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NCHE Public Awareness Materials
Booklet: Supporting Your Child in School: A Guide for Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers
This recently revised booklet is designed to provide parents, guardians, and caregivers with the information needed to support educational continuity for CYEH. The booklet provides an overview of living situations that may qualify a child or youth for services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act’s (McKinney-Vento Act’s) definition of homeless, the rights and services eligible CYEH are entitled to under the McKinney-Vento Act, and practical strategies for working with the school district to support CYEH in school. It is available in printable and digital formats, and practitioners are encouraged to share the booklet with their respective stakeholders and networks.
Additional public awareness materials, including posters, are available on NCHE’s Public Awareness Materials webpage.
New NCHE Resources
Report: Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness in the United States: Data Summary for School Years 2021–22 to 2023–24
NCHE released Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness in the United States: Data Summary for School Years 2021–22 to 2023–24, which presents national and state-level data on CYEH across three school years. The report examines trends in CYEH enrollment, demographic characteristics, housing situations, subgroup data, chronic absenteeism rates, early childhood homelessness, and graduation outcomes. Key findings include a 28.5% increase in the national number of identified CYEH—from 1.2 million to 1.54 million—between SYs 2021–22 and 2023–24.
Brief: Rural Transportation Strategies for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
NCHE recently released Rural Transportation Strategies for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness, which defines a rural school district, provides data on the number of CYEH living in rural school districts, and highlights the importance of rural transportation. The brief provides valuable strategies for state coordinators, local homeless liaisons, and transportation leaders, including a sample memorandum of understanding and a local rural transportation spotlight.
Brief: In School Every Day: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism Among Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
NCHE recently updated its brief on chronic absenteeism. In School Every Day: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism Among Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness examines the critical issue of chronic absenteeism, including its definition, common causes, and impacts on individual student performance and school outcomes. The brief offers strategies for prevention and intervention, including data-collection practices, student-level supports, district policies, community partnerships, and federal resources.
Brief: A Guide to Effective Collaborations with Community-Based Organizations to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness
The recently revised NCHE brief A Guide to Effective Collaborations with Community-Based Organizations to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness provides comprehensive recommendations on collaborations between education partners and community-based organizations (CBOs). The resource outlines the benefits of partnerships, explains how to establish formal agreements, and offers considerations for choosing between informal and formal collaboration structures. The brief covers the use of McKinney-Vento subgrant funds for CBO partnerships, describes what CBOs are and how they differ from state or local agencies, and presents real-world examples from school districts that have successfully implemented CBO collaborations.
Tool: McKinney-Vento Eligibility Determinations Flowchart
This recently revised flowchart helps users determine and document eligibility for McKinney-Vento rights and services for CYEH. The first page is a decision-making tool to determine if a child or youth is experiencing homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Act. The flowchart provides a documentation template for recording specific details about eligibility determinations and rationales.
Tool: Unaccompanied Youth Eligibility Flowchart
This recently revised flowchart helps users determine whether a child or youth who is living apart from a parent or court-appointed guardian is eligible as an unaccompanied homeless youth under the McKinney-Vento Act. The flowchart guides users through common scenarios and provides examples, including situations in which more information is needed to determine whether a child or youth is an unaccompanied homeless youth.
Guide: State Coordinators’ Handbook
NCHE recently updated the State Coordinators’ Handbook, an essential resource for administrators responsible for implementing the Education for Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY) program in their state. The guide provides strategies, practices, and information to help state coordinators implement programming for students experiencing homelessness. The guide offers guidance to new and seasoned state coordinators across the full spectrum of responsibilities—from understanding foundational concepts and legislative requirements to management of subgrants, providing technical assistance, collecting and using data, and building effective collaborative partnerships.
NCHE Webinar Recordings and On-Demand Training Videos
In School Every Day: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism Among Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (February 2026)
This webinar recording covers the impacts of chronic absenteeism on CYEH, schools, and school districts, and shares evidence-based strategies to prevent and address chronic absenteeism, including the role of data in informing efforts. This webinar featured the Student Engagement and Attendance Technical Assistance Center (SEAC) and a successful school-community partnership that addresses chronic absenteeism among CYEH in Maine.
Determining McKinney-Vento Eligibility (February 2026)
This on-demand training video guides viewers through program eligibility requirements under the McKinney-Vento Act’s EHCY program. Viewers will learn to navigate common eligibility scenarios, including doubled-up housing, transitional housing, and unaccompanied youth situations, and identify NCHE resources available to support complex eligibility determinations. Practitioners are encouraged to share this on-demand training video with partners responsible for determining program eligibility.
Using Education for Homeless Children and Youths (EHCY) Program Funds: Key Decision Points (March 2026)
This on-demand training video helps state coordinators and local liaisons understand how to evaluate whether a proposed use of EHCY program funds is permissible. Viewers will learn how to use Use-of-Funds Tip Sheet for Serving Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness with EHCY Program Funds to analyze the allowability of proposed uses of EHCY funds.
NCHE’s Upcoming Webinars
McKinney-Vento Eligibility Determinations: Understanding Doubled-Up Living Arrangements
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
NCHE invites you to a webinar to strengthen your understanding of doubled-up living situations to improve McKinney-Vento eligibility determination practices for students in shared housing arrangements. All participants must register using the registration link.
McKinney-Vento Eligibility Determinations: Understanding Substandard Housing
Date and Time: Wednesday, May 20, 2026, 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
NCHE invites you to a webinar focused on McKinney-Vento eligibility determinations for students living in substandard housing. All participants must register using the registration link.
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