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Membership is open to anyone with an interest in homeless education. Learn more. Denver, CO Nov 14 - Nov 17, 2009 Learn more about the 2009 NAEHCY Annual Conference. [ What's New? Archives ] New NAEHCY publication* Using What We Know: Supporting the Education of Unaccompanied Homeless Youth 
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 Foreclosures and Education for Homeless Children and Youth Funding Last update: 9/08/08 HUD McKinney-Vento Reauthorization (HUD definition of homelessness) Last update: 9/08/08 Higher Education Act Reauthorization: Homeless and Foster Youth Last update: 9/08/08 Request for Public Comment -- FAFSA for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth -- Due October 27, 2008 Last update: 9/08/08 Request for Public Comment -- Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization -- School Meals for Homeless Children and Youth -- Due October 15, 2008 Last update: 9/08/08 Funding for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (FY2009 appropriations) Last update: 5/21/08 Head Start Act Reauthorization Last update: 5/21/08 The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act/No Child Left Behind Act Reauthorization Last update: 5/21/08 FERPA Comments and Recommendations May 2008 Foreclosures and Education for Homeless Children and Youth FundingLast Update: September 8, 2008BACKGROUND: The foreclosure crisis and economic downturn have caused many families to lose their homes and experience homelessness. In some instances, families who owned housing were not able to secure a subsequent permanent address, while in other cases, families who rented apartments or houses became homeless when their landlord foreclosed on the property. School districts in some parts of the country, particularly in areas where the economic downturn is most severe, have identified increased numbers of homeless children and youth as a result of foreclosures, and are struggling to provide necessary services to all children and youth who are eligible for the McKinney-Vento Act. CURRENT STATUS: Congress passed, and President Bush signed, the Housing & Economic Recovery Act of 2008, H.R. 3221. The legislation contains many measures to respond to the nation's housing crisis, including the creation of a permanent Housing Trust Fund to increase and preserve the supply of rental housing and homeownership opportunities for very low income families. The legislation also provides $4 billion in emergency assistance to states and cities for the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed homes. HR 3221 also includes an amendment offered by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and co-sponsored by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Senator Jack Reed (D-RI). The amendment increases the authorized funding level for the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program from $70 million to $100 million, and authorizes emergency grants to school districts to meet the needs of children and youth who become homeless due to foreclosure (including rental housing that has been foreclosed). Grants must be distributed by the U.S. Department of Education to State Education Agencies according to demonstrated need, and by State Education Agencies to local education agencies according to demonstrated need. It is important to note that this legislation authorizes increased McKinney-Vento education funding, including for emergency grants to respond to homelessness caused by foreclosures. The money for this purpose has not yet been appropriated. However, the fact that the increased authorization is included in the housing legislation helps make the case for increased EHCY funding. What's Next? Congress may consider a second supplemental spending bill in September. This is the best opportunity to secure increased emergency funding for the program, because it is not expected that the "regular" FY2009 appropriations legislation will be enacted until after the presidential election. Recommended Action: For More Information: Please contact Barbara Duffield at bduffield@naehcy.org or 202.364.7392.  For more information, contact Barbara Duffield, Policy Director, at bduffield@naehcy.org.HUD McKinney-Vento Reauthorization (HUD definition of homelessness)WHAT'S AT STAKE:The current HUD definition of homelessness is limited to people who are on the streets or who are staying in shelters. It excludes people who are forced to live in other homeless situations, including people staying with others temporarily because they have nowhere else to go ("doubled-up"), and people staying in motels due to lack of adequate alternatives. Families, children, and youth on their own are disproportionately excluded by the current HUD definition. In addition, current HUD policy does not adequately address critical issues for children, youth, and families, including collaboration with schools. The failure of the HUD definition of homelessness and other HUD policy to meet the needs of children, youth, and families has serious and far-reaching effects, including exclusion of these populations from critical services, continued invisibility in community planning on homelessness, and weak or non-existent collaboration/coordination with key systems of care for children and youth. RECENT LEGISLATIVE