Office of Accountability - Albany Office
Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), McKinney-Vento liaisons must participate in annual professional development so they can better identify and meet the needs of children and youth experiencing homelessness (42 U.S.C.§§ 11432[f][6] & [g][6][A][ix]). The New York State Education Department (NYSED or “the Department”) requires that the McKinney-Vento liaison from each local educational agency (LEA) attend at least one of the professional development sessions offered by the Department’s technical assistance center, New York State Technical and Educational Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYS-TEACHS), by June 30, 2026, to comply with the federal training requirement.
NYS-TEACHS provides free training and webinars for LEAs, social service providers, and other professionals about the educational rights of children and youth experiencing homelessness. While attendance at one session is required, liaisons are encouraged to attend several sessions over the course of the school year to continually advance their knowledge and skills. McKinney- Vento grant funds and/or Title I, Part A funds may be used for travel-related expenses and staff replacement costs related to attendance at one of the workshops NYS-TEACHS will offer. Please visit NYS-TEACHS for additional information regarding professional development on topics related to the duties of McKinney-Vento liaisons and supporting students experiencing homelessness. To meet the training requirement, liaisons must attend a full session and obtain the certificate of attendance that is provided at the end of the session.
McKinney-Vento liaisons are also required to ensure that LEA personnel providing McKinney- Vento services (e.g., Superintendents, registrars, transportation directors, CSE chairs, school counselors, school social workers, principals, school attorneys, and Title I directors, teachers) receive professional development on meeting the needs of students experiencing homelessness. Liaisons can provide this training to staff or ensure that LEA staff participate in at least one of the trainings offered by NYS-TEACHS. Liaisons interested in providing the training to staff can use this PowerPoint template and Facilitator’s guide for planning and training purposes. A complete list of McKinney-Vento liaison responsibilities can be found within the Sample Local Education Policy on the Education of Students in Temporary Housing.
Questions regarding the information in this memo can be directed to the State Homeless Program Coordinator Jane Fronheiser at Jane.Fronheiser@nysed.gov or NYS-TEACHS at info@nysteachs.org or by calling 1-800-388-2014, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
cc: Alexandra Pressley, Jane Fronheiser, Cassandra Vaughan
