H.)

-   *Immediate school enrollment requirement* -- If a dispute arises
    over school selection or placement, an LEA must admit a homeless
    child or youth to the school in which enrollment is sought by the
    parent or guardian, pending resolution of the dispute. (*See*
    Section G.)

-   *Changes in "best interest" determination --* LEAs must make school
    placement determinations on the basis of the "best interest" of the
    child or youth. In determining what is a child or youth's best
    interest, an LEA must, to the extent feasible, keep a homeless child
    or youth in the school of origin, unless doing so is contrary to the
    wishes of the child or youth's parent or guardian. (*See* Section
    G.)

-   *Local liaison in all school districts* -- Every LEA, whether or not
    it receives a McKinney-Vento subgrant, must designate a local
    liaison for homeless children and youth. (*See* Section F.)

-   *New subgrant requirements* -- A State that receives an allocation
    greater than the State minimum allotment must competitively subgrant
    to LEAs at least 75 percent of its allocation. A State that receives
    the minimum State allotment must competitively subgrant to LEAs at
    least 50 percent of its allocation. (*See* Sections C and K.)

### A-5. What Federal civil rights requirements apply to school districts in educating homeless children?

School districts, as recipients of Federal financial assistance and as
public entities, must ensure that their educational programs for
homeless children are administered in a nondiscriminatory manner. The
Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces Federal laws that
prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin
(Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972); age (Age Discrimination Act of 1975); and
disability (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as applied to
recipients of Federal financial assistance and Title II of the Americans
With Disabilities Act of 1990, as applied to public educational
entities). For more information about the application of these laws,
contact the OCR enforcement office that serves your state.

### 

### A-6. What is the purpose of this guidance?

This guidance replaces the prior nonregulatory guidance for the
Education for Homeless Children and Youth program. The guidance
describes the requirements of the current program and provides
suggestions for addressing many of those requirements. The guidance does
not impose any requirements beyond those in the program statute and
other applicable Federal statutes and regulations. While States may wish
to consider the guidance in developing their own guidelines and
standards, they are free to develop alternative approaches that meet the
applicable Federal statutory and regulatory requirements.

## 

## 

## B. Federal Awards to States

## 

**B-1. On what basis does the Department award McKinney-Vento funds to
States?**

The Department awards McKinney-Vento funds to States by formula. The
amount that a State receives in a given year is based on the proportion
of funds allocated nationally that it receives under Title I, Part A of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), for that
year. For the purpose of determining allotments, the term "State"
includes each of the fifty States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto
Rico. The minimum State allocation for fiscal year 2004 is \$150,000.

**B-2. Are the outlying areas and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
eligible to receive McKinney-Vento funds?**

Yes. The Department is authorized to reserve 0.1 percent of each year's
appropriation to award grants to the outlying areas (i.e., the U. S.
Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands). In addition, the Department transfers, under
a memorandum of agreement, one percent of each year's appropriation to
the BIA for programs for homeless Indian students served by schools
funded by the BIA.

**C. State Uses of Funds**

### 

**C-1. For what purposes may a State use its McKinney-Vento
allocation?**

A State may use its McKinney-Vento allocation for the following
purposes:

-   *State activities* - A State that receives an allocation greater
    than the State minimum allotment (i.e., greater than \$150,000 for
    FY 2004) may reserve for State-level activities up to 25 percent of
    its allocation for that fiscal year. A State funded at the minimum
    level may reserve for State-level activities up to 50 percent of its
    allocation for that fiscal year.

-   *Subgrants to LEAs -* An SEA must award funds not reserved for
    State-level activities to LEAs on a competitive basis.

**C-2. For what purposes may a State use McKinney-Vento funds that are
reserved for State-level activities?**

A State may use McKinney-Vento funds that are made available for State
use to support the broad array of activities conducted by the Office of
Coordinator for Education of Homeless Children and Youth. (*See* Section
722(f) of the statute and Part D of this guidance.) The SEA may conduct
these activities directly or through grants or contracts.

**D. Office of the Coordinator For Education Of Homeless Children And
Youth**

**D-1. What are the primary responsibilities of the State Coordinator
for Education of Homeless Children and Youth?**

The primary responsibilities of the State coordinator are to:

-   Develop and carry out the State's McKinney-Vento plan;

-   Gather valid, reliable, and comprehensive information on the
    problems faced by homeless children and youth, the progress of the
    SEA and LEAs in addressing those problems, and the success of
    McKinney-Vento programs in allowing homeless children and youth to
    enroll in, attend, and succeed in school;

-   Coordinate services on behalf of the McKinney-Vento program;

-   Provide technical assistance to LEAs in coordination with the local
    liaisons to ensure that LEAs comply with the McKinney-Vento Act; and

-   Collect and transmit to the U.S. Department of Education, upon
    request, a report containing the information that the Department
    determines is necessary to assess the educational needs of homeless
    children and youth.

**D-2. What are the reporting requirements that State coordinators must
meet?**

The McKinney-Vento Act gives the Department the authority to collect
from States, at such times as the Department may require, information
that the Department determines is necessary to assess the educational
needs of homeless children and youth. The Department will be issuing
further guidance on State reporting responsibilities.

**D-3. What are the State coordinator's responsibilities regarding the
coordination of services?**

State coordinators must facilitate coordination among the SEA, the State
social services agency, and other agencies (including agencies providing
mental health services) to provide services to homeless children and
youth and their families. To improve the provision of comprehensive
services to these children and youth and their families, coordinators
must coordinate and collaborate with educators, including child
development and preschool program personnel, and service providers.
Additionally, State coordinators must coordinate services with local
liaisons and community organizations and groups representing homeless
children, youth, and families. Comprehensive services include health
care, nutrition, and other social services.

Where applicable, State coordinators must also coordinate services with
State and local housing agencies responsible for developing
comprehensive affordable housing strategies under Section 105 of the
Cranston/Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (Public Law 101-625).
Additionally, State Coordinators may wish to coordinate housing, health
and other services with the State representatives for the President\'s
Interagency Council on Homelessness - United States Interagency Council
on Homelessness **·** 451 7th Street SW **·** Suite 2200 **·**
Washington**,** DC **·** 20410.

**D-4. What are the technical assistance responsibilities of State
coordinators?**

State coordinators must provide technical assistance to LEAs, in
coordination with local liaisons, to ensure LEA compliance on such
issues as school choice and placement, enrollment policies, enrollment
disputes, school records, duties of local liaisons, and reviewing and
revising policies that may act as enrollment barriers. Through strong
leadership and collaboration and communication with the LEA liaisons,
the State coordinator can help ensure that districts will carry out the
requirements of the Act. Establishing clear-cut policies and procedures
at the State level and making sure districts know and understand them
will facilitate the smooth and consistent implementation of the
McKinney-Vento Act.

> **Enrollment Barriers**
>
> The school enrollment and retention barriers that homeless children
> and youth most frequently face are the following: transportation,
> immunization requirements, residency requirements, providing birth
> certificates, and legal guardianship requirements**.**
>
> *U.S. Department of Education's McKinney-Vento Report To Congress for
> Fiscal Year 2000*

D-5. Is the State coordinator required to provide technical assistance
only to school districts that receive McKinney-Vento subgrants?

No. The State coordinator must provide technical assistance to all
school districts. The McKinney-Vento Act requires that all homeless
children be given the opportunity to achieve to challenging State
academic standards.

### 

### D-6. By what means should State coordinators provide technical assistance? 

The State coordinator may provide a wide range of coordinated technical
assistance activities. These may include State conferences, guidance
documents for LEA liaisons, a State Website that addresses
McKinney-Vento issues and provides a listing of State resources, a
listserv, a toll-free help line, and newsletters or bulletins.

Many school districts have not implemented targeted services for
homeless children and youth. Therefore, State level technical assistance
will be essential to familiarize new LEA liaisons with the requirements
of the McKinney-Vento Act and to provide guidance on serving eligible
students.

**D-7. What are examples of technical assistance that school districts
may need?**

Areas in which school districts and LEA liaisons may need technical
assistance include the following:

-   Understanding the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act;

-   Establishing procedures to address problems related to enrollment
    and school selection;

-   Resolving transportation disputes, including inter-district
    disputes;

-   Determining LEA needs and developing a plan for services;

-   Creating school district and community awareness of the needs of
    eligible students;

-   Identifying Federal, State, and local resources;

-   Identifying homeless children and youth;

-   Collecting data;

-   Enhancing parental involvement activities; and

-   Identifying strategies for improving academic achievement.

