New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students

Students who transfer schools often do worse in school than those who don't transfer. The McKinney-Vento Act can help solve this problem by allowing students to stay in the same school and get free transportation.

Search

Unaccompanied Youth

An unaccompanied youth is a student who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian; this includes youth who have run away from home, been kicked out of their homes, or been abandoned by parents. Find answers to commonly asked questions about unaccompanied youth. Click the links below to learn more about unaccompanied youth.

Unaccompanied Youth Issue Brief [PDF]

Find basic information about the rights of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, and learn what LEA liaisons can do to assist these students.

New York State Youth Bureaus

Get a list of all of the New York State Youth Bureaus, as well as contact information Youth Bureaus, listed by county.

Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Program Directory

Get a list of all of the New York State RHY Service Coordinators, as well as contact information for RHY programs and agencies, listed by county.

Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender (LGBT) Youth and Homelessness

According to a recent report by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in collaboration with the National Coalition for the Homeless, research suggests that a disproportionate number of LGBT youth report being homeless: Between 20 percent and 40 percent of all homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), while only 3-5 percent of the U.S. population identifies as LGBT.

Runaway and Homeless Youth Annual Report 2005 [PDF]

Find detailed information collected by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) on the numbers and characteristics of runaway and homeless youth throughout the state, as well as the problems and needs of these youth.

Scholarships for Students in Temporary Housing

Find a list of resources available for students experiencing homelessness in need of financial support to attend college.

Forms

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) Transportation Reimbursement Form [PDF]

Youth who are temporarily living in Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) shelters and attending the school of origin in a different district from the shelter must be transported to school. The RHY shelter where the student is residing should provide transportation to school for the student. The shelter will be fully reimbursed for the expense by NYSED. If the RHY shelter is unwilling or unable to provide transportation, the school district of origin must provide transportation and will be eligible for full reimbursement by NYSED. School districts should submit this form to: Nancy Chacoa, NYSED, P.O. Box 7256, Albany, NY 12224. With the completed form, include a cover letter with your school district's federal ID number, and the address where the reimbursement check should be sent.

Designation of Person in Parental Relation Form [Word doc]

If a parent is unable to make education or health decisions for a child, he or she may temporarily designate another person to make those decisions on behalf of the student. The person who takes on this responsibility is called the "designee" or the person designated as a person in parental relation to the child. The parent can limit this agreement to a certain time period or certain types of decisions, as long as these limitations are noted in the agreement.

Caregiver Authorization Form [PDF]

School districts may develop a caregiver form that establishes the responsibilities of caregivers and requests caregivers' contact information in place of traditional proof of guardianship for unaccompanied youth. This form should be carefully created to avoid barriers to a student's full participation in school.

Laws

McKinney's Consolidated Laws of New York—Designation of Person in Parental Relation [Word doc]

This law addresses parents' power to designate a "person in parental relation" to a child.

Designate School and Medical Powers to Caregivers [Word doc]

The section of the New York State General Obligations Law, "Designation of Person in Parental Relation," creates a limited parental power of attorney by legalizing the practice of parents writing notes to schools or to medical providers to allow others to assume responsibility for their children. This law describes how to designate a person in parental relation, who can be designated, and what parental powers can be designated to the person in parental relation.