Vermont's Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program ensures that students experiencing homelessness have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education provided to other Vermont children, with the opportunity to meet the same challenging State academic standards. The EHCY program is authorized under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, and seeks to identify and address the challenges that children and youth experiencing homelessness may face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.
McKinney-Vento Definition of Homeless [42 U.S.C. §11434(a)(2)]
The term “homeless children and youth” means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes children and youths who:
- Share the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason
- Live in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations
- Live in emergency or transitional shelters
- Are abandoned in hospitals
- Have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not normally used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings
- Are migratory and qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described in the above situations
Rights of Eligible Children and Youth
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act guarantees educational rights and supports for students experiencing homelessness. In general, McKinney-Vento eligible students have a right to:
- Equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including public preschool education, as is provided to other children and youth [42 U.S.C. §11431(1)
- Immediate enrollment, even when records normally required for enrollment are not present [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(3)(C)]
- Remain in the school of origin, if it is in the student’s best interest, in order to maintain educational stability [42 U.S.C. §11432 (g)(3)(A)]
- Access all educational and related services for which they are eligible [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(iii)], including Title I services and free school meals
- Full participation in school, which may include participation in extracurricular activities [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(F)(iii)]
- Transportation, provided by the LEA, to and from the school of origin [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)]
Vermont EHCY Program Data
Data Table: Children Experiencing Homelessness Enrolled in Vermont Public Schools
| School Year | Enrolled Homeless Children/Youth |
|---|---|
| 2017 - 2018 | 722 |
| 2018 - 2019 | 1,008 |
| 2019 - 2020 | 883 |
| 2020-2021 | 1,006 |
| 2021-2022 | 1,312 |
| 2022-2023 | 1,620 |
| 2023-2024 | 1,927 |
Resources and Technical Assistance
National Resources
National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE): NCHE provides research, data, and technical assistance to support educators and service providers in addressing the educational needs of children experiencing homelessness.
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY): NAEHCY provides technical assistance and best-practice implementation strategies to support educators, administrators, service providers, parents and youth.
SchoolHouse Connection Q&A: SchoolHouse Connection is a national non-profit organization that engages in policy advocacy and provides technical assistance and resources to educators, service providers, families, and youth. Above is the link to the searchable FAQ featuring actual questions from educators, service providers, and the public about the education of students experiencing homelessness.
Training Materials
VT CFP Webinar: McKinney-Vento101 Understanding the Rights of Youth Experiencing Homelessness - McKinney-Vento 101: Understanding the Rights of Youth Experiencing Homelessness PowerPoint
- VT CFP Webinar: Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility and School Selection Rights
- Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility & School Selection Rights PowerPoint
- VT CFP Webinar: Best Interest Determinations & Dispute Resolutions
- McKinney-Vento Best Interest Determinations & Dispute Resolutions PowerPoint
- McKinney-Vento 101 Orientation Questions & Answers 2020
- NCHE Webinars
- SchoolHouse Connection Webinars
Guidance and Technical Assistance
NCHE briefs: NCHE offers guidance on eligibility, enrollment, unaccompanied youth and many other topics affecting homeless students.
Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program Non-Regulatory Guidance: The U.S. Department of Education has provided non-regulatory guidance in order to assist the State and LEAs in meeting obligations under the McKinney-Vento Act.
NCHE Homeless Liaison Toolkit: A toolkit for homeless liaisons designed to assist liaison’s in carrying out their responsibilities.
Memo: Immediate Enrollment of McKinney-Vento Eligible Students: This memo provides information on the definition of “homeless” under the McKinney-Vento Act, as well as the requirements for immediate enrollment for students whose living situations meet this definition.
Vermont Resources
- ARP Homeless I Subgrantees, FY22
- ARP Homeless II Subgrantees, FY22
- McKinney-Vento Subgrantees, FY24
- The Law Governing Homeless Education: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
- Education for Homeless Children and Youth: Non-Regulatory Guidance
- LEA McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution Procedure
- State-Level McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution Procedure
- McKinney-Vento Best Interest Determination/School Selection Form
- McKinney-Vento Best Interest Determination Guide and Checklist
- Written Notification of McKinney-Vento Decision Template
- Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness
- Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs – Vermont Coalition of Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
- Community Action Agencies – Vermont Agency of Human Services
- Head Start and Early Head Start Programs – Use the Head Start Locator
- Vermont Food Bank
- Vemont State Rule on Transporting Students
- Vermont Career Resource Centers
- Vermont Department for Children and Families
- 2023 McKinney-Vento Act Capacity and Needs Assessment
- Vermont Agency of Education McKinney-Vento Services Assessment
- Guidelines for Enrolling Refugee Students
- Title I Part A Homeless Set-Aside
Frequently Requested Resources
- What Every Homeless Liaison Should Know About School Meals
- Identifying Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
- Determining McKinney-Vento Program Eligibility
- School Selection
- School Enrollment
- Transportation to School of Origin
- Unaccompanied Youth Toolkit
- School Personnel Resources
- Awareness Videos
- NCHE Webinars and Self-Paced Training
Questions?
Email Katy Preston, State Coordinator for Homeless Education, or call (802) 828-1468