> **Technical Assistance Strategies: Best Practices**
>
> Many State and local homeless education coordinators conduct extensive
> awareness activities. As school personnel gain a broader understanding
> of the needs of homeless children and youth, they are better able to
> implement policies and practices that ensure access to school and
> support success in school.
>
> Information dissemination is often cited as a successful strategy used
> by State coordinators to ensure school districts understand and uphold
> the McKinney-Vento Act. Information dissemination activities include
> the publication of guidance and manuals, holding State conferences for
> homeless education, and providing web pages on SEA websites.
>
> Several State coordinators reported visiting McKinney-Vento
> subgrantees to offer assistance with program evaluation. Technical
> assistance through interagency coordination is key to meeting the
> needs of eligible students and providing comprehensive services that
> are continuous and non-duplicative.
>
> *The Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program: Learning to
> Succeed*

##### 

##### E. Prohibition Against Segregation

##### 

E-1. May States or districts segregate homeless children and youth in
separate schools or in separate programs within a school?

No. Homelessness alone is not sufficient reason to separate students
from the mainstream school environment. SEAs and LEAs must adopt
policies and practices to ensure that students are not segregated or
stigmatized on the basis of their status as homeless. Services provided
with McKinney-Vento Act funds must not replace the regular academic
program and must be designed to expand upon or improve services provided
as part of the school\'s regular academic program.

-   If a State receives funds under the McKinney-Vento program, every
    district in that State -- whether or not it receives a
    McKinney-Vento subgrant from its SEA -- is prohibited from
    segregating homeless students in separate schools or in separate
    programs within schools, based on the child's or youth's status as
    homeless.

-   Schools may not provide services with McKinney-Vento funds on school
    grounds in settings that segregate homeless children and youth from
    other children and youth \[except as necessary for short periods of
    time for health and safety emergencies or to provide temporary,
    special, and supplementary services to meet the unique needs of
    homeless children and youth\].

There is a very limited exception to the prohibition against segregating
homeless students in separate schools or in separate settings within a
school that applies only to four "covered counties" -- Orange County,
CA; San Diego County, CA; San Joaquin County, CA; and Maricopa County,
AZ -- if the conditions described in section 722(e)(3)(B) of the statute
are met. The Department has provided separate guidance on this exception
to the affected States and districts.

**E-2. May a district educate homeless children at an off-site facility,
such as a shelter?**

No. Homeless children and youth must be educated as part of a school's
regular academic program. Services must be provided to homeless children
and youth through programs and mechanisms that integrate homeless
children and youth with their non-homeless counterparts. Services
provided with McKinney-Vento funds must expand upon or improve services
provided as part of the regular school program.

**E-3. May a school separate a child from the regular school program if
he or she resides in a domestic violence shelter?**

No, however, schools can and should take all other necessary steps to
protect children who are victims of domestic violence, such as
protecting children\'s identity in school database systems, arranging
for anonymous pick-up and drop-off locations for school buses, enrolling
children in a different school, sensitizing bus drivers and school
personnel to the child\'s circumstances, training school staff on
confidentiality laws and policies, and helping families to file copies
of protective orders with schools. In this way, schools can address
safety concerns and provide equal educational opportunities without
causing further disruption in children\'s lives.

**E-4. Are \"transitional classrooms\" in shelters, where children and
youth receive educational services while they are being assessed or
while they wait for school records, permissible under McKinney-Vento?**

No. Districts are required to adopt policies that will eliminate
barriers to school enrollment that may be caused by tracking, obtaining,
and transferring records.

**F. Local Liaisons**

F-1. Is every LEA in a State required to designate a local liaison for
homeless children and youth?

Yes. Every LEA -- whether or not it receives a McKinney-Vento subgrant
-- is required to designate a local liaison.

### F-2. What are the responsibilities of the local liaison for homeless children and youth?

The local liaison serves as one of the primary contacts between homeless
families and school staff, district personnel, shelter workers, and
other service providers. The liaison coordinates services to ensure that
homeless children and youth enroll in school and have the opportunity to
succeed academically.

Local liaisons must ensure that:

-   Homeless children and youth are identified by school personnel and
    through coordination activities with other entities and agencies;

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Homeless students enroll in, and have full and equal opportunity to
    succeed in, the schools of the LEA;

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Homeless children and youth and their families receive educational
    services for which they are eligible, including Head Start, Even
    Start, and preschool programs administered by the LEA, and referrals
    to health, mental health, dental, and other appropriate services;

-   Parents or guardians of homeless children and youth are informed of
    educational and related opportunities available to their children,
    and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the
    education of their children;

-   Parents and guardians and unaccompanied youth are fully informed of
    all transportation services, including transportation to and from
    the school of origin, and are assisted in accessing transportation
    services;

-   Enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with the requirements
    of the McKinney-Vento Act; and

-   Public notice of the educational rights of homeless students is
    disseminated to locations where they receive services under the
    McKinney-Vento Act.

In meeting these responsibilities, local liaisons must assist homeless
children and youth with such activities as the following:

-   Enrolling in school and accessing school services;

-   Obtaining immunizations or medical records;

-   Informing parents, school personnel, and others of the rights of
    homeless children and youth;

-   Working with school staff to make sure that homeless children and
    youth are immediately enrolled in school pending resolution of
    disputes that might arise over school enrollment or placement;

-   Helping to coordinate transportation services for homeless children
    and youth; and

-   Collaborating and coordinating with State Coordinators for the
    Education of Homeless Children and Youth and community and school
    personnel responsible for providing education and related support
    services to homeless children and youth.

> **Needs Assessment: Best Practices**
>
> A particularly effective tool for addressing the problems faced by
> homeless children and youth is implementing a needs assessment process
> that, in turn, can shape the development of an action plan. Taking
> time to identify the needs of homeless children and families and the
> resources the school district and community offer will enable the
> liaison to make informed decisions about the types of activities that
> will result in services to enhance opportunities for school success
> for eligible students. The liaison can collaborate with other
> programs, organizations, and agencies to set goals for homeless
> education programs and services and should collect data on an ongoing
> basis to determine progress in achieving the goals. The data will
> provide the foundation for the improvement of services for eligible
> students.
>
> *Local Homeless Liaison Toolkit*

### 

### F-3. What is the relationship between the SEA and the local liaisons?

An SEA must ensure that each of its LEAs designates an appropriate staff
person to serve as a liaison for homeless children and youth. The SEA
should obtain from each of its LEAs, by a date specified by the State,
contact information concerning the local liaisons.

Through its State coordinator, the SEA should provide guidance to LEAs
to assist them in designating local liaisons and in understanding the
duties and responsibilities of the liaisons. The SEA should work with
LEAs and local liaisons throughout the year to ensure that homeless
children and youth are receiving the services that they need in order to
enroll in, attend, and succeed in school.

**F-4. How can a State assist LEAs in designating local liaisons?**

The State may issue guidance to LEAs that describes factors for an LEA
to consider in designating its liaison. The type of person best suited
to address the problems faced by homeless children and youth may vary
according to the particular circumstances within a State or district.
For example, in appointing a liaison, an LEA might consider the
following:

-   If it is likely that the LEA will have to revise local policies and
    procedures to address enrollment and school attendance barriers, the
    LEA may want to designate as a liaison an individual who is
    currently in a position to communicate effectively with
    policymakers. That person might be a director of pupil services, a
    local Title I coordinator, or an assistant superintendent.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   If an LEA has in place strong local policies and procedures to
    assist homeless students, the LEA might consider designating as a
    liaison an individual closer to the provision of direct services.
    For example, social workers, other support staff, and guidance
    counselors have been successful liaisons due to their skills and
    experience with outreach efforts in the community.

### F-5. What strategies can a local liaison use to identify homeless preschoolers?

Local liaisons can identify preschool-aged homeless children by working
closely with shelters and social service agencies in their area. In
addition, the liaison should work with school personnel, who can
inquire, at the time they are enrolling homeless children and youth in
school, whether the family has preschool-aged children.

The LEA liaison should also collaborate with the school district special
education program. The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
requires that highly mobile children with disabilities, such as migrant
and homeless children who are in need of special education and related
services, are located, identified and evaluated. Additionally, IDEA
requires that homeless preschoolers and all homeless children be
included in the "Child Find" process for early identification of special
education needs.

**F-6. How can a local liaison assist homeless families in enrolling
their children in a preschool if the program has a waiting list?**

The LEA liaison should work with preschool program staff to remind them
how important their services are for homeless children and to inform
them of how waiting lists often create barriers for homeless families
who wish to enroll their children. Some preschool programs keep slots
open specifically for homeless children.

