Truancy and Homeless Education Outreach

This program is designed to meet the educational and personal growth needs of students who are considered homeless, as defined by McKinney-Vento Homeless Act.  The purpose of this is to ensure children and youth who are homeless have an opportunity to meet the same standards that all children are held to.  This is done by providing support to local school district liaisons to provide services and activities to improve the identification of homeless children and youth (including preschool-aged homeless children) and enable such children and youth to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school, including, if appropriate, in preschool programs.  Furthermore, our outreach specialists serve as a bridge between the Area IV Lead Homeless Liaisons, and the local school building homeless Liaisons.

The Truancy/Outreach/Homeless Specialists serve as a bridge between the Area IV Lead Homeless Liaisons, and the local school building homeless Liaisons throughout DeWitt, Livingston, Logan, and McLean Counties.

Local Resources

Illinois State Board of Education

Homeless Dispute Resolution Procedures, ISBE

Food Pantries Res ource List

Birth Certificates

HB3060 Homeless - Vital Records Act (Page 3-4)

ISBE Free Birth Certificate Policy

Birth Certificate Payment Vochure (Put on Your Organizations Letterhead, in accordance with state law)

Identification

Identification &  Drivers License - Homeless Certification

Family Resources on Eviction

• Recycling Furniture for Families - Click here to learn more
• Prairie State Legal Services - COVID-19 Resources (McLean and Livingston Counties)
• Illinois Legal Aid Online - House & Apartment Assistance (DeWitt and Logan Counties) 

Phone Service

Lifeline Assistance Program for Low Income

Guardianship

Getting Guardianship of a Child  

Resources

Homeless Liaison Toolkit, 2017 

Federal Data Summary School Years 2015-16 through 20 17-18: Education for Homeless Children and Youth (January 2020)  new

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Non-Regulatory Guidance

MKV 100 FAQs: Education Rights of Children and Youth in Homeless Situations

ESSA FAQs:  Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program Non-Regulatory Guidance (Aug 2018)

FAQ on the Educational Rights of Children & Youth in Homeless Situations

National Center for Homeless Education

Federal Data Summary (released January 2020):  School Years 2015-16 through 2017-18 - Education for Homeless Children and Youth (NCHE)

Pre-School

Preschool and Homeless Education- Illinois

Early Care and Education for Young Children Experiencing Homelessness (NCHE)

Unaccompanied Youth

Unaccompanied Youth (NCHE Policy Guidance)

State Laws to Support Experiencing Homelessness (School House Connection)

Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program

Voice of Youth Count Tool Kit

NAECHY Assessments - LEA Informal Needs Assessment

Awareness Videos

Ending Homeless Today, PBS Documentary (4 minutes)

Homeless Children and Youth in Public Schools, Institute of Education Sciences (3 minutes)

The Kids in the Shadows, (30 minutes)

On Their Own, Decatur School District (20 minutes) CLICK on Resources, towards the bottom of the list look for Video "On Their Own"

Worn Out Welcome Mat (20 minutes)

For More Information

Homeless Services

[email protected]

(309) 888-5120 ext. 1222