The purpose of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Act is to ensure that all children and youth, including preschoolers, have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education as non-homeless children and youth. In the 2022-2023 school year, Ohio had 24,046 students experiencing homelessness.  (ODE 2023)

Education is a means for homeless children to break the cycle of poverty and achieve a better future. A solid education can be the foundation of a child's future, but when they grow up without a permanent home, it's much more challenging to get a quality education. Runaway youth and youth affected by homelessness have high rates of involvement in the juvenile justice system, are more likely to engage in substance use and delinquent behavior, be teenage parents, drop out of school, suffer from sexually transmitted diseases, and meet the criteria for mental illness. ( Youth.gov 2023)