######## 

######## Identifying Homeless Children and Youth: Best Practices

######## 

######## Homeless children and youth are difficult to identify for many reasons, and thus often go unnoticed by school personnel. In order to identify homeless children both in and out of school, LEA liaisons can coordinate with community service agencies, such as shelters, soup kitchens, food banks, transitional living programs, street outreach teams, drop-in centers, community action agencies (especially in rural areas, where there may be no shelters), welfare departments, housing departments, public health departments, and faith-based organizations to begin to develop a relationship on issues such as the school enrollment process, transportation, and other student services.

> Where available, the LEA liaisons can engage the local homeless task
> force, homeless coalition, and homeless assistance "Continuum of Care"
> as partners in the identification of students who are homeless. LEA
> liaisons can develop relationships with truancy officials or other
> attendance officers and train them on how to recognize school absences
> that may be the result of homelessness.
>
> They can provide officials with information so that they may
> discreetly refer eligible students to appropriate services.
>
> LEA liaisons can use creative techniques to identify unaccompanied
> homeless youth while respecting their privacy and dignity, such as
> administering surveys to peers, using enrollment questionnaires, or
> providing specific outreach to areas where eligible students who are
> out of school might congregate. Liaisons can make special efforts to
> identify homeless preschool children.
>
> LEA liaisons can provide a district-wide residency questionnaire to
> all students upon enrollment. Questionnaires that may suggest
> homelessness can be sent to the local liaison for a final
> determination of homeless status, and, if affirmative, lead to the
> provision of referrals and other assistance (*See* Example in Appendix
> D.)
>
> LEA liaisons should avoid using the word \"homeless\" in initial
> contacts with school personnel, families, or youth. For most people,
> the word \"homeless\" conjures up stereotypical images of adults, not
> children or youth in classrooms. School personnel may be unlikely to
> recognize students who are homeless initially, but often respond
> affirmatively when asked if they know of students who are staying
> temporarily with relatives, are staying at campgrounds or in their
> car, are living at motels, are living with another family temporarily,
> or have moved several times in a year.
>
> Families and students who are homeless may not think of themselves as
> \"homeless\" because of the stigma attached. Therefore, outreach
> posters and materials placed in shelters, campgrounds, motels, and
> public housing projects should describe the symptoms of homelessness
> (for example, different kinds of living situations) rather than simply
> refer to a person\'s \"homeless\" status.
>
> *Local Liaison Toolkit*

**G. School Placement, Enrollment, and Eligibility for Services**

**G-1. On what basis does an LEA make school placement determinations
for homeless children and youth?**

Homeless children and youth frequently move, and maintaining a stable
school environment is critical to their success in school. To ensure
this stability, LEAs must make school placement determinations on the
basis of the "best interest" of the homeless child or youth. Using this
standard, an LEA must --

(a) Continue the child's or youth's education in the school of origin
    for the duration of homelessness when a family becomes homeless
    between academic years or during an academic year; or for the
    remainder of the academic year if the child or youth becomes
    permanently housed during an academic year; or

    b.  Enroll the child or youth in any public school that non-homeless
        students who live in the attendance area in which the child or
        youth is actually living are eligible to attend.

**G-2. How does an LEA determine the child's or youth's "best
interest"?**

In determining a child's or youth's best interest, an LEA must, to the
extent feasible, keep a homeless child or youth in the "school of
origin" unless doing so is contrary to the wishes of the child or
youth's parent or guardian. If an LEA wishes to send a homeless child or
youth to a school other than the school of origin or a school requested
by the parent or guardian, the LEA must provide a written explanation of
its decision to the parent or guardian, together with a statement
regarding the right to appeal the placement decision.

**G-3. Why is it so important to maintain a stable education environment
for homeless children and youth?**

Changing schools significantly impedes a student's academic and social
growth. The literature on highly mobile students indicates that it can
take a student four to six months to recover academically after changing
schools. Highly mobile students have also been found to have lower test
scores and overall academic performance than peers who do not change
schools. Therefore, the McKinney-Vento Act calls for LEAs to maintain
students in their school of origin to the extent feasible.

G-4. What should a school district consider when determining the extent
to which it is feasible to educate a homeless child or youth in his or
her school of origin?

As stated above, to the extent feasible, a district must educate a
homeless child or youth in his or her school of origin, unless doing so
is contrary to the wishes of the parent or guardian. The placement
determination should be a student-centered, individualized
determination. Factors that an LEA may consider include the age of the
child or youth; the distance of a commute and the impact it may have on
the student's education; personal safety issues; a student's need for
special instruction (e.g., special education and related services); the
length of anticipated stay in a temporary shelter or other temporary
location; and the time remaining in the school year.

**G-5. What procedures must an LEA follow if a dispute arises between a
school and a parent or guardian regarding placement of a homeless child
or youth?**

If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment, the LEA must
immediately enroll the homeless student in the school in which
enrollment is sought by the parent or guardian, pending resolution of
the dispute. Similar provisions apply to placement of unaccompanied
youth. Inter-district enrollment disputes should be resolved at the SEA
level (*See* G-9).

Homeless families and youth may be unaware of their right to challenge
placement and enrollment decisions. Therefore, the LEA must provide the
parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth with a written statement of the
school placement decision and the appeal rights. The LEA must refer the
unaccompanied youth, parent, or guardian to the LEA liaison, who must
expeditiously carry out the dispute resolution process.

When enrollment disputes arise, it is critical that students not be kept
out of school. Interruption in education can severely disrupt the
student's academic progress.

To avoid such disruptions, LEAs need an established process for
resolving school placement disputes. Permitting students to enroll
immediately in the school of choice pending resolution of disputes helps
provide needed stability.

LEA homeless liaisons help ensure that disputes are resolved objectively
and expeditiously. Written notice protects both students and schools by
outlining the specific reasons for the school's decision. It facilitates
dispute resolution by providing decision-makers with documents to guide
their determinations.

G-6. In providing special services to homeless children and youth, how
does a school or district avoid stigmatizing those children?

As stated above, a district or school may not segregate homeless
children and youth from the mainstream school environment. Homeless
children and youth are entitled to receive all of the services that are
provided to their non-homeless counterparts and in the same setting as
their non-homeless peers.

### 

### In some circumstances, it may be appropriate to provide additional services to homeless children and youth in a separate setting. In doing so, a district should be careful not to stigmatize these students. If a district does implement a supplemental program exclusively for homeless children, such as a shelter-based evening tutoring program, it should not be called "the homeless tutoring program" or the "shelter tutoring program." Instead, the district should use a name such as "Discovery Club" or "Homework Club" to avoid stigmatization.

> **Enrollment and Attendance Statistics**
>
> The Department's FY 2000 Report to Congress indicated that
>
> 87 percent of homeless K-12 children and youth were enrolled in
> school. However, only 77 percent attended school regularly. Less than
> 16 percent of eligible preschool aged homeless children were enrolled
> in preschool programs.
>
> *U.S. Department of Education's McKinney-Vento Report to Congress for
> Fiscal Year 2000*

**G-7. What are a school's responsibilities for enrolling homeless
children and youth?**

A school selected on the basis of a "best interest determination" (*see*
G-1 and G-2) must immediately enroll the homeless child or youth, even
if the child or youth is unable to produce the records normally required
for enrollment (such as previous academic records, medical records,
proof of residency, birth certificates, or other documentation). The
enrolling school must immediately contact the school last attended by
the child or youth to obtain relevant academic or other records.

If a child or youth needs to obtain immunizations, or medical or
immunization records, the enrolling school must immediately refer the
parent or guardian to the LEA homeless liaison, who must assist in
obtaining the immunizations or records. The records must be maintained
so that they are available in a timely fashion when the child enters a
new school or school district. To facilitate immediate enrollment,
timely transfer of records from school to school should also take into
account procedures for State-to-State record transfers.

The McKinney-Vento statute provides a broad mandate to States and
districts to change policies or practices that act as a barrier to the
enrollment, attendance, and school success of homeless children. It is
important for them to review policies and practices on an on-going
basis, so that new barriers do not prevent children from receiving the
free, appropriate public education to which they are entitled.

G-8. What are some steps that LEAs can take to ensure immediate
enrollment?

Homeless children and youth often do not have the documents ordinarily
required for school enrollment. Enrolling them in school immediately
provides these children and youth needed stability and also is a legal
requirement.

