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Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
To: 
District Superintendents
Superintendents of LEAs and Charter Schools
Title I Coordinators
McKinney-Vento Liaisons
Committee on Special Education (CSE) Chairs
From: 
Jason Harmon, Director Office of ESSA-Funded Programs
Subject: 
Mandatory McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Training
Date: 
August 26, 2019
Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act
(ESSA), McKinney-Vento liaisons are required to participate in professional development so that 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 Educat ion Department (NYSED or “the
Department”) requires that the McKinney-Vento liaison from each local educational agency (LEA)[1]
attend at least one of the professional development sessions (workshop or onsite regional training or
webinar) offered by the Department’s technical assistance center, NYS-TEACHS, to comply with the
federal training requirement.
 
Federal law also now requires that McKinney-Vento liaisons 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. Liaisons can do this by either providing the training to staff
themselves or by ensuring that LEA staff participate in one of the trainings offered by NYS-TEACHS.
 
Please be aware that McKinney-Vento funds and/or Title I, Part A funds may be used for
travel-related expenses and staff replacement costs related to your attendance at one of the
workshops. NYS-TEACHS w i l l offer t wo half-day McKinney-Vento workshops in
• Buffalo, NY on Thursday November 7, 2019
• Syracuse, NY on Thursday November 14, 2019.
 
In addition to the Workshops and on-site regional trainings, you may also sign-up for hour-long
webinars t h a t will be offered throughout the 2019-2020 school year. Information about all these
free events, including registration details, is available on the NYS-TEACHS website and is updated
throughout the year. Please see: http://www.nysteachs.org/trainings/.
 
Subjects covered in professional development sessions include:
 
✓ An introduction to McKinney-Vento and related NYS Education laws,
✓ Understanding the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and McKinney-Vento,
✓ Determining McKinney-Vento eligibility,
✓ Liaison responsibilities,
✓ Transportation of students in temporary housing,
✓ College access,
✓ Dispute resolution,
✓ Youth perspectives on homelessness and education,
✓ Funding sources for instructional and transportation services for students in temporary housing,
✓ The rights of homeless unaccompanied youth,
✓ Trauma-sensitive strategies for school success,
✓ Using trauma-sensitive strategies with parents and caregivers,
✓ Accessing services for families,
✓ Early childhood education, and
✓ Other timely topics relating to students experiencing homelessness.
 
For LEAs receiving McKinney-Vento Grant funds (see list of LEAs on the NYSED website , there will be a mandatory meeting in Albany, NY in April 2020. The meeting will focus on designing and implementing grant programs that help students in temporary housing succeed in school. The Baseline Grantee meeting will be from 9am-3pm so please plan for one-over-night stay in Albany the night before the meeting if necessary. McKinney-Vento Grantees who have an Enhanced Grant for Trauma-Sensitive Schools will have an additional meeting the afternoon BEFORE the all-day Baseline Grantee meeting. Enhanced grantees should plan for one over-night-stay in Albany. McKinney-Vento grant funds may be used for this travel. More information will be forthcoming. Please note that LEAs receiving McKinney-Vento Grants are invited and encouraged to also attend the fall workshops but are not required to do so.
 
Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Melanie Faby or Erin Allen at (518) 473-0295. You may also contact NYS-TEACHS at 1-800-388-2014, Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m.– 5:00 p.m. Thank you in advance for your support and participation.
 
Footnote
[1] LEAs include school districts, charter schools, and BOCES.