This audiovisual presentation provides an introduction to homeless education, including information about homelessness in the United States, the educational challenges faced by homeless students, and the educational rights guaranteed by federal law for children and youth experiencing homelessness. Length: 13:21

This brief provides an overview of the main issues within the field of homeless education. It is a good general resource, but is also particularly helpful for introducing new people to the field or introducing the issue to those outside of the field. The brief also has a customizable fourth page (25K), to which you can add customized information for a particular conference or for circulation on behalf of your organization.

This abstract bibliography lists and describes a selection of publications released in 2009 that deal with issues related to the lives and education of children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. Topics include ARRA, Child Welfare/Foster Care/Juvenile Justice, Data, Disasters, Education, Foreclosures, General Issues: Homelessness and Poverty, Higher Education, Housing, Immigrants and Refugees, Mobility, Parents and Parenting, Resiliency, Young Children, and Youth.
NCHE Abstract Bibliography of Homeless Education Resources: 2008
NCHE Abstract Bibliography of Homeless Education Resources: 2007
NCHE Annotated Bibliography of Homeless Education Resources: 2006
NCHE Annotated Bibliography of Homeless Education Resources: 2005
NCHE Annotated Bibliography of Homeless Education Resources: 2002-2004

This brief provides a summary of provisions of the reauthorized McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Download the full text (77K) of the Act.

This primer from the American Bar Association Commission on Homelessness and Poverty addresses the federal educational mandates related to homeless students under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The manual provides innovative strategies for educators and school administrators, state coordinators and policymakers, and advocates and attorneys to play a role in ensuring the education rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness.

This booklet from the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, updated in August 2007, outlines the main points of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the federal law guaranteeing equal access to a free and appropriate public education for children and youth experiencing homelessness.

ERIC: Educational Resources Information Center

The Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), sponsored by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education, produces the world’s premier database of journal and non-journal education literature. The new ERIC online system, released September 2004, provides the public with a centralized ERIC Web site for searching the ERIC bibliographic database of more than 1.1 million citations going back to 1966.

This bibliography from Project HOPE, the Virginia Education for Homeless Children and Youths program, provides a listing of homeless education resources separated by type of resource. Resources include articles and reports, books and chapters from child and young adult books, audiovisual materials, curricula and resource kits and legal sources.

The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) is a national grassroots membership association and serves as the voice and the social conscience for the education of children and youth in homeless situations. NAEHCY connects educators, parents, advocates, researchers, and service providers to ensure school enrollment and attendance, and overall success for children and youth whose lives have been disrupted by the lack of safe, permanent and adequate housing. NAEHCY accomplishes these goals through advocacy, partnerships, and education. Visit the NAEHCY website for useful educational materials, legislative information, and more.

Opening Doors is an Illinois State Board of Education grant-funded project under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Program. Their website provides valuable resources for the field of homeless education within Illinois and the United States.

Project Hope, based at the College of William and Mary, hosts the office of the Virginia State Coordinator for Homeless Education and provides numerous valuable resources for the field of homeless education within Virginia and the United States.

THEO, based at the University of Texas at Austin, hosts the office of the Texas State Coordinator for Homeless Education and provides valuable resources for the field of homeless education within Texas and the United States.

The 100 Most Frequently Asked Questions on the Education Rights of Children and Youth in Homeless Situations

This document, created collaboratively by the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP), provides answers to 100 frequently asked questions on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and the education rights of children and youth in homeless situations.

U.S. Department of Education 2006 Report to Congress

This report, submitted to Congress by the U.S. Department of Education, incorporates information received from states about their homeless education programs and the children and youth they serve. It includes a summary of data received from states, information on barriers to the education of homeless children and youth, strategies used by school districts (LEAs) to remove these educational barriers, and a nationwide status report on homeless education.
Download the 2006 Report to Congress.
Download the 2000 Report to Congress.

U.S. Department of Education Homeless Education Program

The Education of Homeless Children and Youth program (EHCY), of the U.S. Department of Education, deals with the education of homeless children and youth in U.S. public schools. Visit the EHCY program website for information about the program including program funding status, and laws, regulations, and policy guidance.