Latest news with #McKinney-Vento
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School Staff Fear Homeless Students Would Be Hurt by Trump Block Grant Plan
This article was originally published in Chalkbeat. Trump wants to put money for homeless kids into a block grant. School staff are wary. Federal funding for homeless students has helped Metro Nashville Public Schools meet kids' evolving needs for decades. It has sent tutors to family shelters to help children with their school work. It has paid for transportation when families got priced out of their homes and suddenly had to move cross-county. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter And it pays for liaisons like Catherine Knowles, who for 28 years has listened to what homeless families say they really need and tried to respond. That's why the district has a hotel-friendly food pantry filled with items like shelf-stable milk, microwaveable mac and cheese cups, and just-add-water cereal bowls. 'We're giving that recognition of: We really do see what you're going through,' Knowles said, 'and we then have the flexibility to be responsive to that because we have funding and we have dedicated resources.' The Trump administration has proposed doing away with this dedicated funding. The president's Education Department budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 consolidates money for homeless students and 17 other programs into a single, much smaller K-12 block grant. States would get $2 billion, down from the roughly $6.5 billion the federal government spends now. Schools could keep spending that money on the students and activities envisioned in federal law, or on a range of other activities, such as 'promoting patriotic education,' or improving instruction in math, reading, science, and history. In the current federal budget, Congress allocated $129 million to support homeless students with McKinney-Vento funding, named for the 1987 federal law that guarantees homeless children certain educational rights. That's a tiny fraction of the roughly $18 billion the federal government spends specifically on high-poverty schools. Liaisons like Knowles worry homeless students will fall down the priority list if schools no longer get funding specifically to serve them. 'There is such increasing need among students in public education, in general,' Knowles said. 'Without McKinney-Vento dedicated funding specifically spelling out our responsibilities and the rights of students experiencing homelessness, I'm just afraid it could kind of all get lost in the shuffle.' Why Congress set aside money for homeless students The Education Department has said the block grant would give states and schools the ability to spend federal funds more in line with their needs, 'without the unnecessary administrative burdens imposed under current law.' Several Republican governors have said they'd welcome education block grants. And some states, such as Iowa, that are seeking more flexibility in how they spend their federal education dollars have said they would continue to meet the needs of unique student groups, including homeless students. Right now, the federal government gives each state money for homeless students based on their share of Title I funds, which support students in poverty. Then the state awards the money to districts on a competitive basis, because the sum is too small to divide among all of them. Around 1 in 5 school districts nationally get McKinney-Vento funding, which means many districts are required to hire homeless liaisons and meet homeless students' needs without dedicated funding. But school liaisons and advocates for homeless youth are calling on Congress to maintain funding for students experiencing homelessness as a standalone program. In the early days of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Congress tasked states and schools with rewriting policies and collecting data about students experiencing homelessness. That work exposed gaps in support, and prompted Congress to set aside money specifically for these students in 1990. 'The dedicated funding was about responding to those barriers,' said Barbara Duffield, the executive director of the nonprofit SchoolHouse Connection. In addition to legal protections, 'you also have to have somebody who goes out looking for you, makes sure you have a ride, actually makes sure you can get enrolled.' Since then, McKinney-Vento funding has played an outsized role in under-resourced communities that lack shelters, and 'where the school literally might be the source of services for these families,' Duffield said. Researchers and school staff also point out that students experiencing homelessness have specific needs and greater academic challenges than even other children from low-income families. Homeless students have higher rates of absenteeism and are less likely to graduate from high school than their housed peers, even when compared with other kids living in poverty. 'Just imagine: If you go to a school that has high poverty, you've already been in poverty your whole life, and now you're also unhoused,' said Jessica Smith, a social worker who is the McKinney-Vento coordinator for Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. 'It looks completely different than a student who just is low-income. Those babies need assistance, too, but our babies need just a little bit more of a focus.' Smith, for example, uses part of her district's McKinney-Vento funding to take high schoolers who live on their own without help from a parent to visit colleges and trade schools. In Tennessee's Robertson County Schools, McKinney-Vento funding provides students experiencing homelessness with clothing that meets the district's dress code. And recently, it allowed the district to hire a translator to work specifically with Spanish-speaking homeless families, said Jennifer Dusky, a social worker who also serves as the district's homeless liaison. The rural community 30 miles north of Nashville is a major tobacco producer and attracts many migrant families. As that population has grown, the translator who handles requests from across the district couldn't meet all the needs of homeless families and still get her other duties done, Dusky said. 'It was a need, for sure, to have a dedicated translator,' Dusky said. 'Homelessness is not a comfortable thing for anyone to talk about, it's very vulnerable and very scary. And then, of course, you add in the fact that you're in a new country, you don't speak the language. There's all these fears and they're very hesitant to talk with us. I totally get that.' When the district hired a Spanish-speaking translator who had experienced homelessness herself, she helped identify, and provide support to, more homeless children. 