Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) is launching the statewide Homeless Case Management System (HCMS) as part of its Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plan. The plan, approved by the United States Department of Education (USED), details how access to timely data on students experiencing homelessness and their families improves quality of life and the utilization of needed services. The system is designed to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in gathering, reporting, and analyzing high-quality data. By utilizing this data, district homeless liaisons (DHLs) can more effectively plan, target, and scale interventions tailored to meet the needs of students experiencing homelessness, ensuring that the state's most vulnerable youth receive the necessary services to support their education.  
On March 26, 2026, HCMS access will be provided to all LEAs across the state. Technical assistance during weekly office hours will continue to support DHLs as they learn and implement the system. Beginning April 1, 2026, DHLs are encouraged to join these one-hour sessions on Wednesdays from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. The Teams Meeting link will be shared directly with DHLs.

• HCMS Data Manual - Instructions, definitions, and guidelines for entering data into the system.
• NJ Data Tool Training - Short training and navigation video of the system.