The Politics of Policy in the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act: Setting the Agenda for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Abstract

While most of the press around the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) has focused on how it signals an end to No Child Left Behind, the implications of ESSA for students experiencing homelessness have been largely overlooked. Garnering organizational insights from Kingdon’s (Agendas, alternatives, and public policies, Pearson, Glenviiew, 2011) policy streams and coupling the literature with our first-hand policy experience, we present a political analysis of the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act from inception through ESSA. Our purpose is to highlight how and why the act grew stronger—and more beneficial for students experiencing homelessness—despite wide-ranging obstacles. Not only did the original policy function to alter the politics around homelessness, but key actors, events, and contexts shaped history and enabled stakeholders who were engaged in the day-to-day work to play an important role in setting the policy trajectory. Implications for stakeholders aiming to improve educational opportunities for other marginalized students are discussed.