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Iowa

McKinney-Vento Support for Iowa School District Liaisons

We understand that as a McKinney-Vento liaison in Iowa, you likely oversee multiple functions within your district. With Iowa's strong tradition of educational excellence and close community ties, our mission is to help you become the most effective liaison possible while optimizing your local partnerships.

Iowa
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The Challenge in Iowa

Iowa presents a diverse landscape for addressing student homelessness, encompassing growing urban centers and vast rural regions. 

7,314 students were identified in the 2022-2023 school year; total enrollment was over 510k; Iowa's identification rate for students experiencing homelessness was at 1.4%.1

Housing

A lack of safe, affordable, and stable housing is a pervasive struggle across Iowa, significantly impacting educational access and stability for homeless students. The biggest challenge to addressing homelessness remains the lack of affordable housing.
 
  • Many students experience homelessness by living in doubled-up situations with others due to economic hardship. This represented 72.6% of those identified in the 2022-2023 school year.2
  • In urban areas homelessness has reached new highs. The availability of affordable housing is not keeping up with population increases, leading to rising homelessness rates.
  • Rural Iowa faces distinct challenges with a limited and aging housing inventory. Many communities lack the resources and infrastructure to support new developments, often leading to workers commuting long distances due to a lack of available housing close to their jobs.

Transportation

Limited and costly transportation options across Iowa contribute significantly to chronic absenteeism and difficulties in school attendance for homeless students. The Iowa Department of Education provides grants to school districts to help address these barriers.
 
  • In urban centers challenges can include the expense of public transit (where available), navigating complex networks, and managing long commutes to maintain school stability, particularly for students whose temporary housing is far from their school of origin.
  • In rural areas, the primary obstacles are the lack of public transportation options and vast distances between temporary residences and schools. Reliance on limited school bus routes or the absence of city systems compounds barriers to consistent school attendance, requiring school districts to fund in various ways to provide for students.

Did you know?

The national average of children and youth identified as experiencing homelessness is 3% of students enrolled in public education.3 Iowa identified 1.4% during the 2022-2023 school year, lower than the national average.

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How McKinney-Vento.org Supports Iowa Liaisons

Streamlined Compliance

We help you meet federal regulations with up-to-date checklists, policy templates, and annual audit preparation tailored for Iowa schools.

Enhanced Identification: Your "Army of Awareness"

Custom training materials and awareness campaigns adapted for rural and urban  districts help staff recognize housing insecurity early.

Comprehensive Training

Live webinars and on-demand modules-covering trauma-informed practices, transportation logistics, and rural outreach-available year round.

Data Management and Funding Support

Tools to track students, manage eligibility, and access local/federal funding (e.g., Title I, II) help boost resource allocation.

Expert Guidance and Advocacy Support

Subject Matter Experts with many years of McKinney-Vento implementation are ready to provide support on challenging cases, work through situations and help you connect with resources to support your work.
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Success with McKinney-Vento.org

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Featured

“ As I changed school districts this last year, I have become more aware of the homelessness in the school systems. I have moved to a district with many newcomers and most have come with out parents or guardians. This information is very helpful. I am going to pay more attention to situations and help when needed. ”

Cynthia J.

Iowa

Why Iowa Districts Choose McKinney-Vento.org

check-mark McKinney-Vento Expertise

McKinney-Vento.org delivers specialized training and compliance tools for identifying and supporting students experiencing homelessness under federal education law.

 

check-mark Proven Results Since 2014

Our track record speaks for itself – from small rural districts to large urban systems, we've consistently delivered measurable improvements in homeless student support and educational stability.

 

check-mark The Only Turnkey Solution Available

Stop piecing together incomplete solutions. We provide the industry's only comprehensive, turnkey McKinney-Vento implementation system designed specifically for today's educational environment.

State Coordinator Contact

Tyler Navin, Education Program Consultant for Homeless Education
Phone: (515) 669-8622

Citations

1,2,3 Child and Youth Homelessness Data Profiles powered by University of Michigan Poverty Solutions and SHC
  https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/schoolhouseconnection/viz/ChildandYouthHomelessnessDataProfiles/National 

Ready to Better Support Iowa's Homeless Students?

Join the Iowa districts using McKinney-Vento.org to improve outcomes for students experiencing homelessness.

We'll help you find the funding and build internal support to make this program successful in your district.

Book your personalized demo
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