'You can almost see the comfort just come over their face whenever they see her and talk to her,' Dusky said. But when the district got half as much McKinney-Vento funding from the state this year as it has in years past, Dusky got a preview of the tough trade-offs schools nationwide would face if standalone funding went away. Her district had to decide if it could afford to keep the translator and the person who maintains McKinney-Vento records. For at least the next year, the district will dip into its own pocket to do so, but Dusky isn't sure how long that will last. 'What can our program realistically withstand?' she said. 'What can our community support?' Congress will decide if block grant proposal advances It is unclear whether Congress will approve the block grant proposal for homeless students and other programs. The Senate Appropriations committee rejected the block grant in the bipartisan education budget bill they approved Thursday, and kept McKinney-Vento funding at $129 million a year. The House Appropriations committee won't consider the education portion of the president's budget until it returns from recess in September. Some worry that Congress could repeal all or part of the law that authorizes McKinney-Vento funding to make the block grant legal, potentially leaving homeless students with fewer protections. Just a handful of states guarantee homeless students the same main educational rights outlined in federal law; most do not have any spelled out in state law, according to a recent report by SchoolHouse Connection. Smith in Kansas City, Kansas, worries what that could mean for her students, many of whom stay over the state line in Kansas City, Missouri, because there are no shelters in her community. When that happens, both districts share the cost of transporting the child to school, Smith said, but she's not sure what would happen if Missouri and Kansas decided to spend their block grants differently. 'If we don't have something that focuses on this particular population they'll get overlooked — as they often do already,' Smith said. This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Maryland homeless students feel the brunt of housing unaffordability
BALTIMORE — A mother and 11-year-old daughter fleeing domestic violence moved to a Baltimore-area safe house in March. They had been homeless for more than a year, after a series of lost jobs and lost places to stay. 'It kept happening, and as far as I could see, I couldn't stop it,' said the 11-year-old, who enrolled in and attended three middle schools in the span of one year. 'So, instead of fighting it, [I] just accept it and move on.' She is one of thousands of students who have become homeless since 2019. In that time, Maryland has seen a 24% rise in homeless students during that time, due to ever-increasing rental and housing costs. At the same time, federal funds allocated to assist homeless students, like tutoring, after-school programs, transportation and school supplies, are being rolled back, further imperiling these children. The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth is a Georgia-based nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that advocates for educational equity for homeless youth. 'Many people don't understand that youth homelessness is even an issue in our country,' Executive Director Deirdre Nicholson said. 'It creates the pipeline to adult homelessness.' Higher housing costs, growing rates of homelessness among students Under the federal McKinney-Vento Assistance Act, homelessness doesn't simply mean living outdoors — it includes students who live in emergency shelters, cars or motels, as well as those who are 'doubling-up:' staying with friends or relatives. While there are about 1.3 million students identified under McKinney-Vento, that number only scratches the surface — there are an estimated 4.2 million youth experiencing homelessness nationwide, Nicholson said. Although the school systems have better tools to identify them, a majority aren't provided services, she said. Homeless students in Baltimore City accounted for 5,732 of the student body population for the 2023-2024 school year. Baltimore County came close behind with 2,791, followed by Montgomery County with 1,804, according to Maryland State Department of Education data. And as inflation has increased, along with the cost of living, so, too, has the cost of housing. In Maryland, the average rental price rose 20.5% between 2019 to 2024, according to an analysis by The Sun of the Apartment List rent estimates monthly report. Since 2000, the increase in rents and home prices has risen faster than income in the country, according to a 2024 analysis by the U.S. Treasury. Simultaneously, there's a larger demand for housing than available supply due to increased construction costs, local land-use and zoning restrictions and changing demographics, the Treasury analysis found. School supplies, laundry: services for homeless students Students enrolled in McKinney-Vento services can remain in and/or enroll in their school of choice, while also providing transportation, academic support, and other necessary services. The 11-year-old's new school helped some, the mother said. It gave them $200 for clothes, as well as school supplies and a new gym uniform under the federal program, the mother said. The school's guidance counselor also worked with her daughter. (The Baltimore Sun is not disclosing the names of the mother and daughter to protect their safety.) Schools also connect families with outside resources and organizations to get them back on their feet. Jennifer Cox founded Empower4life, a Baltimore-based nonprofit organization that provides education and health programs for homeless youth. This school year, she helped launch a laundry service at one Baltimore County school after a student whose family currently lives in a motel asked to wash his and his siblings' clothes at school. Now, a lot of families come in to use the laundry machines. It might sound like a simple thing to go to a laundromat, but families might not even have the funds for it, she said. Cox said she has observed an increase in the needs of homeless students and families for the services her foundation provides over the past few years. 'These kids are coming home from school and they're coming to really, really loud, stressful, chaotic, sometimes toxic environments,' Cox said. 