Homeless Children and Families
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Most recent additions to this page:
Access to Pre-K Education Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (February 2010)
Strengthening At Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children is a new initiative of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, in partnership with the National Center on Family Homelessness, the National Alliance to End Homelessness and ZERO TO THREE. The initiative seeks to improve the housing, health, and development of homeless and at-risk mothers and children through education and better integrated systems. It supports locally-based partnerships that include housing/homelessness and child development agencies, as well as agencies that address family preservation, domestic violence, mental health, and substance use issues. (posted October 28, 2009) |
Educational Rights of Children Who are Homeless
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), states must have policies and procedures in place that ensure timely assessment, appropriate services, and continuity of services for children with disabilities who are homeless. IDEA 2004 specifically requires states to comply with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which establishes protections and educational rights for all children experiencing homelessness, including children with disabilities.
The U.S. Department of Education has issued the following guidance documents to inform states about requirements of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act:
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Questions and Answers on Special Education and Homelessness - February 2008
(PDF: 151kb)
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Guidance for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program - Updated July 2004
(PDF: 223kb)
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Guidance for Homeless Children in the School Nutrition Programs - 2002
(PDF: 50kb)
The National Center for Homeless Education has issued a policy brief on provisions in IDEA 2004 for children who are homeless:
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004: Provisions for Children
and Youth with Disabilities Who Experience Homelessness - Updated Winter 2007
(PDF: 309kb) (downloaded 4/1/10)
The National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty has published an FAQ on education for homeless children that includes a section on preschool education and a section on special education and related services.
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The 100 Most Frequently Asked Questions on the Education Rights of Children and
Youth in Homeless Situations - 2005 (PDF: 140kb)
Project Forum at NASDSE has a proceedings document on challenges faced by administrators who support homeless education under the McKinney-Vento Act and those who provide early intervention and special education services for children with disabilities who are homeless. It includes recommendations on developing policies and practices for: (1) expediting enrollment and provision of services; and (2) coordinating programs and services.
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Homeless and Special Education Administrative Collaboration: Recommendations - 2008
(PDF: 380kb)
Impacts of Homelessness
The
NECTAC minibibliography,
Homelessness and Young Children: Early Childhood Care and Education, June 2006
(PDF: 106kb) , includes the following data and a variety of resources for
early childhood providers working with young children who are homeless:
- It is estimated that over 1.35 million children experience homelessness each year and
over 42 percent of these children are under the age of six.
National Center on Family Homelessness. (2003). America’s homeless children. Retrieved November 10, 2008 from http://www.homelesschildrenamerica.org/
- Homeless infants are more likely to have low birth weights and are at greater risk of being
exposed to environmental risks than other infants. Many homeless toddlers demonstrate
developmental delays.
Hart-Shegos, E. (1999). Homelessness and its effects on children. Retrieved November 10, 2008 from http://www.fhfund.org/_dnld/reports/SupportiveChildren.pdf
- Studies indicate that children who are homeless are more likely to have learning disabilities or
emotional disturbance than children who are not homeless.
Better Homes Fund. (1999). Homeless children: America’s new outcasts. West Newton, MA: Author.
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Homeless preschool-aged children are greatly underrepresented in preschool programs.
U.S. Department of Education. (2006). Report to the President and Congress on the implementation of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Retrieved November 12, 2008, from http://www2.ed.gov/programs/homeless/rpt2006.doc
See also, the
NECTAC
Fact Sheet on Vulnerable Young Children, May 2008 (PDF: 253kb) , which
contains a section
on infants, toddlers and young children who are experiencing homelessness and highlights
major factors that have been found by the research to maximize the likelihood of
promoting positive outcomes for vulnerable young children, their families, and society as a whole.
National Centers
- National Center for Children in Poverty
- National Center for Homeless Education at SERVE (downloaded 4/1/10)
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National Center on Family Homelessness
- See America’s Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness (2009) for comprehensive state-by-state data on the status of homeless children in the U.S.
- National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty