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Minnesota

McKinney-Vento Support for Minnesota School District Liaisons

We understand that as a McKinney-Vento liaison in Minnesota, you likely oversee multiple functions within your district. From the Twin Cities to Greater Minnesota and everywhere in between, our mission is to help you become the most effective liaison possible while optimizing your community partnerships.

Minnesota
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The Challenge in Minnesota

Minnesota presents a diverse landscape for addressing student homelessness, encompassing major urban centers like Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and vast rural regions. The state is currently experiencing a significant rise in overall homelessness, including among families.

18,204 students were identified in the 2022-2023 school year; total enrollment was at 870k; Minnesota's identification rate for students experiencing homelessness was at 2.1%.1

Housing

A lack of safe, affordable, and stable housing is a pervasive struggle across Minnesota, significantly impacting educational access and stability for homeless students. Lack of affordable housing is a crisis across the state, in both urban and rural areas.
 
  • Many students experience homelessness by living in doubled-up situations with others due to economic hardship. In the 2022-2023 school year, 66.1% of those identified had this type of accommodation.2
  • In urban areas homelessness numbers are rising. Restrictive urban planning policies, particularly "urban containment" strategies, have led to higher land prices and undermined housing affordability in metropolitan areas.
  • Rural Minnesota (often called "Greater Minnesota") faces distinct challenges where homelessness is often an "invisible population" due to a severe lack of formal shelters. Residents rely on a patchwork of housing options, from motels to informal arrangements, making identification and outreach difficult.

Transportation

Limited and costly transportation options across Minnesota contribute significantly to chronic absenteeism and difficulties in school attendance for homeless students. This is a top barrier to achieving housing and self-sufficiency, especially in rural areas.
 
  • In urban centers like Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Rochester, challenges can include the expense of public transit, navigating complex transportation 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 ("Greater Minnesota"), the primary obstacles are the severe lack of public transportation options and vast distances between temporary residences and schools. This significantly impedes access to employment, services, and consistent school attendance, often perpetuating homelessness.

Did you know?

The national average of children and youth identified as experiencing homelessness is 3% of students enrolled in public education.3 Minnesota identified 2.1% during the 2022-2023 school year, below the national average.

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How McKinney-Vento.org Supports Minnesota Liaisons

Streamlined Compliance

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

Minnesota

Why Minnesota 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 Contacts

Jyoti Wadhwa, Homeless Education Specialist
Phone: (651) 582-8376
 
Leigh Schleicher, Supervisor Student Access and Opportunity Division
Phone: (651) 582-8326

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 Minnesota's Homeless Students?

Join the Minnesota 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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