Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH): Guidance for Successful Education Journeys is a monthly webinar series offering professional development for homeless liaisons, educators, and other professionals supporting children and youth experiencing homelessness. Each session provides practical guidance, strategies, and resources to strengthen implementation of the McKinney-Vento Act, address barriers to education, and promote positive outcomes for students.
Disclaimer: Learning series sessions are created by individual providers. The opinions presented herein do not necessarily represent the official stance or policies of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), and no official endorsement by the PDE should be inferred.
Financial Aid for Students with Special Circumstances
[Recorded September 2026] The webinar will provide an overview of the financial aid application process, and what types of aid are available with a focus on special student population audiences.
ECYEH Reporting App (ERA) Help Desk Live: Common Questions a Open Q&A
Tuesday, Sept. 29 from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Join the ECYEH Evaluation Team for an interactive ERA support session designed to help users navigate common reporting questions and challenges. We’ll begin by reviewing frequently asked questions and practical guidance based on issues that commonly arise when using the ECYEH Reporting App (ERA). The remainder of the session will be dedicated to open Q&A, giving participants an opportunity to ask questions, troubleshoot issues, and get clarification on ERA reporting requirements and processes.
Be sure to join us at the 2026 Paving the Way Conference on October 6-7 in Lancaster.
The 2026 Paving the Way to Educational Success Conference is a dynamic statewide learning opportunity dedicated to advancing school stability and educational success for students experiencing homelessness and students experiencing foster care.
Through keynote presentations, breakout sessions and networking opportunities, participants will explore foundational core competencies, emerging best practices, sustainable capacity building, effective McKinney-Vento and foster care education programs, collaboration and community partnerships, student voice and belonging, and educator and student well-being.
Visit our conference website for all the 2026 Paving the Way Conference details.
The Power of Partnership: Connecting People, Systems, and Student Success
Thursday, Nov. 12 from 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM
Creating meaningful support for students and families experiencing homelessness requires strong systems and strong relationships. This webinar will highlight how Reading School District utilizes a district-level, macro-focused social worker in partnership with building-based social workers to strengthen McKinney-Vento implementation across the district. Participants will explore how intentional collaboration, defined roles, and continuous communication create consistent, student-centered support while empowering building teams to address individual needs. As part of this webinar, learn how to implement similar practices in your school district, including the use of tools like the district’s Impact Rounds, reflective practices, and data collection that evaluates current efforts, identifies service gaps, and makes informed adjustments to services for students experiencing homelessness.
Meet Our Presenters
Emily Snisky, MSW, LCSW, C-SSWS, serves as the Families in Transition Social Worker for Reading School District. With eight years of experience in the district, Emily is currently the homeless and foster care point of contact, overseeing Knights Closet and Knights Keep operations to support students and families in need. She collaborates with a diverse team of over 40 school social workers to develop pathways and provide essential services for students experiencing homelessness. Driven by a commitment to advancing equity and student well-being, Emily works to connect vulnerable youth with resources, stability, and support throughout their educational journeys.
Amanda Wargo, MSW, LSW, C-SSW, serves as the school social worker at Northwest Middle School in the Reading School District. Amanda has 26 years of experience in the field of social work, six of those years within the district; she brings extensive expertise and a strong commitment to supporting students and families. In her role as a school social worker, Amanda provides direct services to students and their families experiencing homelessness. She currently acts as the committee chair for the District’s Families in Transition Committee. In this leadership role she works collaboratively to develop procedures that will support and empower students experiencing homelessness though their educational journey.
Your Youngest Students Aren’t in School Yet: Connecting K–12 Homeless Liaisons with Early Childhood Programs
Tuesday, Dec. 8 from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Many infants, toddlers, and preschoolers experiencing homelessness go unidentified because they are not yet enrolled in K–12 schools, even though McKinney-Vento protections begin at birth. This session will help Pennsylvania Homeless Liaisons understand their role in identifying and supporting children under five. Participants will learn why young children are often missed and gain practical strategies for partnering with Head Start, Early Intervention, Pre-K Counts, child care, home visiting, and other early childhood programs to improve identification, referrals, and access to services.
Meet Our Presenters
Tracy Duarte is the Director of the Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office (PA HSCO), where she leads statewide efforts to strengthen partnerships among Head Start, state agencies, and community organizations serving young children and families. With more than 30 years of experience in early childhood education and systems building, she is recognized for her leadership in cross-sector collaboration, particularly at the intersection of early childhood, homelessness, housing, and public policy.
A nationally recognized expert on early childhood homelessness, Tracy leads Pennsylvania’s Thrive From the Start initiative, a statewide effort to improve identification and support for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers experiencing homelessness and housing instability. She regularly presents at state and national conferences on early childhood homelessness, Head Start partnerships, and cross-system collaboration, helping policymakers and practitioners strengthen services for young children and families experiencing adversity.
Before joining the Pennsylvania Head Start State Collaboration Office, Tracy directed an Early Head Start program and served as Pennsylvania’s State-Based Infant/Toddler Specialist with ZERO TO THREE, providing statewide leadership in infant and toddler policy and program quality.
Sarah Vrabic is Senior Manager of Early Childhood at SchoolHouse Connection (SHC). In her role, she partners with communities and states, working to overcome homelessness through early care and education by providing practical assistance to identify and enroll young children experiencing homelessness into early childhood development programs. Prior to SHC, Sarah worked within the Philadelphia family emergency shelter system for a decade, facilitating cross-systems collaboration between housing and early childhood education programs. Sarah has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master of Science in Psychology with a focus on resilience in child development within adverse contexts, both from Villanova University.