Supporting Birth-to-5-Year-Olds Experiencing Homelessness

When serving children ages birth to five who are experiencing homelessness, LEAs are responsible for the following per the McKinney-Vento Act:

• Identifying children experiencing homelessness through outreach and collaboration with other agencies. 

• Reporting data regarding children experiencing homelessness on the ECYEH data website.

• Ensuring that children experiencing homelessness receive any educational services for which they are eligible, along with referrals to medical, dental, mental health, and other appropriate services.

Early Childhood Procedure for School Districts

The McKinney-Vento Act requires schools to identify and refer birth-to-five-year-olds experiencing homelessness [42 U.S.C. §11432(g)(6)(A)(iii)].

Identifying Early Childhood Students

LEAs can identify early childhood students:

• During the intake process of a school-age youth.

• Through a partnership with local shelters, social service agencies, or early childhood providers.

• By the self-identification of the parent or guardian.

• Ensuring that McKinney-Vento information is readily available is important to ensuring the timely identification of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Display ECYEH posters and brochures throughout school and community buildings and post McKinney-Vento information on public websites.

Sample Identification Process

1. During the intake process, schools should ask the family about all McKinney-Vento eligible children including early childhood students, school-age youth, and out-of-school youth.

2. On the ECYEH intake form, please list all the children in the home, including early childhood students.

3. On the ECYEH data site, please add all early childhood students by utilizing a local ID. The local ID should be identifiable to your school district. For example, the Berks County Intermediate Unit could use a local ID of BCIU1, BCIU2, BCIU3, etc.

4. Reach out to local shelters, social service agencies, and early childhood providers to increase identification.

Referring Early Childhood Students

McKinney-Vento liaisons must refer children experiencing homelessness to services including:

• Head Start programs

• Early Head Start programs

• Early Intervention Services under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

• Pre-K counts programs

• Early Learning Resource Center

• Other preschool programs administered by the LEA

Tips to Partnering with Early Childhood Providers

• Reach out to the early childhood program to discuss the program, referral process, outreach materials, and a contact in the program.

• Invite early childhood providers to set up a table with resources at back-to-school nights, conferences, or other parent activities.

• At the end of the program year, reach out to local early childhood programs to ensure a smooth transition to kindergarten.

  • • • Kindergarten students must register in the school of residence. Once a kindergarten student attends a school, the school then becomes their school of origin.

• Utilize SchoolHouse Connection Head Start Referral App (contact Tabitha Kramer at tabkra@berksiu.org with your interest).

Sample Procedure to Refer Birth-to-Five-Year-Olds to Early Childhood Programs

1. Maintain current brochures and applications from early childhood programs.

2. During the enrollment process, discuss available early childhood programs with the parent or guardian.

3. Provide the family with the brochure/ application as appropriate.

4. Follow-up with the family to reassess resources or assistance needed.

LEA Administered Early Childhood Programs 

Including Head Start, Early Head Start, Pre-K Counts, and Other Preschool Programs

The LEA administered early childhood program will identify and support a student experiencing homelessness at enrollment or throughout the program year as required under the McKinney-Vento Act. To determine if your preschool program falls under the McKinney-Vento Act, visit SchoolHouse Connections Flow Chart to Determine McKinney-Vento Preschools

1. The LEA administered early childhood program will:

• • Identify a homeless liaison.

  • Include a residency questionnaire in the enrollment packet.

  • Display ECYEH posters and brochures in locations visible to parents.

  • Train staff annually on the McKinney-Vento Act and rights for early childhood students.

  • Include McKinney-Vento information for early childhood students on the program website.

2. The identifying staff member will fill out an ECYEH intake form and send it to the homeless liaison.

• • The homeless liaison will verify the homeless identification.

  • The homeless liaison will add the student to the ECYEH data site for federal reporting purposes.

3. The homeless liaison will provide the family with necessary community resources.

4. The homeless liaison will provide the family with an ECYEH brochure and discuss their rights under the McKinney-Vento Act.

5. The homeless liaison will eliminate any educational barriers including:

• • Enrollment in the preschool of origin or preschool of residence.

  • Immediate enrollment into the preschool program without needing the required documentation.

  • Transportation, if it is in the child’s best interest.

  • Clothing and school supplies, as needed.

6. The homeless liaison will follow up with the family monthly or as needed to assess the family’s needs.

7. A re-verification letter will be sent at the end of the program year to reassess McKinney-Vento eligibility.

• Early Childhood Programs in Region 2

• Homelessness in Early Childhood, (Homeless Liaison Toolkit pgs. 12-15)

• Self-Assessment Tool for Early Childhood Programs Serving Families Experiencing Homelessness, Dept. of Health & Human Services

• Is My Early Childhood Program a McKinney-Vento Preschool?, SchoolHouse Connection

• The Most Frequently Asked Questions on the Education Rights of Children in Homeless Situations: Preschool and Other Early Childhood Programs, NAEHCY

• Head Start Referral App for Children Experiencing Homelessness

• Presentation: Head Start Referral App for Children Experiencing Homelessness

• Flowchart for Identifying and Assisting Early Childhood Students Experiencing Homelessness

• How to Assist Early Childhood Students Experiencing Homelessness

• How to Identify Early Childhood Students Experiencing Homelessness

• Process for Identifying a Program-Level Homeless Liaison