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The Nerve! Wanting to End Family/Youth Homelessness
The 25th Anniversary of an Unlikely Law Spurs Audacity
What sense does it make to block entry to school just because a student is homeless? That’s the question that we posed 25 years ago in Illinois, and our state legislature responded by passing the first state legislation to remove barriers kids encountered because of homelessness.
The Illinois Education for Homeless Children Act, or Charlie’s Law, was a great improvement over existing federal law that had gigantic loopholes. 3 kids from our shelter were barred from their schools, a trauma-inducing punishment for their homelessness that they didn’t deserve.
In what could only be described as kismet, our state law became the core of the federal law, passing in 2001. The McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act (MV EHCY) is a simple, powerful law that has meant educational access and stability for millions of children and youth.
Now we want HUD to use the definition of homelessness in MV EHCY. (compare the 2) Wait! Let me explain why this is so important.