ACTION: The legislative action this summer on the HUD McKinney-Vento reauthorization took place in the U.S. House of Representatives. At the end of July, the House Financial Services Committee passed a substitute to H.R. 840, the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act. The version of H.R. 840 that emerged from the Committee contains a narrow expansion of the definition of homelessness that covers people in motels only if they have enough money to stay for 14 days or less, and people in doubled-up situations only if there is "credible evidence" that the owner/renter of the housing will let them stay for 14 days or less. In addition, people fleeing domestic violence are covered in the definition of homeless if they have no other residence and they lack the resources or support networks to obtain housing. This 14-day restriction on people in doubled-up and motel situations is narrow and arbitrary, and would exclude many homeless children, youth, and families. Consequently, Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Congressman Geoff Davis (R-KY) offered an amendment to include children, youth, and families who are verified as homeless by federal program personnel (including school district liaisons, Head Start programs, and Runaway and Homeless Youth Act programs) in the HUD definition of homelessness. After an intense and emotional debate, the amendment was withdrawn in exchange for a commitment from Full Committee Chairman Frank and Housing Subcommittee Chairwoman Waters to continue to work to improve the HUD definition of homelessness before the bill is voted upon by the full House. The Committee leadership of both parties also agreed to send a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting a study on federal definitions of homelessness. In addition to the changes to the HUD definition of homelessness, the bill passed by the Committee would allow communities to spend up to ten percent of their Continuum of Care funding on families and youth who are defined as homeless by other federal programs. However, this provision is unlikely to result in services for these children, youth, and families because of bonuses and incentives included in the bill for addressing HUD-defined homelessness, as well as incentives created by local and state plans to end homelessness (almost all of which use the HUD definition of homelessness). Other amendments in H.R. 840 related to children, youth, and families are summarized below: NEXT STEPS: H.R. 840 next moves to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote. It is unclear when the bill will be taken up, or if amendments will be offered. The Senate's version of the HUD McKinney-Vento reauthorization bill, S. 1518, has not been cleared on the Senate floor. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) currently has a "hold" on S. 1518 due to its increased funding authorization level. It is unclear when that hold might be lifted, and/or if amendments will be offered. Should both bills pass their respective chambers, differences between the two bills must be reconciled via a conference process. Given the three short weeks that remain of the session in September, it is far from certain that Congress will complete work on the HUD McKinney-Vento Reauthorization this year, but it remains a possibility. Should Congress not finalize the legislation this Fall, both chambers are likely to resume work next year where they left off this year. RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) Contact your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to urge Financial Services Chair Barney Frank (D-MA) to ensure that the definition of homelessness included in H.R. 840 meets the needs of children, youth, and families without arbitrary restrictions such as timelines or requirements for multiple moves. Contact information for U.S. Representatives may be found at www.house.gov 2) Contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to urge Banking Committee Chair Christopher Dodd (D-CT) to ensure that the definition of homelessness included in S. 1518 meets the needs of children, youth, and families without arbitrary restrictions such as timelines or requirements for multiple moves. Contact information for U.S. Senators may be found at www.senate.gov For more information, please email bduffield@naehcy.org or call 202.364.7392. INFORMATION: The following materials are also available:  Questions and Answers about the Subsitute Amendment to the HEARTH Act. This document explains the shortcomings of the definition of homelessness included in the substitute to the HEARTH Act. Summary of the Biggert-Davis Amendment for Homeless Children and Youth. This document explains the rationale for the Biggert Davis Amendment to ensure that all homeless children and youth are included in HUD's definition of homelessness. A "Fact Check" on the HUD definition of homelessness. This document sets the record straight on the effort to update HUD's definition of homelessness. An organizational sign-on letter of more than 40 child and youth organizations supporting an updated HUD definition of homelessness. Congressional testimony of Ms. Pittre Walker, NAEHCY Board Member and Homeless Liaison for Caddo Parish Schools in Shreveport, Louisiana Congressional testimony of Mr. Jeremy Rosen, National Policy & Advocacy Council on Homelessness Congressional testimony of Ms. Diane Nilan, President and Founder of HEAR US For more information, please contact Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY Policy
