McKinney-Vento 2001, Law Into Practice Issue Brief

Local Educational Agency Liaisons

This document explains how the McKinney-Vento Act requires every Local Educational Agency (LEA) to appoint a liaison for students who are homeless and specifies their legal responsibilities.

Liaisons are LEA staff responsible for ensuring the identification, school enrollment, attendance, and opportunities for academic success of students in homeless situations. Some of these activities may be accomplished by the liaison himself or herself, while others are accomplished by coordinating the efforts of other staff.

National evaluations have found that liaisons are a common denominator for successful district efforts to address homelessness. Therefore, the law now requires every LEA to appoint a liaison for students who are homeless and specifies their legal responsibilities.

By linking students and their families to school and community services, liaisons play a critical role in stabilizing students and promoting academic achievement at the individual, school, and district level.

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