Through the work of Y-PLAN (Youth--Plan, Learn, Act, Now) youth-led action research, the University of California Berkeley Center for Cities + Schools (CC+S) has focused its research on youth experiencing homelessness in California public schools. This research analyzed the McKinney-Vento Act from system-wide implementation perspectives, as well as direct, lived experiences of young people, highlighting three core challenges: (1) Insufficient funding at both the state and federal levels, leading to inadequate implementation, under-identification, and insufficient services for unhoused students; (2) Poorly coordinated systems at local or regional levels to align policies and resources; and (3) Lack of engagement of one of the greatest stakeholders in this policy area--the students themselves. This white paper presents a case study of Y-PLAN work at Oakland High School that engaged students within the Law and Social Justice Career Pathway directly in the policymaking process to improve the district program for unhoused students. More than 100 students researched and proposed actionable policy solutions to support unhoused peers, which centered on basic needs and career development centers, academic programming assistance, and financial literacy and independence. This white paper makes the case for local educational agencies (LEAs) to harness the state's $3 billion investment in community schools and other significant educational investments in career pathways to mobilize youth as agents of change and improve McKinney-Vento implementation in the midst of a growing student homelessness crisis.