This proceedings document, originating from a policy forum hosted jointly by NCHE and Project Forum, introduces the reader to the unique challenges that administrators face as they support the implementation of services for homeless children with disabilities. The document presents findings from an online forum in the areas of policy, practice, and recommendations for change. Recommendations focus on the areas of expediting enrollment and the provision of services, and coordinating programs and services. The appendices contain additional information and sample forms.

This issue brief explains the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act that pertain to children and youth experiencing homelessness. Strategies for implementation are suggested.

This brief, part of NCHE's Best Practices in Homeless Education series, was developed from a one-day web-based policy forum co-hosted by NCHE and Project Forum. This forum convened special education and homeless education administrators from Colorado, Texas, and Virginia, to develop a collaborative process and identify strategies to enable state and local IDEA and McKinney-Vento staff to think through complex issues that arise in applying these federal laws when educating homeless children with disabilities.

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 Q&A brief, part of NCHE's Best Practices in Homeless Education series, provides basic information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and specific ways the law applies to homeless and highly mobile students with special needs. In addition, the brief provides strategies recommended by homeless education and special education staff from across the country for implementing the law in school districts.

This booklet, published by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, provides basic information about IDEA. It is geared towards a general audience that could include homeless families, unaccompanied youth, service providers, educators, or any other individuals seeking to assist homeless students with special needs.

This brief from Project Forum focuses highly mobile children with disabilities and their families. The document begins with a background section that provides information about policies and practices developed for mobile children at the federal level. The second section is an analysis of interviews with five state directors of special education and their corresponding McKinney-Vento program coordinators regarding how states are addressing the needs of this population. Interviewees discussed causes of mobility; how they locate mobile children; the number of mobile children and costs of services; features of state programs under McKinney-Vento; how they track outcomes; challenges they have encountered; and policy recommendations.

This brief from Project Forum provides information on the educational rights of children and youth who are homeless and have disabilities. It discusses the prevalence of disabilities among children and youth experiencing homelessness and provides local- and state-level policy recommendations for addressing the needs of homeless students with disabilities.

This article from the The Legal Center for Foster Care and Education dissects federal special education law and identifies areas where states can determine how the federal law will be implemented in their state. This article can assist anyone who has struggled with understanding how various states have different processes and procedures for determining who is the special education decisionmaker for a child, wants to identify what areas of state law or policy may need to be clarified to more effectively implement the federal law, and wants to engage in discussions in states and jurisdictions about what would be the right policy and practice for their state.

NASDSE provides support to all states and territories in the delivery of quality education to children and youth with disabilities through training, technical assistance, research, policy development and powerful collaborative relationships with other organizations and all constituencies.

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 factsheet series from the Legal Center on Foster Care and Education, designed for specific stakeholders, addresses the issues surrounding special education decisionmaking for children in out-of-home care. The series includes factsheets for caseworkers, children's attorneys, educators, foster parents, judges and youth.

This brief from Project HOPE provides school personnel with the information they need to enroll, promote the attendance, and ensure the success of students

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 Q&A document, issued by the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), provides state and local educational officials, early intervention services providers, and homeless assistance coordinators with information to assist with the implementation of the requirements of the IDEA and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

OSEP is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts.
View a list of Idea Part B and Part C contacts by state.

The Wrightslaw website provides parents, advocates, educators, and attorneys with accurate, up-to-date information about special education law. Resources include a law and advocacy library and a yellowpages for kids for finding educational consultants, psychologists, diagnosticians, health care specialists, academic tutors, speech language therapists, advocates, and attorneys. There is also information about government programs, grassroots organizations, special education schools, and parent support groups.