This page provides a quick summary of the educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness as established by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

This audiovisual presentation gives parents of homeless children a brief introduction to their children's educational rights under the McKinney-Vento Act. Length 11:04

This brochure explains the educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness and informs parents about ways in which they can support their children's education during times of mobility.
Available in English and Spanish/Disponible en inglés y español

This poster explains who qualifies as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and lists the educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Place these posters in your school or community to generate public awareness.
Available in English and Spanish/Disponible en inglés y español

This brief, part of NCHE's Helping You Help Your Child: Information for Parents series, provides information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how it can help homeless children with special needs. It is designed for parents, guardians, and other people taking care of children and youth.

This website offers a variety of resources to help parents encourage success in their children's education.

This booklet from Project HOPE will help parents and shelter providers support children's early learning. Goals of the booklet include helping those working with young children to use everyday activities to encourage learning and growth, notice any concerns in a child's development, and locate resources for more information about early development.

This webpage, part of SAMHSA's Homelessness Resource Center, provides resources on the challenges of family relationships within the context of homelessness. Information includes practice, policy, and research recommendations to support parents as they stabilize their lives, care for their children, and move out of homelessness.

Published by the National Center for Learning Disabilities and GreatSchools, this free publication addresses the special issues, challenges and opportunities facing parents of children who struggle to learn. It introduces parents to several key parts of NCLB that they can use as tools to improve educational services for their child.

This guide seeks to inform parents of children with learning disabilities so that they can partner effectively with school personnel in supporting their children's special learning and behavioral needs. Although the guide is geared to parents, its accessible language makes it a valuable tool for anyone wanting to understand more about IDEA.

This sample packet from Adrian Public Schools in Adrian, MI, provides information to assist parents facing incarceration with making appropriate arrangements for their children. Included in the packet area checklist of tasks for parents facing incarceration, a list of frequently asked questions, a blank power of attorney form, a sample completed power of attorney form, and a flyer about the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program.

These tip sheets from the Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) provide key strategies for both parents and teachers to walk into conferences informed and prepared. A tip sheet aimed at school principals also outlines how school administrators can support parents and teachers to that end. Designed to be used as a set, these tip sheets combine consistent information with targeted suggestions so that parents and educators enter conferences with shared expectations and increased ability to work together to improve children's educational outcomes.
Download the tip sheets in English.
Download the tip sheets in Spanish/en español.

These materials from the U.S. Department of Education were identified to augment the Tool Kit on Teaching and Assessing Students with Disabilities. They offer a collection of resources on topics such as assessment, instructional practices, behavior, and accommodations; however, these documents were written specifically for parents and include information they need as they work with schools to ensure that their children are receiving a quality education. These materials provide information that will help parents become active and informed participants in IEP discussions and other decision making meetings that support students with disabilities and their families.

This brief from Project HOPE provides families experiencing homelessness and service providers who work with these families an overview of the special education process. It includes a table outlining the steps in the special education eligibility process and what families and service providers can do to make the process easier, resources to assist families or youth when special education services are being pursued, and definitions of words commonly used by educators and local homeless education liaisons.

This section of the U.S. Dept. of Education's website provides numerous resources for parents interested in their children's education. Resources include a parent's guide to the No Child Left Behind Act, publications for parents, information on federal student aid for college, and more.