For more information, please call 754-321-1566
About the Homeless Education Assistance Resource Team (HEART)
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 is a United States federal law written as a legislative response to homelessness. It has been reauthorized several times and it was recently amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. These very important federal laws protect the educational rights of students (PreK-12th grade) who have lost housing and are experiencing homelessness. The goal is to remove barriers that might prevent students experiencing homelessness from enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.
Students experiencing housing instability (whether residing with a parent, legal guardian, caregiver, or unaccompanied children and youth) are those who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. This includes sharing the housing of other persons “doubled-up” due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar situation; living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; living in emergency or transitional shelters; abandoned in hospitals; living in a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily 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. Migratory children and youth living in circumstances described above also qualify for McKinney-Vento Homeless Education services.
HOW CAN HEART HELP ELIGIBLE SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH?
- Access to school supplies and uniform items
- Coordination of transportation to school of origin (certain rules apply)
- Linkage to school and community services (e.g.; school social worker, counseling providers, medical, dental, and mental health referrals, etc.)
- Retrieval of immunization records and State of Florida birth certificates
- Limited after school care program (K-8th)
- Cap and gown rental at no cost to graduating high school students and veri cation letters needed to apply for college and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Have you heard of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act?
It is a Federal law designed to help eligible school-aged children and youth experiencing housing instability
to succeed in school.
What is a transitional living situation? Some examples include living “doubled-up” sharing the housing
of friends or family due to a loss of housing or income needed to maintain housing. Other examples include
living in a family or youth shelter, living in a motel, car, park or abandoned building due to loss of housing.
What is the main goal of the McKinney-Vento Law?
The main goal is to remove barriers that might prevent students living in transition from enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.
Did You Know | Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Data
The total number of students enrolled in the BCPS during the 2021-2022 school year was 256,021. Of those students,4,207 were identified compared to 5,094 students the year prior. The sharp decline in identification is a reflection of challenges faced with identifying students experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic wherein the district pivoted to a remote learning platform. The reported nighttime residence for students experiencing homelessness during school year 2021-2022 was as follows:
- 307 (7%) resided in shelters
- 3,081 (73%) were doubled-up (sharing the housing of others due to economic necessity)
- 239 (6%) resided in a car, park, campground, bus or other public place
- 580 (14%) resided in a hotel or motel
Of the 4,207 students identified as homeless, they attended school at the following levels: 133 (3%) attended pre-schools; 2,237 (53%) attended elementary schools; 767 (18%) attended middle schools, and 1,070 (26%) attended high schools. Of the total number of students experiencing homelessness, 388 were unaccompanied homeless students (meaning they did not reside with a parent or legal guardian). Of those, 272 were in high school of which 71% were high school seniors.
(Source: Florida Department of Education SY21-22 Survey 5 Federal State Indicator format matched to Student Demographics)
For more information, please call 754-321-1566