Director,
at bduffield@naehcy.org.Higher Education Act Reauthorization: Homeless and Foster StudentsLast Update: September 8, 2008WHAT'S AT STAKE: Youth experiencing homelessness or in foster care face numerous barriers to higher education. Inadequate college readiness, the complexity of the financial aid process, and lack of housing and support services once enrolled in college make obtaining a college degree an often insurmountable challenge. Yet a college education offers these youth the best opportunity to escape poverty and realize their dreams. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: In late summer, Congress passed, and the President signed, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, H.R. 4137. This legislation reauthorizes the Higher Education Act. It includes numerous amendments designed to increase homeless and foster students' access to postsecondary education. College Preparation and Support Programs: The Federal TRIO programs consist of programs that support at-risk junior high and high school students to graduate from high school, enter college, and complete their degrees. These programs include Talent Search, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, Staff Development Activities, and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR-UP). Students experiencing homelessness or in foster care are at great risk of academic failure due to their extreme poverty and residential instability, yet, prior to this reauthorization, they were not specifically mentioned or targeted by any of the TRIO programs. The Higher Education Act now: In addition, the following provisions were included in the reauthorized Higher Education Act: NEXT STEPS: Please share these changes to the Higher Education Act with school counselors, college access programs, financial aid officers, and others working to help homeless youth and youth in foster care prepare, attend, and succeed in college. This summary may be downloaded in Microsoft Word format here. Please also watch the NAEHCY web site for action alert items related to regulations or to the appropriations process. TIP SHEET ON FAFSA FOR UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH A tip sheet that can be shared with liaisons, service providers, and financial aid administrators on strategies to help unaccompanied youth access FAFSA is available here. For more information, please contact Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY Policy
Director,
at bduffield@naehcy.org.FAFSA Form for 2009-2010 -- Unaccompanied Homeless Youth -- Comments Due to the U.S. Department of Education By October 27, 2008Last Update: September 8, 2008WHAT'S AT STAKE: Homeless students are extremely unlikely to be able to access postsecondary education without federal student aid. In September of 2007, President Bush signed into law the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-84). Included within this legislation are amendments to expand the definition of independent student in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to include unaccompanied homeless youth. The legislation allows youth to be considered independent students if they are verified as unaccompanied and homeless during the school year in which the application is submitted, or as unaccompanied, at risk of homelessness, and self-supporting. Verification must be made by one of the following: (1) a McKinney-Vento Act school district liaison; (2) a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development homeless assistance program director or their designee; (3) a Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program director or their designee, or; (4) a financial aid administrator. In order for youth to benefit from these changes, which go into effect on July 1, 2009, the revised FAFSA form must be clear and understandable to youth and to those working to assist youth at high schools, colleges, and community organizations. PUBLIC COMMENT REQUEST: The U.S. Department of Education has issued a draft version of the 2009-2010 FAFSA form and has formally requested public comments on this form. Comments are due by October 27, 2008. A copy of the Federal Register notice is available for download at: here A copy of the draft FAFSA and a summary of changes made relative to the previous award year are available at: here Preliminary Concerns Regarding Unaccompanied Homeless Youth and the FAFSA NAEHCY is concerned that, as drafted, the current FAFSA would exclude many unaccompanied youth who are intended beneficiaries of the FAFSA changes. Page three of the draft form defines key terms for unaccompanied homeless youth. "Youth" is defined as an individual who is 21 years of age or younger, or currently enrolled in high school. However, youth must be 24 years old in order to be considered an independent student. Thus, according to this form, unaccompanied homeless youth who are 22 or 23 years old will not be able to be considered independent students. Therefore, because these youth do not have access to parental signatures or income information, they will not be able to apply for federal financial aid and will be extremely