Online Resources for Accessing Free Driver’s Licenses and Birth Certificates
In recent years, Kentucky enacted important legislation aimed at reducing barriers for children and youth experiencing homelessness by expanding free or low-cost access to essential documents such as birth certificates, state IDs and driver’s licenses.
In April 2024, House Bill 100 was signed into law, waiving fees for Kentucky birth certificates for individuals experiencing homelessness, including homeless youth under age 25. Under this legislation, students who meet the federal McKinney‑Vento definition of homelessness will no longer have to pay to obtain a certified copy of their birth certificate. Birth certificates are an essential document needed for school enrollment, employment, housing and other critical services. A free copy of the birth certificate can be obtained using the Affidavit of Homeless Status for Fee Exempt Certified Record of Birth form online from the Office of Vital Statistics.
Kentucky law (KRS 186.412(7)) allows individuals without a fixed or permanent address to receive a state-issued personal identification card. This ID card can be obtained at no cost from any Driver Licensing Regional Office.
Qualifications to Receive a Homeless ID Card:
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Must be a Kentucky resident
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Must apply in person at a Driver Licensing Regional Office
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Must provide the required documents according to Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) contained in Kentucky Law (birth certificate, social security card and proof of residency).
Proof of Residency Exception:
If you do not have a fixed, permanent address, you may provide a signed letter from one of the following, stating that you are currently receiving services and that you are a Kentucky resident:
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A homeless shelter
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A health care facility
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A social service agency
This letter serves as your proof of residency for the Homeless ID card. Please check the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s website about other documents required for individuals seeking a Kentucky Driver License for the first time.
New Contact Information for NCHE
The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) Helpline is a key resource for local liaisons, families and community partners seeking support for students experiencing homelessness.
To ensure stakeholders across your community can easily reach NCHE, please verify and, if needed, update the NCHE Helpline contact information on your posters and other forms of communication.
Current NCHE Helpline Contact Information:
National Center for Homeless Education Webinar About Chronic Absenteeism
The National Center for Homeless Education will host a webinar focused on understanding and addressing chronic absenteeism among children and youth experiencing homelessness (CYEH) called In School Every Day: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism Among Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness.
This session will explore evidence-based strategies to prevent and address chronic absenteeism at both the student and system levels. This session will feature the Student Engagement and Attendance Technical Assistance Center and spotlights of successful school-community partnerships that address chronic absenteeism among CYEH in Maine.
Please share this invitation with colleagues who may benefit from this learning opportunity.
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DATE AND TIME: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. ET
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FORMAT: Live webinar via Zoom with recording available afterward
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REGISTRATION: All participants must register using the link above. A unique Zoom link will be sent to each registrant to access the webinar.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This webinar is designed for state coordinators for homeless education, local homeless education liaisons and other educators who work with children and youth experiencing homelessness, including local educational agency (LEA) administrators, school leaders, teachers and instructional support personnel.
WEBINAR OBJECTIVES
By attending this 90-minute session, participants will:
- Have a clear understanding of chronic absenteeism, including its effects on children and youth experiencing homelessness and, more broadly, schools and LEAs;
- Be aware of key strategies to address chronic absenteeism among all students (multi-tiered approach) and CYEH specifically, including the role of data in informing efforts and how to access relevant data; and
- Learn from a practitioner spotlight about their experiences in addressing chronic absenteeism among CYEH.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Scenario-based "think-alouds" to apply learning to real-world situations
- Practitioner spotlight sharing approaches to understanding, preventing and addressing chronic absenteeism among CYEH.
NCHE Releases New Briefs Related to Student Transportation
The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) released a new brief titled Transporting Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness. This brief offers clear guidance to help schools support students experiencing homelessness. It outlines key McKinney‑Vento requirements for providing transportation to the school of origin, explains funding options and shares practical strategies for prompt, stigma‑free transportation. It also highlights the importance of collaboration among liaisons, transportation departments and community partners. This new resource helps districts remove transportation barriers and ensure educational stability for children and youth experiencing homelessness.
Also, NCHE released Rural Transportation for Children and Youth Experience Homelessness. It was designed to help local liaisons address the unique transportation challenges facing children and youth experiencing homelessness in rural communities.
The brief outlines common barriers such as long distances, lack of public transit, limited drivers and difficult terrain. The brief also provides practical, flexible strategies that rural local education agencies can implement to support school stability. It highlights creative solutions such as gas vouchers, community partnerships, inter‑district agreements and mileage reimbursement, while also offering guidance on using Title I, McKinney‑Vento subgrants and community resources to fund transportation. The new brief includes a rural district spotlight and a robust appendix of field‑tested approaches to help liaisons build sustainable, student‑centered transportation plans.
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