CHNJ’s Data-Driven Approach in Collaboration with Essex Regional Educational Services Commission
At Covenant House New Jersey (CHNJ), we are proud to continue to innovate and do more to serve youth facing homelessness. Our efforts go far beyond providing immediate basic needs such as food and shelter and are intended to serve more youth with better outcomes. In one of our latest efforts, we are supporting students facing homelessness through our Covenant House Action and Research Tank (CHART), in partnership with the Essex Regional Educational Services Commission (ERESC), CHNJ designed and authored the Region II 2025–2030 McKinney-Vento Strategic Plan—a comprehensive, research-informed framework grounded in data, equity, and lived experience.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, first enacted in 1987, is the primary federal law that ensures educational access and stability for children and youth experiencing homelessness. It mandates that school districts identify students experiencing homelessness, immediately enroll them, and remove barriers to attendance and success—including transportation, school stability, and access to services. While the law is foundational in protecting educational rights, effective implementation varies widely and remains a challenge across the state.
Despite federal mandates under the McKinney-Vento Act, Region II of New Jersey reported under-identification of homeless students, with no county exceeding 0.8%, well below the national average of 2.5%. CHNJ’s needs assessment revealed systemic gaps in identification, interagency collaboration, and school-based support.
A Model for Systemic Change
CHNJ’s strategy offers a replicable, evidence-based model to address the intersection of homelessness and educational access. Key components include:
- Robust data collection and annual needs assessments to guide iterative improvements.
- Training & Technical Assistance to disseminate best practices and build institutional capacity.
- Individuals with Lived Experience and Community Experts engaged in the implementation process.
- Implementation of new and innovative interventions to improve outcomes such as attendance, graduation rates, and post-secondary readiness.
Opportunities for Collaboration
CHNJ offers multiple opportunities for engagement with our McKinney-Vento work. CHNJ welcomes collaboration with school districts and regional McKinney-Vento grantees, and offers:
- Training on best practices for identifying and supporting students experiencing homelessness
- District, regional, and statewide McKinney-Vento needs assessments
- Development of Education of Homeless Children and Youth strategic plans
- Technical assistance to address issues such as under-identification, improving attendance and graduation rates, implementing in-school supports, and building a network of community resources.
CHNJ is also interested in advancing the field and improving educational outcomes for students experiences homelessness through collaborations with researchers, policy think tanks, and government officials, such as:
- Program evaluations
- Policy analysis on the efficacy of McKinney-Vento implementation.
- Co-authorship opportunities on applied research and case studies.
- Translation of best practices to state or national models.
To learn more or explore partnership opportunities contact: chart@covenanthouse.org. Read more about our work at covenanthousenj.org.
