Homeless Youth Education
Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program
Students experiencing homelessness absorb education differently from their peers. The challenges they face are disruptive to their education and social life. To ensure school stability, school access, and to support the educational needs of youth experiencing homelessness, the MCOE Homeless Youth Education Services Program provides:
- Transcript review to determine A-G and graduation requirements/progress
- Consultation with the school counselor to develop the student's education plan toward graduation
- Assistance to schools in determining Graduation Requirement Exemption Waiver eligibility and partial credit recovery
- Support to schools to request and provide missing education records
- Information on legislative entitlements for homeless
- Connection to community resources
- FAFSA/CADAA Grant Application assistance and submission (12th grade)
- College application assistance and submission (12th grade)
- College support program application assistance and submission (12th grade)
- Referral to college support programs (12th grade)
- Assistance completing required forms for Financial Aid (12th grade)
- Advocacy for the educational needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness
- Advocacy locally and statewide to improve academic outcomes for children and youth experiencing homelessness
- Professional development and technical assistance for schools and educational partners on the educational needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness
- Collaboration with community agencies to facilitate communication and coordinate services
- Networked Improvement Community work to improve school stability and educational outcomes
- Assistance with immediate and appropriate school placement in coordination with District and Charter Homeless Liaisons
- Snack-Pack (Food weekend program) All McKinney-Vento students eligible (pending funding)
The Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program is authorized under Title VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 USC 11431 et seq.) and is designed to address the barriers that children and youth experiencing homelessness face in enrolling, attending and succeeding in school. The Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program exists to improve school stability, educational access, and academic achievement of children and youth who are experiencing homelessness.
Homelessness Defined
Students who lack a "fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence" are considered homeless. This may include the following living situations:
- Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or other similar reason
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or campgrounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or other similar settings (public or private) that are not designed for regular sleeping accommodations for human beings
- Homeless Unaccompanied youth (children/youth who are homeless and not in the physical custody of a parent/guardian)
- Abandoned in hospitals
Homeless Youth Legislation
To improve the educational stability, access and academic achievement of homeless children and youth, homeless students have the right to immediate enrollment without records, equal access to all school programs they are eligible for, and may remain in their school of origin, if in their best interest, for the duration of their homelessness with provided transportation if it is needed and requested by the parent.
Foster youth may be eligible to be exempt from having to meet additional district graduation requirements and instead, can earn a diploma by meeting California state minimum graduation requirements.
Districts are required to award partial or full credits when a homeless pupil transfers schools for courses completed.
Resources
- Partial Credits Ed Code (PDF)
- Partial Credits Handout (PDF)
Districts are required to notify the district homeless liaison when recommending expulsion for a homeless youth. See the Expulsion Notice Flowchart for accurate notification process when expelling a homeless student.
Resources
- Board Policy BP 5020.00 - Education for Homeless Children & Youth (PDF)
- Board Policy BR 5020.00 - Enrollment Rights for Homeless Children & Youth (PDF)
- What Families Need to Know About Homelessness Resource Pamphlet - English (PDF)
- What Families Need to Know About Homelessness Resource Pamphlet - Spanish (PDF)
Main Contacts
Coordinator- Foster Youth and Homeless Services
Program Assistant- Family Outreach
This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software.