unlikely to afford college. The statutory language of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act does not include any ages pertaining "unaccompanied homeless youth," nor do the other federal homeless program definitions referenced in the Act. Therefore, we believe this definition should be deleted. In addition, NAEHCY is concerned that, as written on page seven of the draft form, questions 58 and 59 do not include the phrase "or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless." This phrase is appropriately included in question 60, and should be added to the other questions so that youth identified by liaisons and HUD-funded homeless programs can be assisted. The language of the statute clearly supports this addition to these questions. RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1. Please download the draft FAFSA form at the link listed above and read it carefully, especially pages three and seven. 2. Please communicate any concerns that you note to bduffield@naehcy.org so that NAEHCY's comments to the U.S. Department of Education are thorough and complete. 3. Please consider submitting your own comments to the U.S. Department of Education by sending an email to FAFSA.Comments@ed.gov. It is critical that young people, educators, and service providers communicate directly to the Department so that the resulting FAFSA form reflects the realities of young people who are struggling to overcome their circumstances and achieve a better future through higher education. TIP SHEET ON FAFSA FOR UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH A tip sheet that can be shared with liaisons, service providers, and financial aid administrators on strategies to help unaccompanied youth access FAFSA is available here. For more information, please contact Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY Policy
Director,
at bduffield@naehcy.org.Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization -- School Meals for Homeless Children and Youth -- Comments Due to the U.S. Department of Agriculture by October 15, 2008Last Update: September 8, 2008WHAT'S AT STAKE: Homeless children and youth are much more likely than other children to experience hunger. Deep poverty, combined with inadequate access to nutritious food, make school meals an essential service for their health, development, and ability to learn. CURRENT LAW AND POLICY: Under the current Child Nutrition Act, homeless children and youth are categorically eligible for free school meals. A streamlined process allows homeless liaisons or shelter directors to submit the names of children and youth to the Child Nutrition director in order to qualify these students for free meals. This policy expedites the delivery of free meals to homeless students, since they do not have to fill out an application. Under current law, students who are eligible for free meals, including homeless students, remain eligible for the remainder of the school year and 30 days into the new school year. PUBLIC COMMENT REQUEST: The Child Nutrition Act is up for reauthorization by Congress next year. In preparation, the U. S. Department of Agriculture issued a request for comments from the public in the Federal Register. To be assured of consideration, written comments must be received on or before October 15, 2008. NAEHCY and our national partners will be submitting comments concerning homeless students' access to free meals. We are very interested in hearing from school district homeless liaisons, homeless service providers, and others on how the current policy is working, if changes are needed, and what changes would be most helpful to ensure that homeless children and youth receive free meals in an expedited fashion. While we realize that implementation of the current law and policy can be challenging, we are most interested in what, if any, changes are needed to the law and policy itself. RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1. Please email concerns and suggestions regarding current USDA policy for homeless children and youth to bduffield@naehcy.org so that NAEHCY's comments can be thorough, complete, and well-informed by the experiences of those working with homeless children, youth, and families. 2. Please consider submitting comments directly to USDA so that the agency hears from educators and providers working directly with homeless children and youth. Comments may be submitted electronically by going to www.regulations.gov and following instructions, or by fax at 703-305-2879, attention Mr. Robert Eadie. For more information, please contact Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY Policy
Director,
