Here is Arizona information for our members to review:
-
Currently, there is no statewide tuition waiver solely for general McKinney-Vento (homeless) youth. Homeless students must rely on federal financial aid and private scholarships to cover tuition.
-
Parental Information Waived: Independent students can submit the FAFSA without their legal parents’ or guardians’ signatures or financial data, dramatically increasing their eligibility for Pell Grants and federal aid.
-
If the student is considered an “unaccompanied youth”, the High school McKinney-Vento Liaisons are mandated to provide unaccompanied homeless youth with a determination letter that verifies their status to college financial aid administrators.
-
Extended “Aftercare” Support: Programs like Homeless Youth Connection provide active aftercare and case management for up to one-year post-graduation. This assists students with housing referrals, vital document retrieval (e.g., birth certificates, IDs), and navigating college enrollment.
-
Community-Based Transition Assistance: Organizations such as Youth On Their Own offer ongoing guidance, social service referrals, and access to food and hygiene mini-malls to help young adults stabilize their transition into independent living or college.
-
State & Local Education Grants: Many school districts in Arizona receive the Education of Homeless Children & Youth (EHCY) Grant, which can be used to fund emergency services, extraordinary needs, and bridge gaps in transitioning into the workforce or post-secondary education.
Continued Q&A from the June PCCEH Coalition Meeting Presentation:
Q1) What happens when a McKinney-Vento eligible student graduates from high school?
A: While the McKinney-Vento Act primarily serves K-12 students, eligible high school graduates—especially unaccompanied homeless youth—retain crucial legal rights to transition into higher education. Local liaisons and counselors are required to assist these students in navigating college preparation and accessing vital financial aid. Students who experienced homelessness or were unaccompanied minors during high school automatically qualify as independent students on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Please click the buttons below to download the McKinney-Vento flyers each with a different target group:
Information for School Age Youth
To learn more about McKinney-Vento, please click the button below: