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Students experiencing homelessness face barriers when transitioning from high school to higher education. Under the McKinney-Vento Act, school counselors (and other relevant staff) must provide homeless youth support with college preparation and readiness 42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(K).
Students experiencing homelessness face barriers when transitioning from high school to higher education. Under the McKinney-Vento Act, school counselors (and other relevant staff) must provide homeless youth support with college preparation and readiness 42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(1)(K).
Homeless Liaison Responsibilities
Homeless Liaison Responsibilities
Homeless liaisons should collaborate with school counselors/other staff to assist homeless youth with:
Homeless liaisons should collaborate with school counselors/other staff to assist homeless youth with:
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Learning more about all financial aid opportunities available to them
Obtaining fee waivers for AP exams, college entrance exams, and college applications
Locating campus and community resources near where they are attending college
Homeless liaisons must inform all identified unaccompanied youth of their ability to apply for the FAFSA as independent students and provide eligible students with a letter verifying their status. Under the FAFSA Simplification Act, unaccompanied youth verification letters must be completed as fast as possible. Unaccompanied youth status does not need to be reverified every school year while in college. Instead, the status is presumed every year at the same institution unless the student informs the institution that their circumstances have changed, or if the institution has conflicting information about their status. Reverification of unaccompanied youth status is only required when a student transfers to a different institution. Other individuals are also able to verify independent student status for unaccompanied youth, including staff from:
An emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or any other program serving individuals experiencing homelessness
Programs funded under a federal TRIO program or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for an Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) grant
The financial aid office at the student’s current/previous institution
Resources
Resources
ECYEH Region 2 Resources
Campus Connections for Education Professionals:
Presentations from 1/28/25 event - ECYEH Region 2 and SchoolHouse Connection
Workbook (download as Word doc for best quality)
Additional Resources
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