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Homeless Education Rights
***As of October 2025, this law is still in effect. SchoolHouse Connection is posting updates.

Understanding McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Rights

Homeless students have strong rights regarding their education. This section will attempt to present those rights in a way that will be helpful to homeless families and teens, educators, shelter staff, and persons concerned about access to education for the millions of kids without homes in this country.
- The law that specifies homeless students' rights - The McKinney Vento Homeless Education Act, 2-pg summary with legal references. Thanks, SchoolHouseConnection!
- Helpline for help getting a homeless student into school
- Resources and information about the law (thanks, SchoolHouse Connection)
- Watch the HEAR US (free) 11-minute film explaining homeless education law, REACH.
HEAR US thanks this partner organization for providing comprehensive educational resources on the issue of families and youth experiencing homelessness:

SchoolHouse Connection, a resource for all things related to education, birth through higher ed, offers a plethora of information.

How Many Homeless Kids?

ChapinHall Facebook1

Nov. 15, 2017

Groundbreaking Report on
Youth Homelessness!

> Watch 2-1/2 min youth video filmed by HEAR US

Missed Opportunities: Youth Homelessness in America
Voices of Youth Count - Chapin Hall at University of Chicago

Are We Really Counting America's Homeless Families?
political commentary by Institute of Children, Poverty & Homelessness

Counting kids experiencing homelessness is like the saying about counting angels on the head of a pin. Be assured, the numbers are far higher than most could imagine, and the estimates HEAR US offers are conservative.

Despite the ongoing, growing level of families and youth becoming homeless in the past 30+ years, estimates of this population are extremely inaccurate and confusing. That’s another story for another day.

HEAR US previously stated that the U.S. has more than 3 million homeless kids.
The number as of June 2020 (CoVid numbers NOT included) is
7.2 million - 8.2 million children experiencing homelessness in the US.
That number, an estimate, undoubtedly low, has been revised to factor in the latest research:

HOW MANY CHILDREN/YOUTH ARE HOMELESS IN THE U.S.?
SUBGROUPS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS	ESTIMATED NUMBER	SOURCE
Identified in school (PK - 12)	1.5 million	http://profiles.nche.seiservices.com/ConsolidatedStateProfile.aspx
Babies/toddlers (0 - 5 yo)	1.5 million	https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/young-children-experiencing-homelessness-an-overview/
Unaccompanied youth (13 - 17)	700,000	https://voicesofyouthcount.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/VoYC-National-Estimates-Brief-Chapin-Hall-2017.pdf
Unaccompanied young adults (18 - 25)	3.5 million	https://voicesofyouthcount.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/VoYC-National-Estimates-Brief-Chapin-Hall-2017.pdf
Under-identified in schools*	1 million+	https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/public-schools-report-over-1-5-million-homeless-children-and-youth/
Estimated total infants-young adults identified	7.2 million	Doesn't include parents/guardians
Estimated total infants - young adults including under-identified*	8.2 million	Doesn't include parents/guardians

Another way of figuring, 4%, a conservative estimate, of 50 million school kids = 2 million experience homelessness.
That doesn’t include the little ones and the bigger ones not in school.

It all boils down to TOO MANY! Time for action!
HEAR US invites you to join our
30-Day Compassion Challenge!

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Since 2005, support from people like you has made the invaluable work of HEAR US possible.Donate securely online. Support the work of HEAR US! Give now!