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Ohio

McKinney-Vento Support for Ohio School District Liaisons

We understand that as a McKinney-Vento liaison in Ohio, you likely handle various responsibilities within your district. With school districts serving students from Cleveland to Cincinnati and throughout the state, our mission is to help you become the most effective liaison possible while making your complex job more manageable.

Ohio
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The Challenge in Ohio

Ohio presents a diverse landscape for addressing student homelessness, encompassing major urban centers like Cleveland and Columbus, alongside vast, often sparsely populated rural and suburban regions.

In the 2023-2024 school year, 30,822 students were identified as experiencing homelessness across the state from 1.68 million enrolled in public school.1

Housing

A lack of safe, affordable, and stable housing is a pervasive struggle across Ohio, significantly impacting educational access and stability for homeless students.
 
  • In urban areas like Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, homelessness can be more visible due to concentrated services and shelters (emergency shelters or transitional housing)
  • Rural and suburban areas face challenges with 'hidden' homelessness due to limited resources and fewer visible shelters, often leading to reliance on informal networks or substandard conditions.
  • Many students experience homelessness by living in doubled-up situations with others due to economic hardship or loss of housing. In the 2022-2023 school year, it was 77.4% of those identified.2

Transportation

Limited and costly transportation options across Ohio contribute significantly to chronic absenteeism and difficulties in school attendance for homeless students.
 
  • In urban centers, challenges include the expense of public transit, long commutes across metropolitan areas, and navigating complex transportation networks.
  • In rural areas, obstacles are the lack of public transportation, vast distances, and reliance on school bus routes that may not flexibly accommodate changing living situations.

Did you know?

The national average of children and youth identified as experiencing homelessness is 3% of students enrolled in public education.3  Ohio identified 1.8% during the 2022-2023 school year.

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How McKinney-Vento.org Supports Ohio Liaisons

Streamlined Compliance

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

Ohio

Why Ohio 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

Trish Barnett, Homeless Education Programs Coordinator
Phone: (614) 324-7646

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 Ohio's Homeless Students?

Join the Ohio 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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