To facilitate immediate enrollment, LEAs should consider the following
practices:

-   Train all school enrollment staff, secretaries, guidance counselors,
    school social workers, and principals on the legal requirements
    regarding immediate enrollment;

-   Review all regulations and policies to ensure that they comply with
    the McKinney-Vento requirements;

-   Develop affidavits of residence or other forms to replace typical
    proof of residency. Such forms should be carefully crafted so that
    they do not create further barriers or delay enrollment;

-   Develop caregiver affidavits, enrollment forms for unaccompanied
    youth, and other forms to replace typical proof of guardianship.
    Again, such forms should be carefully crafted so they do not create
    further barriers or delay enrollment;

-   Establish school-based immunization clinics or other opportunities
    for on-site immunizations;

-   Collaborate with community-based or public agencies to provide
    school uniforms within a district and among neighboring districts;

-   Accept school records directly from families and youth;

-   Contact the previous school for records and assistance with
    placement decisions;

-   Develop short educational assessments to place students immediately
    while awaiting complete academic records;

-   Inform families and youth in a language they can understand or in an
    accessible format, as appropriate, of their right to attend either
    their school of origin or local school;

-   Inform families and youth in a language they can understand or in an
    accessible format, as appropriate, of their right to transportation
    and immediate enrollment;

-   Develop clear, understandable, and accessible forms for written
    explanations of decisions and the right to appeal; and

-   Expeditiously follow up on any special education and language
    assistance referrals or services.

### G-9. What are effective strategies for a LEA to use to resolve enrollment disputes?

An LEA should consider the following strategies for effectively
resolving school enrollment disputes:

-   Disputes should be resolved at the district level rather than the
    school level;

-   When inter-district issues arise, representatives from all involved
    districts and the SEA should be present to resolve the dispute;

-   A State-level appeal process, involving the State coordinator,
    should be available for appeals of district-level decisions and
    resolution of inter-district disputes (*See* Section 722(g)(1)(C));

-   The dispute resolution process should be as informal and accessible
    as possible, and allow for impartial and complete review;

-   Parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth should be able to
    initiate the dispute resolution process directly at the school they
    choose, as well as at the district or LEA homeless liaison's office;

-   States should establish timelines to resolve disputes at the local
    and State level;

-   Parents, guardians, and unaccompanied youth should be informed that
    they can provide written or oral documentation to support their
    position;

-   Students should be provided with all services for which they are
    eligible while disputes are resolved;

-   Written notice should be complete, as brief as possible, simply
    stated, and provided in a language the parent, guardian, or
    unaccompanied youth can understand. The notice should include:

    1.  Contact information for the LEA homeless liaison and State
        coordinator, with a brief description of their roles;

    2.  A simple, detachable form that parents, guardians, or
        unaccompanied youth can complete and turn in to the school to
        initiate the dispute process. (The school should copy the form
        and return the copy to the parent, guardian or youth for their
        records when it is submitted);

    3.  A step-by-step description of how to dispute the school's
        decision;

    4.  Notice of the right to enroll immediately in the school of
        choice pending resolution of the dispute;

    5.  Notice that "immediate enrollment" includes full participation
        in all school activities;

    6.  Notice of the right to appeal to the State if the district-level
        resolution is not satisfactory; and

    7.  Timelines for resolving district- and State-level appeals.

###### 

# G-10. Are children who are awaiting foster care placement eligible for services under the McKinney-Vento Act?

Yes. As stated in A-3, children who are awaiting foster care placement
are considered homeless and eligible for McKinney-Vento services. (See
Section 725(2)(B)(i) of the McKinney-Vento Act.)

Children who are already in foster care, on the other hand, are not
considered homeless. LEA liaisons should confer and coordinate with
local public social service agency providers in determining how best to
assist homeless children and youth who are awaiting foster care
placement.

**G-11. Are children displaced from their housing by naturally occurring
disasters eligible for services under the McKinney-Vento Act?**

When children and their families are displaced from their housing as a
result of a natural disaster, there is often a period of instability in
which various private organizations and local, State, and Federal
agencies provide assistance. SEAs and LEAs should determine such
children's eligibility for McKinney-Vento services on a case-by-case
basis. In making this determination, they should take into consideration
the services that are available through these other sources.

Following a disaster, one of the LEA's first priorities is to re-open
impacted schools as soon as possible and take steps to normalize school
routines. LEAs should then proceed to examine whether children who have
been displaced by the natural disaster are eligible for McKinney-Vento
services on a case-by-case basis. In such circumstances, the Department
would provide technical assistance and other assistance, as available,
to help the LEA.

H. Transportation

###### 

> **Transportation: The Number One Barrier**
>
> The FY 2000 Report to Congress cited lack of transportation as the
> number one barrier that homeless children and youth faced in
> attempting to enroll in and attend school regularly.
>
> *U.S. Department of Education's McKinney-Vento Report to Congress for
> Fiscal Year 2000*

**H-1. What responsibilities do SEAs and LEAs have regarding providing
transportation services to homeless children and youth?**

SEAs and LEAs are responsible for reviewing and revising policies,
including transportation policies, that may act as barriers to the
enrollment and retention of homeless children and youth in schools in
the State. Under the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless children and youth are
entitled to receive the transportation and other services that are
available to non-homeless students.

SEAs and LEAs must adopt policies and practices to ensure that
transportation is provided, at the request of the parent or guardian
(or, in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the liaison), to or from the
"school of origin" (*see* definition in Appendix A) in accordance with
the following requirements:

-   If the homeless child or youth continues to live in the area served
    by the LEA in which the school of origin is located, that LEA must
    provide or arrange for the child's or youth's transportation to or
    from the school of origin.

-   If the homeless child or youth continues his or her education in the
    school of origin but begins living in an area served by another LEA,
    the LEA of origin and the LEA in which the homeless child or youth
    is living must agree upon a method to apportion the responsibility
    and costs for providing the child with transportation to and from
    the school of origin. If the LEAs cannot agree upon a method, the
    responsibility and costs for transportation are to be shared
    equally.

> **Steps to Improve Transportation for**
>
> **Homeless Students**
>
> Although the McKinney-Vento Act permits homeless students to remain in
> their schools of origin despite their residential instability, lack of
> transportation commonly prevents them from doing so. Given that
> transportation has been one of the foremost enrollment barriers, in
> guidance to districts, States should highlight the transportation
> responsibilities of LEAs under the reauthorized McKinney-Vento
> statute.
>
> Additionally, highly mobile students have been found to have lower
> test scores and overall academic performance than peers who do not
> change schools. This diminished achievement hurts students and
> schools. States should work in concert with LEAs to develop practices
> and policies to ensure that transportation is provided as required
> under the statute. Adopting a "One Child, One School, One Year" policy
> and providing transportation to enable a student to remain at his/her
> school of origin assures that a homeless student need not change
> schools before the end of a current academic year.
>
> A systematic process - with agreed-upon steps and individual roles -
> can help homeless students get to and from school efficiently and
> reliably. LEAs should --
>
> \(1\) Identify one individual as the key contact regarding
> transportation;
>
> \(2\) Develop a process to determine the best interests of the student
> regarding travel to a particular school;
>
> \(3\) Standardize transportation-related data collection and
> processing;
>
> \(4\) Plan for transportation emergencies with back-up support; and
>
> \(5\) Identify other sources for funding or arranging transportation.
>
> *U.S. Department of Education's McKinney-Vento Report to Congress for
> Fiscal Year 2000*

H-2. How can LEAs ensure that the education of homeless students is not
disrupted during inter-district transfers?

LEAs should have in place inter-district (and inter-State, where
appropriate) agreements that address potential transportation issues
that may arise as homeless students transfer from one district to
another.

**H-3.** **May funds under Part A of Title I or Part A of Title V of the
ESEA be used to transport homeless students to and from the school of
origin?**

In general, LEAs may not use funds under Title I, Part A or Title V,
Part A to transport homeless students to or from their school of origin.
Transportation services to the school of origin are mandated under the
McKinney-Vento Act's statute. The "no-supplanting" provisions in Title I
and Title V prohibit those funds from being used to support activities
that the LEA would otherwise be required to provide.

**H-4. Who should be involved in developing and implementing
transportation policies for homeless students?**

School districts can best address the transportation needs of homeless
and other highly mobile students through a team approach. However, based
on the best interest of the student and in consultation with the parent,
the LEA ultimately determines the mode of transportation. The LEA's
transportation director is a key figure in the process and should work
with district leadership, the local liaison for homeless students,
neighboring districts, and homeless service providers to develop
effective transportation policies and procedures.

