The Orange County Department of Education has launched an online training to connect community organizations with supports and resources to help students experiencing homelessness while increasing their understanding of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act.
The 10-minute online training, produced by OCDE’s HOPES Collaborative in partnership with OCDE’s Media Services unit, features educational modules on each of the services provided under the McKinney-Vento Act, along with interviews with students and families who have benefited from its services. Through these modules, staff from nonprofits and other community organizations can familiarize themselves with students’ educational rights while forging partnerships with district liaisons who assist families or students in need.
McKinney-Vento is a federal law, passed in 1987, that grants legal protections to children and youth experiencing homelessness, by ensuring their educational right to enroll in, attend and fully participate in school. Under this law, public and charter schools are required to identify and serve eligible youth while removing barriers to enrollment and attendance.
Along with the training, community partners are now provided written resources, including brochures and informational forms, to forge collaboration with school districts and help families receive educational assistance. These materials are available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean and Spanish.
The Homeless Outreach Promoting Educational Success, or HOPES, Collaborative, works to identify and enroll students experiencing homelessness through community outreach efforts. The team at OCDE also provides support and technical assistance for local partners, schools and families.
“Our goal is to strengthen Orange County’s community partnerships and remove the educational barriers faced by students experiencing homelessness in order to increase enrollment and unlock their academic potential,” said Jeanne Awrey, coordinator of the HOPES Collaborative.
The McKinney-Vento e-training for Community Partners is available to the public on the HOPES Collaborative website. Orange County community organizations looking to learn more about McKinney-Vento can visit ocde.us/McKinney-Vento-Homeless-Assistance-Act.