Subtitle VII-B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 11431-11435, hereafter referred to as "The McKinney-Vento Act"), reauthorized in 2001 by Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act, ensures educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. The most critical step in ensuring the provision of needed services and supports is for local educational agencies (LEAs or school districts) to identify children and youth who are eligible under the McKinney-Vento Act's definition of "homeless." This brief explains the key provisions of the McKinney-Vento Act related to the identification of homeless children and youth, explores challenges with identifying homeless children and youth, and provides strategies to increase LEA capacity to identify all children and youth experiencing homelessness. A list of additional resources from National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is included.