> **Steps district directors of pupil transportation can take to**
>
> **support the transportation of homeless children and youth**
>
> ● Communicate regularly with the district homeless liaison
>
> ● Establish procedures to receive information about the transportation
> needs and pickup location of homeless students
>
> ● Train bus drivers and dispatchers on the rights and needs of
> homeless students, as well as on the need for sensitivity and
> confidentiality
>
> ● Develop a bus routing system that can respond flexibly and quickly
> to new "pickups"
>
> ● Be aware of new motel and shelter locations and prepare to create
> bus stops nearby
>
> ● Support increased district commitment to provide homeless students
> transportation to school, as well as to before-and after-school
> programs.
>
> *The Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program: Learning to
> Succeed*

H-5. Is an LEA required to transport homeless students to and from their
school of origin, if needed, while enrollment disputes are being
resolved?

Yes. The McKinney-Vento Act's transportation requirements apply while
disputes are being resolved. Therefore, at the request of the parent or
guardian (or in the case of an unaccompanied youth, the liaison), the
LEA must provide or arrange for transportation to and from the school of
origin. Inter-district transportation disputes should be resolved at the
SEA level. (*See* section 722(g)(1)(C).

H-6. If an LEA does not provide transportation to non-homeless students,
is it required to transport homeless students?

Yes. As discussed above, the statute not only requires an LEA to provide
comparable services, including transportation services, to homeless
students, it also requires an LEA, at the request of a parent or
guardian, to provide or arrange for transportation to and from the
school of origin.

H-7. Do LEA transportation responsibilities apply to all LEAs in the
State or only to those LEAs that receive a McKinney-Vento subgrant?

###### 

This requirement applies to all LEAs in the State.

**H-8. Does McKinney-Vento require an LEA to provide transportation
services to homeless children attending preschool?**

To the extent an LEA offers a public preschool education, McKinney-Vento
requires that homeless children have equal access to that preschool
education as provided to non-homeless children. Furthermore, the statue
requires that the services provided to homeless children be comparable
to those provided to non-homeless children. Thus, if an LEA provides
transportation for non-homeless preschool children, it must also provide
comparable transportation services for homeless preschool children.

**I. Comparable and Coordinated Services**

**I-1. What are an LEA's responsibilities regarding "comparable
services"?**

An LEA in a participating State must provide services to each homeless
child and youth that is comparable to services offered to other students
in the LEA. These services include public preschool programs, and
educational programs or services for which a homeless student meets the
eligibility criteria, such as programs for children with disabilities,
programs for students with limited English proficiency, vocational
education, programs for gifted and talented students, before-and
after-school programs, school nutrition programs, and transportation.

I-2. What are an LEA's responsibilities regarding coordination of
services for homeless children and youth?

LEAs are responsible for coordinating with local social service agencies
and other service providers and programs, including programs under the
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5701 et seq.), and with other
LEAs on issues such as transportation and the transfer of records.
Additionally, they must coordinate with housing assistance providers.
(*see* D-3.) The purpose of this coordination is to ensure that eligible
students have access and reasonable proximity to available education and
related support services. It is also important to coordinate efforts in
order to raise the awareness of school personnel and service providers
of the effects of homelessness and the challenges that homeless students
face.

**J. Homeless Unaccompanied Youth**

J-1. Why does the McKinney-Vento Act place special emphasis on serving
the needs of homeless unaccompanied youth?

Homeless unaccompanied youth often face unique barriers in enrolling and
succeeding in school. These barriers include school attendance policies,
credit accrual, and legal guardianship requirements. Without a parent or
guardian to advocate for them and exercise parental rights, they may be
denied enrollment and remain out of school for extended periods of time.
Unaccompanied youth also may not understand their educational rights, or
know how to acquire this information.

**J-2. How do local liaisons assist homeless unaccompanied youth in
accessing the educational services to which they are entitled?**

Local liaisons assist unaccompanied youth in accessing educational
services through such activities as:

-   Helping unaccompanied youth choose and enroll in a school, after
    considering the youth's wishes;

-   Providing unaccompanied youth with notice of their appeal rights in
    a language they can understand or in an accessible format;

-   Informing youth of their right to transportation to and from the
    school of origin, and assisting unaccompanied youth in accessing
    transportation; and

-   Ensuring that unaccompanied youth are immediately enrolled in school
    pending the resolution of disputes.

### K. Subgrants to LEAs

### 

K-1. What portion of an SEA's McKinney-Vento allocation must be used for
subgrants to LEAs?

An SEA that receives more than the minimum statutory McKinney-Vento
allocation (*see* section 722(c)(i)) must subgrant at least 75 percent
of its allocation to LEAs. (*See* C-1.)

An SEA that receives the minimum statutory McKinney-Vento allocation
must subgrant at least 50 percent of its allocation to LEAs. (*See*
C-1.)

### K-2. On what basis does an SEA award McKinney-Vento subgrants to LEAs?

An SEA awards McKinney-Vento subgrants to LEAs competitively on the
basis of the needs of the LEAs requesting assistance and the quality of
their applications.

K-3. What information must an LEA include in its application for
McKinney-Vento funds?

An LEA that seeks a McKinney-Vento award must submit to its SEA an
application that contains the following information:

-   An assessment of the educational and related needs of homeless
    children and youth in the area served by the LEA;

-   A description of the services and programs that the LEA would
    provide;

-   An assurance that the LEA meets the maintenance-of -effort
    requirement;

-   An assurance that the LEA would use subgrant funds in compliance
    with section 722(g) (3) through (7) of the McKinney-Vento Act; and

-   A description of policies and procedures that the LEA would
    undertake to ensure that its activities would not isolate or
    stigmatize homeless children and youth.

**K-4. For how long may an LEA receive a subgrant?**

An LEA may receive McKinney-Vento subgrant funds for a period not to
exceed three years. An LEA may re-apply for additional McKinney-Vento
funds after the initial three-year period expires. The LEA's subsequent
application must meet the requirements outlined in K-3 above.

**L. Local Uses of Funds**

**L-1. For what activities may an LEA use McKinney-Vento subgrant
funds?**

LEAs must use McKinney-Vento funds to assist homeless children and youth
in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. In particular, the
funds may support the following activities:

> \(1\) Tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other educational
> services that help homeless children and youth reach the same
> challenging State content and State student performance standards to
> which all children are held. As clearly specified in the ESEA, as
> reauthorized by the NCLB Act, all academic enrichment programs for
> disadvantaged students, including programs for homeless students, must
> be aligned with State standards and curricula. Additionally, when
> offering supplemental instruction, LEAs should focus on providing
> services for children and youth that reflect scientifically based
> research as the foundation for programs and strategies to ensure
> academic success.
>
> \(2\) Expedited evaluations of eligible students to measure their
> strengths and needs. These evaluations should be done promptly in
> order to avoid a gap in the provision of necessary services to those
> children and youth. Evaluations may also determine a homeless child or
> youth's eligibility for other programs and services, including
> educational programs for gifted and talented students, special
> education and related services for children with disabilities, English
> language acquisition, vocational education, school lunch, and
> appropriate programs or services under ESEA.
>
> \(3\) Programs and other activities designed to raise awareness among
> educators and pupil services personnel of the rights of homeless
> children and youth under the McKinney-Vento Act, and the special needs
> such children and youth have as a result of their homelessness.
>
> \(4\) Referrals of eligible students to medical, dental, mental, and
> other health services.
>
> \(5\) Paying the excess cost of transportation not otherwise provided
> through Federal, State, or local funds, to enable students to attend
> schools selected under section 722(g)(3) of the McKinney-Vento Act.
>
> \(6\) Developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs
> for homeless children of preschool age that are not provided through
> other Federal, State, or local funds.
>
> \(7\) Services and assistance to attract, engage, and retain homeless
> children and youth, and unaccompanied youth, in public school programs
> and services provided to non-homeless children and youth.
>
> \(8\) Before- and after-school programs, mentoring, and summer
> programs for homeless children and youth. Qualified personnel may
> provide homework assistance, tutoring, and supervision of other
> educational instruction in carrying out these activities.
>
> \(9\) Paying fees and costs associated with tracking, obtaining, and
> transferring records necessary for the enrollment of students in
> school. The records may include birth certificates, guardianship
> records, immunization records, academic records, and evaluations of
> students needed to determine eligibility for other programs and
> services.
>
> \(10\) Education and training programs for parents of homeless
> children and youth regarding the rights their children have as
> homeless individuals and regarding the educational and other resources
> available to their children.
>
> \(11\) Programs coordinating services provided by schools and other
> agencies to eligible students in order to expand and enhance such
> services. Coordination with programs funded under the Runaway and
> Homeless Youth Act should be included in this effort.
>
> \(12\) Pupil services programs providing violence prevention
> counseling and referrals to such counseling.
>
> \(13\) Programs addressing the particular needs of eligible students
> that may arise from domestic violence.