at bduffield@naehcy.org.Funding for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (FY2009 appropriations)Last Update: May 21, 2008BACKGROUND: The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program removes barriers to the enrollment, attendance, and success of homeless children and youth in school. Congress established the EHCY to assist state and local educational agencies in implementing educational rights for homeless children and youth provided by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Local school districts receiving EHCY funds as subgrants from state educational agencies use their moneys for outreach and identification, enrollment assistance, transportation assistance, school records transfer, immunization referrals, tutoring, counseling, school supplies, assessment, professional development for educators, and referrals for community services targeted to homeless students. A March 2006 U.S. Department of Education report on the EHCY program concluded that "states and local educational agencies (LEAs) have generally made significant progress in reducing the barriers that homeless children and youth face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. The legislation has prompted States and LEAs to focus more on the needs of homeless students and has helped facilitate the expansion of local support networks to meet those needs... Although the appropriation levels for this program are relatively small, the impact of the program has been very widespread." Despite these successes, the extremely limited resources available to the EHCY program have created challenges for schools in fully implementing the provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act and in reaching all children and youth experiencing homelessness. The EHCY program was funded at $61.9 million in FY2006 and FY2007, and at $64 million in FY2008. In FY 2005-2006 (the most reliable ED data available), states were able to provide subgrant funds to only six percent of school districts nationwide. The majority of students identified by local educational agencies as homeless (52 percent) are in school districts that do not receive subgrants. Increased funding for the EHCY program would allow significantly more homeless children and youth to receive the services they need to succeed. It would also enable more schools to provide a greater level of support to children experiencing homelessness, particularly the outreach, enrollment assistance, referral, counseling, and transportation services that are essential in ensuring school access and stability. ACTION NEEDED: Please contact your Members of Congress and ask them to support at least $85 million in EHCY funding for FY2009. Contact information for U.S. Senators may be found at http://www.senate.gov and for U.S. Representatives at www.house.gov For more information, contact Barbara Duffield, Policy Director, at bduffield@naehcy.org.Head Start Act ReauthorizationLast Update: May 21, 2008New Head Start Provisions in Effect UPDATE: On Wednesday, December 12, President Bush signed the "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007" into law. The legislation reauthorizes the Head Start Act. The "Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007" contains numerous provisions on homelessness, including new requirements on the identification and enrollment of homeless children. In addition, the legislation contains many coordination and planning requirements that involve the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless school district liaisons, and homeless service providers. A summary of homelessness and foster care provisions is below. Download a summary of the
homelessness-related amendments in the final Head Start bill.
Download a PowerPoint Presentation about the
homelessness-related amendments in the final Head Start bill.
NEXT STEPS: Several of the new homelessness-related provisions in the Head Start reauthorization require the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to issue regulations. NAEHCY, working with our national partners, will be very active in this process. We welcome your thoughts and suggestions for this next stage of our work to ensure homeless children's access to and participation in Head Start programs. For more information, contact Barbara Duffield, Policy Director, at bduffield@naehcy.org.McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act/No Child Left Behind Act ReauthorizationLast update: May 21, 2008Homeless Education Legislation: Homeless Children and Youth Supported Through Transportation, Liaisons, Title I, Part A BACKGROUND: On July 27, 2007, Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-13th/IL) was joined by Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-7th/AZ) and Congressman John P. Sarbanes (D-3rd/MD) in introducing the Homeless Education Improvement Act of 2007, H.R. 3205. H.R. 3205 builds upon effective law and lessons learned by schools, service providers, families, and youth. It includes many of the recommendations for amendments to the McKinney-Vento Act and Title I, Part A that came out of focus groups organized by NAEHCY and NLCHP. See McKinney-Vento Reauthorization webpage for more detailed information about this important new legislation. STATUS UPDATE: Legislation to reauthorize the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and No Child Left Behind will not be taken up by the education committees this year due to the Congressional schedule. Work will continue in the next Congress in 2009. ACTION NEEDED: Please call or write your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to join as co-sponsor of H.R. 3205. The more co-sponsors the legislation gathers, the greater the likelihood that its provisions will be incorporated into the larger No Child Left Behind reauthorization legislation next year. Contact information for U.S. Representatives may be found at www.house.gov Download a brief summary of this legislation.
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