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HOMELESSNESS & 
EDUCATION

Education is the most important long-term prevention strategy when addressing child and youth homelessness. Recent national research from Chapin Hall found that without a high school diploma or GED, the likelihood of experiencing homelessness increased by 4.5 times, ultimately making this the top risk factor for young adult homelessness.

Classmates

Supporting Students
in Temporary Housing

The McKinney-Vento Act provides rights and services to homeless children and youth including those who are sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations.

Homeless Students

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

Image by bennett tobias

Role of the School

School staff work in conjunction with the district-level liaison on behalf of the best interest of homeless children and youth. Students may be identified as eligible for McKinney-Vento designation by school staff and receive services and resources that they are eligible for, such as tutoring or mental health counseling, at the school level.

Girl Gazing

Unaccompanied Youth

An unaccompanied youth is a homeless child  or youth not in the physical custody of their parent or guardian; this includes youth who ran away from home, have been forced from the home by their families, and youth forced to leave their families when the family becomes homeless.

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