# 

# (14) Providing supplies to non-school facilities serving eligible students and adapting these facilities to enable them to provide services.

> \(15\) Providing school supplies to eligible students at shelters,
> temporary housing facilities, and other locations as appropriate.

# 

# (16) Providing extraordinary or emergency services to eligible students as necessary to enroll and retain such children and youth in school.

**L-2. Where may an LEA provide services for homeless children and
youth?**

To the maximum extent practicable, an LEA must provide McKinney-Vento
services through programs that integrate homeless and non-homeless
children and youth. The services must be designed to expand or improve
services provided as part of a school's regular academic program, but
may not replace services provided under the regular program.

LEAs may provide subgrant services through programs on school grounds or
at other facilities. If services are provided on school grounds, the
schools may use McKinney-Vento funds to provide the same services to
other children and youth who are determined by the LEA to be at risk of
failing in, or dropping out of, school.

As discussed in Part E of this guidance, LEAs and schools may not
provide services in settings within a school that segregate homeless
children and youth from other children and youth, except as necessary
for short periods of time for health and safety emergencies, or to
provide temporary, special, and additional services to meet the unique
needs of homeless children and youth.

**L-3. May a district or school provide an after-school program that
exclusively serves homeless children with McKinney-Vento funds?**

Yes. Homeless children are entitled to participate in the regular
after-school program provided by the school, and schools must address
all barriers to their full participation in these programs. If no
after-school programs are provided by the school or the programs
provided do not meet the needs of homeless children, McKinney-Vento
funds may be used for after-school services for homeless children, and
for non-homeless children who are at risk of failing in, or dropping out
of, school.

**M. Coordination with Title I, Part A of the ESEA**

**M-1. Are homeless children and youth eligible to receive Title I, Part
A services?**

Yes. Homeless children and youth are automatically eligible for services
under

Title I, Part A of the ESEA, whether or not they live in a Title I
school attendance area or meet the academic standards required of other
children for eligibility. Homeless children and youth may receive Title
I educational or support services from schoolwide and
targeted-assistance school programs.

A State must include in its State Title I plan a description of how the
plan is coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act. (*See* Section
1111(a)(1) of the ESEA.) Additionally, an LEA receiving Title I, Part A
funds must include in its local plan a description of how the plan is
coordinated with the McKinney-Vento Act. The local plan must describe
services provided to homeless children.

M-2. If a homeless child becomes permanently housed during a school
year, is that child eligible to receive Title I, Part A services for the
remainder of that school year?

Yes. In general, a homeless child or youth that becomes permanently
housed during a school year continues to remain eligible for Title I,
Part A services for the remainder of that school year. This helps ensure
educational stability for formerly homeless children. For example, it
may be appropriate in certain circumstances for an LEA to use Title I,
Part A funds to transport *formerly* homeless students to or from their
school of origin for the remainder of the school year in which they
become permanently housed. (However, the Title I supplanting prohibition
prohibits an LEA from using Title I, Part A funds to transport homeless
students to or from their school of origin. (*See* Question H-3.)

**M-3. Are homeless children and youth who attend non-Title I schools
eligible to receive Title I, Part A services?**

Yes. An LEA must provide comparable services to a homeless student who
does not attend a Title I school. An LEA must reserve funds for homeless
children who do not attend participating Title I schools and may, for
instance, provide support services to children in shelters and other
locations where homeless children live. Services should be provided to
assist homeless students to effectively take advantage of educational
opportunities.

This provision applies to homeless students in public and private
schools, institutions for neglected children and, where appropriate,
local institutions such as local community day school programs. *See*
Section 1113 of the ESEA.

SEA and LEA Title I plans must be coordinated with the plans agencies
develop under the McKinney-Vento Act. LEAs can develop formulas for
reserving the appropriate amount of Title I funding for homeless
students, as required in Section 1113(c)(3). However, because of the
Title I supplanting prohibition, Title I funds may not be used to
support the costs of transporting homeless students to or from their
school of origin. (*See* H-3 and M-2.)

M-4. What types of services may an LEA provide to homeless students with
funds reserved under Section 1113(c)(3) of Title I?

An LEA may use funds reserved under this section to provide services to
eligible homeless students in both Title I and non-Title I schools that
are comparable to services provided to non-homeless students in Title I
schools. Services provided should assist such children in meeting the
State\'s challenging academic content and academic achievement
standards.

An LEA has the discretion to use reserved funds to provide a homeless
student with services that are not ordinarily provided to other Title I
students and that are not available from other sources. For example,
where appropriate, an LEA at its discretion may provide a student with
an item of clothing to meet a school's dress or uniform requirement so
that student may effectively take advantage of educational
opportunities.

> **Reservation of Funds for Homeless Students**
>
> Many school districts with subgrants pool Title I and McKinney-Vento
> funds to support extended-day and summer activities, or to provide
> school supplies, tutoring and other resources.
>
> Several States provide formulas that require all LEAs to use Title I
> set-asides based on shelter counts (nightly average multiplied by a
> district's per-pupil allocation). LEAs may adjust the amounts based on
> local data and needs assessments.
>
> Several LEAs use local counts (one-month averages and one-day counts)
> of homeless students multiplied by Title I per-pupil allocation to
> compute set-aside amounts.
>
> *Symposium on Homeless Education and Title I - Hosted by U.S.
> Department of Education and the National Center for Homeless Education
> (*NCHE) 2001

**M-5. Does a State's academic assessment system need to include
homeless students?**

Yes. The final regulations that implemented changes to the standards and
assessment requirements of Title I, Part A require States to include
homeless students in their academic assessment, reporting, and
accountability systems, consistent with section 1111(b)(3)(C)(xi) of the
ESEA. Assessments of homeless students are to be included in school
district or in State accountability systems when students have been in a
school for a full academic year. However, States are not required to
disaggregate, as a separate category, the assessment results of homeless
students.

As homeless children and youth fall at the low end of the poverty
continuum, LEAs and States should include the assessments of homeless
students in the economically disadvantaged category of disaggregation,
in addition to other applicable categories (e.g., The "all student
category.)".

> **Strategies to Facilitate Coordination and Collaboration Between
> Title I and the McKinney-Vento Act**

-   Ensure that LEA local liaisons attend Title I conferences and
    in-services, and that Title I coordinators attend homeless education
    conferences and in-service professional development.

-   Ensure collaboration between local Title I coordinators and LEA
    local liaisons on a plan that identifies ways that Title I will
    serve children and youth experiencing homelessness.

-   Ensure collaboration between the State Title I coordinator and the
    State McKinney-Vento coordinator on the State Title I plan or the
    State consolidated plan.

-   Share Title I and Homeless Education handbooks with other program
    staff.

-   Collect and share within and across districts concrete data on the
    needs of children and youth in homeless situations.

-   Initiate district efforts to make organizational accommodations for
    eligible students, as necessary, in such areas as transportation,
    remaining in the school

-   of origin, records transfer, class scheduling, and special services
    that will help them enroll, attend, and succeed in school.

-   Ensure that the needs of highly mobile students are included in the
    school improvement plans and not addressed as a separate issue.

-   Establish and widely disseminate information on district-wide
    policies, procedures, and guidelines to identify and serve eligible
    students.

-   Ensure LEA homeless liaison representation on the State Committee of
    Practitioners.

-   Include homeless parents in Title I parental involvement policies
    and create opportunities for homeless parents to be involved.

> *Symposium on Homeless Education and Title I - Hosted by U.S.
> Department of Education and the National Center for Homeless
> Education* (NCHE) 2001

N. Education for Homeless Children and Youth Contact information

N-1. Whom do I contact for further information about the McKinney-Vento
program?

For further information or technical assistance, please contact the
program office (202) 260-0826 or by fax at (202) 260-7764.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act and the *No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001* can be accessed via the Internet by visiting
the U.S. Department of Education website:
[http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/esea/](http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/esea/index.html).

### APPENDIX A: DEFINITIONS 

*Homeless children and youth. See* Question A-3 of the Guidance.

*Unaccompanied Youth.* The term *unaccompanied youth* includes a youth
not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. This would include
youth living in runaway shelters, abandoned buildings, cars, on the
streets, or in other inadequate housing and children and youth denied
housing by their families (sometimes referred to as "throwaway" children
and youth), and school-age unwed mothers, living in homes for unwed
mothers, who have no other housing available.

