Students experiencing homelessness are in your school and, most likely, in your very own classroom. Identifying these students can help create stability within their lives, leading to positive school outcomes. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act protects these students and ensures they have immediate and equal access to public education.
Who is considered homeless, according to McKinney-Vento?
Individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence:
- Sharing the housing of other persons due to the loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason
- Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of adequate alternative accommodations
- Living in emergency or transitional shelters
- Living in a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
- Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings
Where can you find help?
Helping students succeed can go far beyond the walls of the school or classroom. Providing resources to students and their families can support their academic, social-emotional, food security, medical, and housing needs. Resources can be plentiful, but hard to research when trying to find the best fit for your students. Start your search for help with some of these resources within the Region 7 area.
2-1-1 Texas (Texas Health and Human Services)
https://www.211texas.org/
2-1-1 Texas helps people in Texas connect with the services they need. Resources can be found by phone or the internet. 2-1-1 Texas is a free, anonymous social service hotline available 24 hours a day. The easy search tool helps users find food, housing, child care, crisis counseling, or even substance abuse treatment.
2-1-1 Texas helps people in Texas connect with the services they need. Resources can be found by phone or the internet. 2-1-1 Texas is a free, anonymous social service hotline available 24 hours a day. The easy search tool helps users find food, housing, child care, crisis counseling, or even substance abuse treatment.
GETCAP (Greater East Texas Community Action Program)
https://www.get-cap.org/
GETCAP is a private non-profit organization that offers a variety of services and programs to assist low-income individuals and families. Some of the services provided include energy assistance, home weatherization, education and training assistance, and Early Head Start.
GETCAP is a private non-profit organization that offers a variety of services and programs to assist low-income individuals and families. Some of the services provided include energy assistance, home weatherization, education and training assistance, and Early Head Start.
Workforce Solutions East Texas
https://www.easttexasworkforce.org/
Workforce Solutions East Texas can provide many services to young adults (ages 16 to 24) through their Career Edge Young Adult Program. This program provides job skills for future job seekers by providing paid work experience, work readiness courses, and scholarships for school. Other helpful resources include child care and transportation assistance.
Workforce Solutions East Texas can provide many services to young adults (ages 16 to 24) through their Career Edge Young Adult Program. This program provides job skills for future job seekers by providing paid work experience, work readiness courses, and scholarships for school. Other helpful resources include child care and transportation assistance.
903 HELP.ORG
https://www.903help.org/
Ensuring individuals can easily find help in times of need. 903HELP.ORG assists individuals living in Anderson, Cherokee, Rusk, or Smith counties locate services for food, employment assistance, education, housing & shelter, transportation, utilities, and much more.
Ensuring individuals can easily find help in times of need. 903HELP.ORG assists individuals living in Anderson, Cherokee, Rusk, or Smith counties locate services for food, employment assistance, education, housing & shelter, transportation, utilities, and much more.
Hiway 80 Rescue Mission
https://hiway80rm.org/
Hiway 80 Rescue Mission has four campuses in Longview and Tyler. They provide emergency shelter, community meals, clothes closets, recovery programs, showers/laundry access, and mail services.
Hiway 80 Rescue Mission has four campuses in Longview and Tyler. They provide emergency shelter, community meals, clothes closets, recovery programs, showers/laundry access, and mail services.
One Love Longview
https://onelovelongview.com/
One Love Longview provides access to multiple resources such as food, counseling, shower, clothing, laundry, recovery, medical, and salon.
One Love Longview provides access to multiple resources such as food, counseling, shower, clothing, laundry, recovery, medical, and salon.
PATH
https://www.pathhelps.org/
PATH seeks to restore hope with a personalized approach to empower East Texans to thrive in their community. Some of the resources provided include dental and vision services, a food pantry, utility assistance, rent assistance, and a transitional housing program.
PATH seeks to restore hope with a personalized approach to empower East Texans to thrive in their community. Some of the resources provided include dental and vision services, a food pantry, utility assistance, rent assistance, and a transitional housing program.
East Texas Food Bank
https://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/
The East Texas Food Bank serves over 117,000 households in 26 counties throughout East Texas. They serve children, families, and seniors who do not have enough food to eat. Children are served by a variety of programs such as the BackPack Program, Kids Cafe & Afterschool Snack Program, Summer Food Program, Mobile Pantry, and Resource Centers in Lufkin, Longview, and Tyler.
The East Texas Food Bank serves over 117,000 households in 26 counties throughout East Texas. They serve children, families, and seniors who do not have enough food to eat. Children are served by a variety of programs such as the BackPack Program, Kids Cafe & Afterschool Snack Program, Summer Food Program, Mobile Pantry, and Resource Centers in Lufkin, Longview, and Tyler.
Region 7 ESC offers additional help and services through our McKinney-Vento - Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth (TEHCY) Program.
Upcoming Region 7 ESC Workshops
February 13, 2023
March 13, 2023
April 5, 2023
April 10, 2023
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Leslie Dowdle works in the Center for State and Federal Programs as a Specialist for Region 7 ESC. She specializes in the area of McKinney-Vento/Homeless and works with the TEHCY and ARP II Homeless Shared Service Arrangements for Region 7. Before joining Region 7 ESC, she was a School Counselor at Lindale ISD and Gladewater ISD, was a Special Education Teacher at Lindale ISD and Fruitvale ISD, and was an Orientation and Mobility Specialist for the Blind at Arlington ISD.
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