Federal Funding Threatened: Here's How Homeless Liaisons Fought Back

Описание: In Part 2 of my ‪@schoolutionspodcast‬ conversation, Erin Patterson from SchoolHouse Connection returns to detail the legislative wins for families experiencing homelessness, showcasing how advocacy works in the face of federal budget cuts. This segment underscores the critical role of social services and community engagement in supporting student housing needs and ensuring continued access to education. It's a powerful look at how dedicated advocates can make a real impact.

What happens when the federal government zeros out the only dedicated funding for homeless students in America? You fight back. And you win.

In this episode, you'll learn:
How $129 million in homeless education funding was zeroed out in the President's FY26 budget, and how SchoolHouse Connection got it restored through nonpartisan grassroots advocacy
Why dedicated funding vs. block grants is one of the most consequential policy distinctions for student success and whole child support
What the McKinney-Vento Act actually guarantees for homeless students and how the Every Student Succeeds Act strengthened it
The Homeless Children and Youth Act (HCYA): the signature legislation that would align federal definitions so families in motels and doubled-up housing finally qualify for housing assistance
How the Thrive from the Start Coalition is mobilizing state-level action on infant and toddler homelessness, and why 48 states applied for just 10 grants
The compounding barriers undocumented homeless families face as schools become less safe, and what culturally responsive teaching and inclusive teaching environments must do in response
How family partnerships, caregiver support, and home-school connection are central to making McKinney-Vento work on the ground

Some resources mentioned:
➡️Barbara Duffield
➡️Thomas J. Lucas (TJ)
➡️SchoolHouse Connection
➡️Thrive from the Start Coalition
➡️SchoolHouse Connection Advocacy Page
➡️SchoolHouse Connection Federal Policy Tracker
➡️Homeless Children and Youth Data Map
➡️McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
➡️Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015)
➡️Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program
➡️Homeless Children and Youth Act (HCYA)
➡️Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
➡️FY26 Presidential Budget
➡️Resources for Homeless Education Liaisons

🎧 Haven't listened to Part I yet? Start there because Erin paints the full picture of what hidden homelessness looks like for children across America, and why most people have already met a homeless child without knowing it.

💫Part 1 (   • Who Are the Children Experiencing Homeless...  ) & the linked episode mentions for Part 2 and other resources here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/ep...

CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction: When the Budget Shows a Zero
1:00 Welcome Back: Picking Up Where Part 1 Left Off
1:45 The President's FY26 Budget & the Zeroing Out of Homeless Education Funding
3:00 Why Homeless Education Is Still a Bipartisan (Tri-Partisan) Issue
3:45 How SchoolHouse Connection Mobilized 100+ Liaisons Nationwide
5:30 Sharing Stories, Not Lobbying: How Nonpartisan Advocacy Works
6:00 The Victory: $129 Million in Homeless Education Funding Restored
6:45 Shining a Light on Homeless Education Liaisons
7:30 What the McKinney-Vento Act Actually Does for Students
9:00 How the Every Student Succeeds Act Strengthened McKinney-Vento
9:45 Identifying Homeless Students: The Chain Reaction That Follows
10:00 Undocumented & Homeless: The Compounding Barriers Families Face
11:00 Schools as Safe Spaces and What's Threatening That Right Now
11:45 Dedicated Funding vs. Block Grants: Why It Matters for Vulnerable Kids
13:00 The Thrive from the Start Coalition Explained
14:15 10 State Grants Announced, 48 States Applied
15:15 The Homeless Children and Youth Act (HCYA): The Signature Legislation
16:30 How to Get Involved with SchoolHouse Connection
17:45 The Federal Policy Tracker & Homeless Children and Youth Data Map
18:30 Closing Reflections: One Law, One Liaison, One Conversation
19:30 Preview: Dr. Kris Nystrom on Literacy in Sub-Saharan Africa

🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Connect with me at https://www.oliviawahl.com/coaching-c... if you’d like a thought partner to help you cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

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Next Week: We're crossing oceans. From Connecticut classrooms to the school deserts of sub-Saharan Africa, Dr. Kris Nystrom left retirement to tackle the world's lowest literacy rates one community at a time. Kris will forever change how you think about what's at stake when a child can't read. Don't miss it.

#SchoolutionsPodcast #ForeverGettingBetter #SchoolHouseConnection #ThriveFromTheStart