If a child or youth's living situation does not clearly fall into the
situations described above, the LEA should refer to the McKinney-Vento
definition of "fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence" and
consider the relative permanence of the living arrangements.
Determinations of homelessness should be made on a case-by-case basis.
Note that incarcerated children and youth and children and youth in
foster care are *not* considered homeless.. In addition, the community
and schools should work together to reach homeless families and
unaccompanied youth and ensure they are aware of their educational
rights. Developing local policies and procedures and reaching out to the
community and educational staff who require information on homeless
students, and the legal requirements, and supportive practices in
serving homeless students, is critical to fulfill the intent of the
McKinney-Vento Act successfully.

*School of Origin*. The *school of origin* is the school that the child
or youth attended when permanently housed or the school in which the
child or youth was last enrolled.

APPENDIX B: RELATED EDUCATION LAWS

The McKinney-Vento Act states that homeless children and youth must have
access to the same educational services provided to other students. In
addition, other laws make reference to serving homeless students. For
example:

-   Head Start has added homeless preschoolers as a targeted population
    to be served. Background on homelessness and its impact on young
    children, as well as implementation guidance, can be found in a 1992
    Information Memorandum from the Head Start Bureau (U.S. Department
    of Health and Human Services, Log Number: ACF-IM-92-12:
    nlchp.org/FA_Education/us_hhs_memo.pdf). Just as the McKinney-Vento
    law requires public schools to identify and remove barriers that may
    delay enrollment, the same requirement applies to preschool
    programs, such as Head Start.

-   The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that
    homeless preschoolers and all homeless children be included in the
    "Child Find" process for early identification of special education
    needs. It is recommended that, when possible, the eligibility
    process for identifying special needs be expedited to avoid delays
    in services provided to eligible children caused by frequent
    mobility.

-   Title I targets students most at risk of failing in school. A child
    who is homeless and attending any school in the district is eligible
    for Title I services. These schools include schoolwide programs,
    targeted assistance schools, and non-Title I schools. LEAs must
    reserve (set aside) a portion of Title I funds needed to provide
    services to eligible students in non-Title I schools that are
    comparable to those being received by other Title I students. In
    addition, in order to receive its allocation of Title I funds, the
    LEA must describe how the district will coordinate with the
    McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act when filing its plan with the
    SEA. *See* Section 1111(a)(1); Section 1112(a)(1); Section
    1112(b)(1)(E)(ii); Section 1112(b)(1)(O); Section 1113(c)(3)(a); and
    Section 1115(b)(2)(E).

-   Free and reduced priced meals -- The application process for free
    and reduced priced meals can be expedited for students experiencing
    homelessness. Schools that have determined a student is homeless and
    is eligible for subsidized meals may make this determination without
    completing the full application process. Local liaisons have been
    identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist in this
    effort: fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Memos/2002-04-04.pdf.
    Additionally, the *Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of
    2004* was signed into law (Public Law 108-265) on June 30, 2004. The
    Act changes the eligibility of homeless children from an
    administrative procedure to law.

###  

### APPENDIX C: DRAFT STANDARDS AND INDICATORS OF QUALITY\* 

### Draft Standards and Indicators of Quality

### For the Evaluation of Local Education Programs

### For Homeless Children and Youth 

**(McKinney-Vento Programs)**

\*The following information is not a part of the U.S. Department of
Education's Government Performance Results Act (GPRA) requirements. It
is neither required nor endorsed by the Department. It is offered as
part of the technical assistance and support provided to States and LEAs
by the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) at SERVE

Program evaluation is a critical element of program improvement.
Although many good programs exist, what is lacking is an emphasis on
using data to see if we are making a difference. It is vital to
construct tools to ensure that we make continuous progress in serving
homeless children and youth.

An appropriate evaluation plan compares the program of interest to a set
of standards and indicators characteristic of high quality programs for
homeless children and youth. Standards express general characteristics
of high quality programs while indicators are subunits of the standards
and describe more specific aspects of the programs.

During the summer 2001, NCHE convened a work group of State
coordinators, local coordinators, representatives of national
organizations, program evaluation specialists, and U.S. Department of
Education staff. The group developed the following quality outcome
standards and indicators for McKinney-Vento programs. SERVE Evaluation
Program staff led the group through a process to develop indicators
based on discussions of effective programs and practices that result in
increased school enrollment, attendance, and achievement of homeless
children and youth.

Reflecting the McKinney-Vento statute, the following five standards and
their associated indicators were drafted to facilitate local program
personnel to evaluate their programs with the results leading to
effective programmatic decisions.

Standard 1. *Within one full day of an attempt to enroll in a school,
homeless children and youth will be in attendance.*

Rationale: Homeless children and youth are often denied enrollment or
are enrolled but not allowed to attend school until certain requirements
are met. Research shows that gaps in attendance are linked to poor
academic performance; children cannot learn if they are not in school.

McKinney-Vento: The school selected in accordance with this paragraph
shall immediately enroll the homeless child or youth, even if the child
or youth is unable to produce records normally required for enrollment,
such as previous academic records, proof of residency, or other
documentation. (See Sec. 722(g)(3)(C)(i) of the McKinney-Vento Act).

#### 

#### 

#### **Standard 2. Homeless pre-k to 12 children and youth will have stability in school.**

> **2.1. Attendance rates will be at or above the relevant district
> average.**
>
> **2.2. Students will remain in the school of origin for the period of
> homelessness or, if permanently housed, for the remainder of the
> school year, unless parents or unaccompanied youth requested transfer
> to another school.**

Rationale: School stability and continuity in school enrollment are
associated with school success including achievement, promotion, and
graduation. Research studies have indicated that a child may lose 4-6
months of academic progress with each move to a new school. The
importance of a child attending one school and of attending consistently
(in one school or in several schools without gaps during a transition if
the child must change schools) cannot be underestimated.

McKinney-Vento: The local education agency serving each child or youth
to be assisted under this subtitle shall, according to the child's or
youth's best interest continue the child's or youth's education in the
school of origin for the duration of homelessness in any case in which a
family becomes homeless between academic or during an academic year; or
for the remainder of the academic year, if the child or youth becomes
permanently housed during an academic year.

(See Sec. 722(g)(3)(A)(i)(I) and (II) of the McKinney-Vento Act).

#### **Standard 3.** **Homeless children and youth will receive specialized services when eligible.**

> **3.1. Eligible homeless preschool children can participate in public
> preschool (Head Start, Even Start, State pre-K, preschool programs for
> children with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities
> Education Act, meals, programs for children with limited English
> proficiency, and Title I pre-school programs).**

2.  **Eligible homeless children and youth can receive special education
    and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities
    Education Act, educational and related aids and services under
    Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and educational
    programs for students with limited English proficiency.**

> **3.3. Homeless children and youth will receive appropriate services,
> based on assessment of individual needs, through a combination of
> resources, including, but not limited to Title I, McKinney-Vento, and
> other federally funded programs.**

Rationale: Consistent with the intent of the *No Child Left Behind Act*,
the provision of services to the neediest of students is essential to
closing the academic achievement gap between students most at risk of
failure and those least at risk. Homeless students frequently move from
school to school before eligibility for specialized programs can be
determined or before they can rise high enough on waiting lists to be
admitted to programs. Programs must find ways to accommodate their
eligibility policies and procedures to address the needs of highly
mobile students.

McKinney-Vento: Each homeless child or youth to be assisted under this
subtitle shall be provided services comparable to services offered to
other students in the school selected, including the following:
transportation services; educational services for which the child or
youth meets the eligibility criteria, such as services provided under
Title I of the ESEA or similar State or local programs, educational
programs for children with disabilities, and educational programs for
students with limited English proficiency; programs in vocational and
technical education; programs for gifted and talented students; school
nutrition programs. (See Sec. 722(g)(4) of the McKinney-Vento Act).

Standard 4. Parents or persons acting as parents of homeless children
and youth will participate meaningfully in their children's education.

1.  **Parents or persons acting as parents will have a face-to-face
    conference with the teacher, guidance counselor, or social worker
    within 30 days of enrollment.**

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
2.  Parents or persons acting as parents will be provided with
    individual student reports informing them of their child's specific
    academic needs and achievement on academic assessments aligned with
    state academic achievement standards.

