U.S. Department of Education Issues Guidelines to Help Homeless Students

Guidelines Come from Every Student Succeeds Act

 
With millions of students across the United States returning to school in coming weeks, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance for states and school districts on how to respond to the specific needs of homeless students, reports The Washington Post.

The guidelines, provided in response to new provisions in the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, emphasize practices aimed at providing stability and safety for the homeless public school population, which included more than 1.3 million students in the 2013–2014 school year. 

To assist educators and administrators, the department will issue a fact sheet for school staff to offer ways in which homeless students can best be helped and to explain protections that the new legislation provides for students. The department also offered new guidance on making it easier for homeless students to access financial aid for college and helping them better navigate federal financial aid forms. Students who are designated as homeless will be considered independent and will not need to provide their parents’ financial information.

 

 

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