Temporary Change in Program Contact
Beginning Sept. 19, 2024, Zach Stumbo will be on leave, and hopes to return to work as soon as possible. While Stumbo is on leave, please contact Jennifer White for all homeless education needs.
During this time, programmatic staff will not be releasing a Homeless Children and Youth Newsletter or producing new webinars. Those resources will be reinstated upon Zach’s return.
 Ronald Hallett, Ph.D. gives the keynote presentation at the Education for Homeless Children and Youth conference in Lexington. Picture by Zach Stumbo, Kentucky Department of Education, Sept. 16, 2024
McKinney-Vento Conference
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) held a statewide training for homeless liaisons and a guest on Sept. 16-17 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington. The training benefited district staff who are responsible for providing support to students experiencing homelessness.
The first day featured best practices from liaisons across the Commonwealth. The second day provided attendees with an opportunity to become Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) certified. YMHFA teaches participants how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18.
Participating in the first day of the conference fulfilled the annual training requirements established in 704 KAR 7:090.
For more information, contact Zach Stumbo or Jennifer White.
2024-2025 Local Homeless Liaison Training Opportunities
As required by 704 KAR 7:090 and on an annual basis, each district’s homeless liaison must receive Kentucky Department of Education-approved training. Beginning in August 2024 and for the 2024-2025 school year, liaisons will have three opportunities to engage in professional learning approved by the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE).
As a reminder, annual training must be completed by Dec. 31, 2024.
Option #1 (Preferred and Strongly Recommended): KDE held statewide training focused on best practices in homeless education on Sept. 16-17 at the Central Bank Center in Lexington. Review the details above.
Option #2: Homeless liaisons may attend the 2024 National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on Nov. 16-19 or engage in the conference through a virtual setting. Information regarding the conference agenda, fees, travel and lodge information can be found on the 2024 NAEHCY Annual Conference website. If liaisons participate in the conference experience to fulfill their annual training requirement, certificates of participation must be emailed to Jennifer White upon the conclusion of the conference.
Option #3: Engage in the free Mckinney-Vento.org self-paced training. The training provides in-depth information on McKinney-Vento law and best practice strategies for supporting students experiencing homelessness. While this opportunity has been available for several years and has received content updates and/or revisions sporadically, it is recommended that homeless liaisons engage in either Option #1 or Option #2 above to expand on their professional learning.
McKinney-Vento Posters
The McKinney-Vento Act requires that local education agencies ensure “public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths is disseminated in locations frequented by parents or guardians of such children and youths, and unaccompanied youths, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, in a manner and form understandable to the parents and guardians of homeless children and youths, and unaccompanied youths.”
In general, this requirement can be satisfied by the posting of posters, flyers and other informational materials created by the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE). Some materials are available by a free download and can be reproduced locally. Other materials can be ordered directly from the NCHE; some materials are free and some have a nominal cost.
for more information, please email Zach Stumbo.
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