SCHOOLHOUSE CONNECTION

Advocacy and public policyprogram goal: to overcome homelessness through education, we must reform the systems that impact the lives of children, youth, and families experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.program activities: in 2024, shc helped local and state educational agencies make the most of pandemic-era funding to identify and support students experiencing homelessness, leading to reductions in chronic absence and improved academic outcomes. As a result of a recent clarification from the u.s. Department of education (ed) for which we advocated, all of the allowable uses of arp-hcy (pandemic-education funds) funds also will be allowable with annual education for homeless children and youth (ehcy) funds. Shc successfully advocated for a correction to a screen on the 2025-2026 fafsa that had been a barrier to financial aid for unaccompanied homeless youth and for updated federal guidance on homeless youth and the fafsa. Shc assisted educators and service providers to help homeless and foster youth complete the 2024-2025 fafsa. Shc helped to inform a new job corps policy that removes barriers to the participation of youth experiencing homelessness, and galvanized support for disaster relief for students experiencing homelessness in the wake of hurricanes and other natural disasters.

State policyprogram goal: to reform state laws and policies to improve the lives of youth experiencing homelessness, driven by young people and local communities.updated program activities: in 2024, shc advanced policy reforms in multiple legislatures across the u.s. To increase access to education, vital documents, housing, employment, health care and related supports for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. The most impactful accomplishments during this reporting period were: a) five state policy reforms to substantially improve access to education, vital documents and housing for at least 39,340 homeless youth and adults in three states; b) partnership in advocacy with community organizations and legislators in three states (pa, in, ca) to advance reforms addressing youth homelessness, and d) expansion of shc's advocacy network to more than 310 members in 43 states and the district of columbia. Higher educationprogram goal: youth experiencing homelessness who wish to pursue postsecondary education enroll in postsecondary, and obtain a postsecondary credential. Program activities: in 2024, shc assisted youth, educators, and service providers to navigate the challenging roll-out of the 2024-2025 fafsa. This included: a) 4 new fafsa resources and updates to 16 existing resources, including a video demonstration for youth on how to fill out the fafsa; b) 27 virtual and in-person trainings at local, state, and national conferences, including a standing-room only session at the nasfaa conference. Shc directly assisted more than 50 young people and/or their advocates who reached out for help with the fafsa or with accessing postsecondary education. Shc joined the u.s. Department of education and ecmc's fafsa support strategy to boost 2024-2025 fafsa completion through a targeted social media campaign. The campaign focused on unaccompanied homeless youth ages 18-24 and youth-serving professionals. Shc informed and successfully advocated for improvements to the 2025-2026 fafsa. Shc supported higher education professionals in 24 states through a homeless higher education liaison learning network.youth leadership and scholarships programprogram goals: to provide comprehensive, lasting support to scholars, helping them successfully navigate higher education and transition into the workforce with minimal debt, delays, and barriers. We aim to consistently elevate scholars' voices to drive program innovation and advocate for systemic change.program activities: shc's youth leadership & scholarships (yls) program provides a scholarship award, college completion resources to meet emergency needs, one-on-one help navigating college and life, and a stable peer and adult support network. In 2023, shc hosted three in-person trips for its scholars: a first-year award ceremony to celebrate the newest cohort of scholarship recipients, a second-year summit in washington dc where students educated federal policymakers on barriers to education created by homelessness, and a third-year retreat for scholars transitioning into the workforce. Shc also created other opportunities for scholars to elevate critical issues, share their stories to drive change, and collaborate with policymakers to improve education for children, youth, and young adults experiencing homelessness. In 2024, this included a student-led panel at the 2024 national conference of state legislatures youth and young adult summit.