"In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if ... denied the opportunity for an education."

- United States Supreme Court opinion in Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Whether they live in a shelter, "doubled-up" in other homes, on the street or in a car, all children have the right to enroll in school. The Law Project staff works every day to make educational rights a reality for the estimated 60,000 school-age children who are homeless in Illinois.

The Law Project believes that people experiencing homelessness should understand their legal rights and have the power to assert them. We reach out to families and youth throughout the state by visiting shelters, attending community events and sharing information at a variety of community venues.

The Law Project also reaches out to shelter staff to train them about the law and provide information that can be posted or distributed at shelter sites. Through these actions, we hope we can help prevent school enrollment problems for homeless children and youth.

For more information about the Law Project's work on educational rights, please contact the Law Project.

Educating Children Without Housing: A Primer on Legal Requirements and Implementation Strategies for Educators, Advocates and Policymakers

For more information about the state of educational rights for children experiencing homelessness, check out "Educating Children Without Housing: A Primer on Legal Requirements and Implementation Strategies for Educators, Advocates and Policymakers," which is available through the American Bar Association ($14.95).

A publication of the American Bar Association Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, "Educating Children Without Housing" is coauthored by Laurene Heybach, director of the Law Project of CCH, with Barbara Duffield and Patricia Julianelle of the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth.

It is an excellent resource for a broad audience of professionals. Purchase a copy today.