Opportunity for Homeless Liaisons to Receive Free Registration to Attend the 2026 CTE Summer Program
The Kentucky Department of Education's Office of Continuous Improvement and Support, Division of Student Success (DSS), is offering a professional development opportunity that may be of interest to local homeless liaisons.
The Annual Career and Technical Education (CTE) Kentucky CTE Summer Program (KACTE) will be held July 20-23 at the Galt House in Louisville. Registration for the conference and room reservations are now open. If you plan to stay at the Galt House, reserve your hotel room immediately as they go fast.
As with last year, the Office of Continuous Improvement and Support has allocated funds to pay the registration fees for 200 attendees from the groups of school counselors, alternative educators and homeless coordinators. If you are in this group when you get to the payment section, select “Check or Money Order” and in the Purchase Order Number section write the appropriate code found in the table located above the payment method section. Once you receive your registration confirmation email, please forward the email to John Paise in KDE's Office of Career and Technical Education.
Please note that this conference will not count toward the mandatory and annual training requirements for homeless liaisons. Attending this conference is voluntary and will increase your knowledge about the subject matter.
Remember, registration slots are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. This covers registration fees only. Travel and lodging are the responsibility of the attendee.
If you have questions about using the Title I, Part A homeless set-aside or McKinney-Vento subgrant funds to cover travel and lodging expenses, please contact Zach Stumbo.
Bullitt County Creates a Dedicated Space for McKinney‑Vento Support
Using local funding, Bullitt County Public Schools recently opened a new, centralized facility to strengthen supports for students and families experiencing homelessness. The new space offers the district’s McKinney‑Vento program with room to better serve more than 460 identified students by offering a welcoming, accessible location for resources, coordination and family support.
Previously housed in limited space at the district’s central office, the program’s new home allows staff to expand services while creating an environment that helps families feel safe, supported and connected. The work was mentioned in an article by The Pioneer News that highlighted how intentional investment in space and infrastructure can remove barriers, streamline services and strengthen relationships with families experiencing housing instability.
Liaisons are encouraged to reach out to state coordinator Zach Stumbo with questions about allowable spending for office materials before using either Title I Part A Homeless Set-aside or McKinney-Vento subgrant funds
Resource Spotlight: Updates from the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE)
The NCHE has released new resources and tools that support the work of local homeless liaisons across Kentucky working with children and youth experiencing homelessness (CYEH). Liaisons are invited to sign up for the NCHE Listserv to ensure they are receiving updated communications. Additionally, liaisons are asked to download and review the following updated resources:
Report: Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness in the United States: Data Summary for School Years 2021–22 to 2023–24
NCHE released "Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness in the United States: Data Summary for School Years 2021–22 to 2023–24," which presents national and state-level data on CYEH across three school years. The report examines trends in CYEH enrollment, demographic characteristics, housing situations, subgroup data, chronic absenteeism rates, early childhood homelessness and graduation outcomes. Key findings include a 28.5% increase in the national number of identified CYEH – from 1.2 million to 1.54 million – between school years 2021-2022 and 2023-2024.
Brief: In School Every Day: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism Among Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness
NCHE recently updated its brief on chronic absenteeism. "In School Every Day: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism Among Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness" examines the critical issue of chronic absenteeism, including its definition, common causes, and impacts on individual student performance and school outcomes. The brief offers strategies for prevention and intervention, including data-collection practices, student-level supports, district policies, community partnerships and federal resources.
Brief: A Guide to Effective Collaborations with Community-Based Organizations to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness
The recently revised NCHE brief – "A Guide to Effective Collaborations with Community-Based Organizations to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness" – provides comprehensive recommendations on collaborations between education partners and community-based organizations (CBOs). The resource outlines the benefits of partnerships, explains how to establish formal agreements and offers considerations for choosing between informal and formal collaboration structures. The brief covers the use of McKinney-Vento subgrant funds for CBO partnerships, describes what CBOs are and how they differ from state or local agencies, and presents real-world examples from school districts that have successfully implemented CBO collaborations.
Tool: McKinney-Vento Eligibility Determinations Flowchart
This recently revised flowchart helps users determine and document eligibility for McKinney-Vento rights and services for CYEH. The first page is a decision-making tool to determine if a child or youth is experiencing homelessness under the McKinney-Vento Act. The flowchart provides a documentation template for recording specific details about eligibility determinations and rationales.
Tool: Unaccompanied Youth Eligibility Flowchart
This recently revised flowchart helps users determine whether a child or youth who is living apart from a parent or court-appointed guardian is eligible as an unaccompanied homeless youth under the McKinney-Vento Act. The flowchart guides users through common scenarios and provides examples, including situations in which more information is needed to determine whether a child or youth is an unaccompanied homeless youth.
Strengthening Family Communication During Housing Instability
Students who experience homelessness are often navigating instability alongside their families. In many cases, a student’s housing loss reflects broader family circumstances rather than family separation or estrangement.
While families may be temporarily displaced, they frequently remain engaged in their child’s education and maintain some form of communication. For districts, the challenge is not whether families want to stay connected, but how schools can make communication accessible, flexible and responsive during disruption.
The March 17 edition of ESEA Now, an online newsletter which KDE offers free of charge to Title I coordinators in all 171 districts, included a chart that highlighted multiple family communication strategies that can help districts strengthen outreach to families experiencing homelessness. One strategy encouraged districts to introduce or promote a dedicated phone hotline, giving families a reliable way to reach support when questions or needs arise. Other strategies emphasized meeting families where they already are, such as through social media platforms. Additional ideas included using weekly check‑in forms to maintain regular, low‑barrier contact about attendance, services and student needs.
The newsletter item also underscored the appropriate use of emergency contacts when families become difficult to reach, while reminding staff to remain mindful of FERPA requirements. Finally, the article highlighted the value of forming student homelessness committees to ensure coordination among school staff and community partners who support families across settings. Liaisons who are interested in reading the article are encouraged to consult with their local Title I coordinator to view a copy.
As districts review or expand their communication strategies, these best practices offer a practical starting point. Thoughtful, varied communication helps families stay informed and connected, reinforces trust, reduces barriers to engagement and supports educational stability for students experiencing homelessness.
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