3.  Parents or persons acting as parents will report monitoring or
    facilitating homework assignments.

> 4.4. Parents or persons acting as parents will share reading time with
> their children (i.e., parent reads to child or listens to child read).
>
> **4.5. Parents who would like parent skills training will attend
> available**
>
> **programs.**
>
> **4.6. Parents or guardians will demonstrate awareness of
> McKinney-Vento rights.**
>
> **4.7. Unaccompanied youth will demonstrate awareness of
> McKinney-Vento rights.**

Rationale: Research shows that one of the most critical indicators of
academic success is the involvement of parents in their children's
education. In families experiencing homelessness, parents often face
many challenges to their participation in their children's education.
School districts need to take extra steps to help parents in homeless
families become involved in the education of their children.

McKinney-Vento: Each local educational agency liaison for homeless
children and youth ... shall ensure that the parents or guardians of
homeless children and youth 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. (See Sec. 722(g)(6)(A)(iv) of the McKinney-Vento Act).

Title I, Part A regarding Standard 4.2: A state assessment system shall
produce individual student interpretive, descriptive, and diagnostic
reports, consistent with clause (iii) that allows parents, teachers, and
principals to understand and address the specific academic needs of
students, and include information regarding achievement on academic
assessments aligned with State academic achievement standards, and that
are provided to parents, teachers, and principals, as soon as is
practicably possible after the assessment is given, in an understandable
and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that
parents can understand.

(See Sec. 1111(b)(3)(C)(xii) of the ESEA).

**Standard 5. Homeless children and youth in grades 3-12 will meet their
states' academic standards.**

> **5.1. Performance on standards-based assessments in reading and math
> will be within or above the proficient range or will show a
> one-for-one gain.**
>
> **5.2. Rates of promotion to the next grade level will be at or above
> the district average.**
>
> **5.3. Rates of high school graduation or equivalent will be at or
> above the district average.**

Rationale: Consistent with the *No Child Left Behind Act*, homeless
children and youth must be given the opportunity to achieve to the same
high standards as all other children. Each of the preceding standards
helps to provide the support a homeless child or youth needs to succeed
academically.

McKinney-Vento: Homeless children and youths should have access to the
education and other services that such children and youths need to
ensure that such children and youths have an opportunity to meet the
same challenging State student academic achievement standards to which
all students are held. (See Sec. 721(4) of the McKinney-Vento Act).

**Appendix D: Sample Student Residency Questionnaire\***

**Everyday Unified School District**

> \*\[This form was not developed nor is it endorsed by the U.S.
> Department of Education. It is not a required form. It was adapted for
> use as an example\].

This questionnaire is intended to address the McKinney-Vento Act. Your
answers will help the administrator determine residency documents
necessary for enrollment of this student.

1\. Presently, where is the student living? *Check one box:*

+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| **Section A**                             | **Section B**            |
+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
|  in a shelter                            |  Choices in Section A   |
|                                           | do not apply             |
+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
|  with more than one family in a house or |                          |
| apartment                                 |                          |
+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
|  in a motel, car or campsite             |                          |
+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
|  with friends or family members (other   |                          |
| than parent/guardian)                     |                          |
+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
|                                           |                          |
+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+
| ***[CONTINUE:]{.underline}** If you       | ***[STOP:]{.underline}** |
| checked a box in **Section A**,*          | If you checked this      |
|                                           | section, you do          |
| *complete #2 and the remainder of this    | **[not]{.underline}**    |
| form.*                                    | need to complete the     |
|                                           | remainder of this form.  |
|                                           | Submit to school         |
|                                           | personnel.*              |
+-------------------------------------------+--------------------------+

2\. The student lives with:

+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+
| -   1 parent         | -   a relative, friend(s) or other adult(s)   |
|                      |                                               |
| -   2 parents        | -   alone with no adults                      |
|                      |                                               |
| -   1 parent &       | -   an adult that is not the parent or the    |
|     another adult    |     legal guardian                            |
+----------------------+-----------------------------------------------+

School:

Name of Student Male  Female 

Birth Date [/ /]{.underline} Age: Social Security# [\[if appropriate\]
\_]{.underline}

Month / Day / Year

Name of Parent(s)/Legal Guardian(s) Address ZIP: Phone/Pager:

**Signature of Parent/Legal Guardian** Date:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  School Use Only - Campus Administrator\'s determination of Section A
  circumstances:

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------

> * FAX to Attendance, Guidance and Counseling 777-777*

If the parent has checked Section B above, completion of form is not
required. For any choices in Section A, this form must be completed and
faxed to Attendance, Guidance and Counseling Department immediately
after completion. All campuses must keep original forms separately from
the Student Permanent Record for audit purposes during the year.

[Name and phone number]{.underline} of a School Contact Person who may
know of the family's situation:

[\_\_\_\_]{.underline} Date faxed:

**Appendix E: Dispute Resolution Process School Sample Form\***

### 

### Everyday Independent School District

> . \*\[This form was not developed nor is it endorsed by the U.S.
> Department of Education. It is not a required form. It was adapted for
> use as an example\].

School Name:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

School Address:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Phone:
[(777)\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline} Fax: [(777 ) \_\_\_\_]{.underline}

Student\'s
Name:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
I.D.#:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Grade: \_\_

Current Address: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
Current Phone:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Parent/Guardian/Complaining Party\'s
Name:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Relationship: □ Parent □ Guardian □ Unaccompanied Youth □ Other:

Current Address:
[\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline} Current
Phone: [( )\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_]{.underline}

Please note: Information regarding student\'s address, phone number, and
information protected by Everyday School Records Act and can only be
released to parent/guardian, the student, or to a person specifically
designated as a representative of the parent/guardian.

Lives in a Shelter □ Yes □ No

Name of school that parent chooses child to be immediately enrolled in
and /or transported to/from until dispute is resolved:

Is this the school of origin\*? □ Yes □ No

*\*School of Origin means the school that the child attended when
permanently housed or the school in which the child was last enrolled.*

If no, from which school was the student transferred? \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Reason for the Complaint: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_\_\_

Signature of parent/guardian/complaining party: Date:

**Principal's Actions on the Complaint** Taken within \_\_ school day(s)
after receiving notice of the complaint.

Date Homeless liaison was notified of the dispute:

Action taken by principal to resolve the dispute: \_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Was the dispute resolved? □ Yes □ No

Explanation:

**Appendix F: Dispute Resolution Process School District Sample Form\***

### 

**EVERYDAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS**

# 

> \*\[This form was not developed nor is it endorsed by the U.S.
> Department of Education. It is not a required form. It was adapted for
> use as an example\].

Student\'s Name: \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
I.D.#:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Grade:\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

School Name:
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

**District Action On Complaint**

Taken within \_\_\_\_ school days after receiving notice of the
complaint.

Did the Education Liaison resolve this dispute? □ Yes □ No

If dispute was resolved: describe the actions taken by the Education
Liaison to resolve the dispute to the satisfaction of parent/guardian:

If dispute was *not* resolved to the satisfaction of the
parent/guardian: provide the date that a District Education Officer
convened a meeting of the parties and briefly describe the outcome of
this meeting:

The following organizations are willing to provide low-cost or free
legal assistance to residents of Everyday\*:

Everyday Coalition for the Homeless Main Street Everyday, USA (800)
555-5555)

Everyday Coalition is willing to provide to homeless children and
parents free legal services regarding educational matters.

\*By listing these organizations as sources of low-cost or free legal
services, the Everyday Board of Education does not in so doing recommend
or advocate the use of the services of the listed organizations, nor is
the Board responsible for the quality of services provided by any of
these listed organizations, should their services be used.

Action taken by Everyday School District to resolve the dispute (if
necessary): \_

\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Was the dispute resolved? □ Yes □ No Date:

Explanation:

**Appendix G**: **References**

*The Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program: Learning to
Succeed.* (November, 2002). Chapter I, Phillips, C.M.,Wodatch, J.K., &
Kelliher, C.T. *Access and achievement: Reducing barriers for homeless
children and youth.* Chapter II, Funkhouser, J.E., Riley, D.L., Suh,
H.J., and Lennon, J.M. *Educating Homeless Children and Youth: A
Resource Guide to Promising Practices.* Washington, DC: U.S. Department
of Education.

*Local Homeless Liaison Toolkit.* (January, 2003). (Pre-Publication
Draft) Popp, P.A., Hindman, J.I., Stronge, J.H. National Center for
Homeless Education at SERVE Greensboro, NC.

*Report To Congress Fiscal Year 2000.* (December, 2001). Education for
Homeless Children and Youth Program, Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department
of Education.

*Symposium on Homeless Education and Title I.* (Proceedings, 2001).
Hosted by U.S. Department of Education and the National Center for
Homeless Education at SERVE Greensboro, NC.

.