'These kids are not playing sports. They're not going to the Boys and Girls Club.' Homelessness leads to worse academic performance Homelessness has a drastic impact on young people's academic progress and well-being, said Melissa Kull, a senior researcher focusing on youth housing instability and mental health at the nonpartisan, nonprofit social science research organization American Institute of Research. The stressful environment of cycling in and out of stable housing affects cognitive and social development in children, too, Kull said. Younger children are more likely to develop anxiety and depression, and score lower on early academic tests than students not experiencing housing instability, she said. While, older children are better able to weather changes, because they're missing school, she said, they may not graduate on time, or at all. While the data shows an increase in the number of Maryland students experiencing homelessness, the numbers don't tell the whole story. Some people whose children would qualify for services under McKinney-Vento never report their lack of fixed housing, out of fear, confusion or something else. Carla and her children became homeless nine months ago after experiencing domestic violence, which landed her and her children in a safe house. She switches among friends' homes, and her children split time between wherever she's staying at the time and their father's home. Carla didn't tell the school they had become homeless since she signed a contract with the safe house not to disclose their location, she said. She said she didn't know her children were eligible for services. As a result, they didn't receive any — and at the same time, her children suffered the emotional and academic impacts that homeless children often do. Her youngest son is autistic and had more frequent outbursts and triggers while in the shelter. Her 12-year-old son's grades dropped significantly at that time, from As to Cs, she said. But now that they are in more stable conditions, his grades have bounced back. He couldn't concentrate and was uncomfortable in their new environment, she said. She has been unable to find a job that can accommodate her youngest son's needs as well as pay enough to cover basic needs. She hasn't applied for housing assistance because spaces are 'nonexistent,' she said. The complex that would allow her children to remain in their school is waitlisted — and the waitlist is closed. Others have been luckier, finding support at school and even housing. LovRico Johnson Jr. and his 8-year-old daughter arrived at a Baltimore County shelter, located behind an abandoned school, three weeks ago. They became homeless four months ago after suffering domestic violence. She has changed schools twice and their experience with housing instability, moving between shelters and hotels, has taken its toll. Her grades dropped, she refused to do homework and occasionally acted out. Johnson said he told his daughter's last school that they were homeless, but that they did nothing more than tell him about some resources. Her new school gave her book bags, school supplies and helped them find a new home they'll go to at the end of the month, Johnson said. She is excited to start the third grade soon and is enjoying summer camp in the meantime, she said. One day, she hopes to become an astronaut and go to the moon. Solve the daily Crossword
Associated Press
02-07-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Homeless student counts in California are up. Some say that's a good thing
In Kern County, the first rule in counting homeless students is not saying 'homeless.' Instead, school staff use phrases like 'struggling with stable housing' or 'families in transition.' The approach seems to have worked: More families are sharing their housing status with their children's schools, which means more students are getting services. 'There's a lot of stigma attached to the word 'homeless,'' said Curt Williams, director of homeless and foster youth services for the Kern County Office of Education. 'When you remove that word, it all changes.' Largely as a result of better identification methods, Kern County saw its homeless student population jump 10% last year, to 7,200. Those students received transportation to and from school, free school supplies, tutoring and other services intended to help them stay in school. For the purposes of this data, the definition of homelessness is broader than the state's point in time count. The trend is reflected statewide. In the latest state enrollment data released last month, California had 230,443 homeless students — a 9.3% increase from the previous year. Some of the increase is due to the state's ongoing housing shortage, but most of the increase is because of better identification, advocates and school officials said. Homeless students face numerous obstacles in school. They have higher rates of discipline and absenteeism, and fare worse academically. Last year, only 16% of homeless students met the state's math standard, some of the lowest scores of any student group. 'Schools can't solve homelessness, but they can ensure the students are safe in the classroom and getting the education they need to get out of homelessness,' said Barbara Duffield, executive director of Schoolhouse Connection, a national homeless youth advocacy group. 'That starts with identifying the child who's homeless.' Challenges of counting homeless students Under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, schools are required to count their homeless students throughout the school year and ensure they receive services. Homeless students also have the right to stay enrolled in their original school even if they move. For many years, schools struggled to identify homeless students. Under state law, schools must distribute forms at the beginning of the school year asking families where they live — in their own homes, in motels, doubled-up with other families, in shelters, cars or outdoors. Some schools were less-than-diligent about collecting the form, or reassuring families understood the importance. Often, homeless families were reluctant to submit the form because they were afraid the school might contact a child welfare agency. Immigrant families sometimes feared the school might notify immigration authorities. And some families didn't realize that sharing quarters with another family — by far the most common living situation among homeless families – is technically defined as homeless, at least under McKinney-Vento. A 2021 bill by former Assemblymember Luz Rivas, a Democrat from Arleta in the San Fernando Valley, sought to fix that problem. The bill requires schools to train everyone who works with students — from bus drivers to cafeteria workers to teachers — on how to recognize potential signs of homelessness. That could include families who move frequently or don't reply to school correspondence. The bill seems to have helped. Last year, the state identified 21,000 more homeless students than it had the previous year, even as overall enrollment dropped. Still, that's probably an undercount, researchers said. The actual homeless student population is probably between 5% and10% of those students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, according to the National Center for Homeless Education. In California, that would be a shortfall of up to 138,713 students. Influx of funding Another boost for identifying homeless students came from the American Rescue Plan, the federal COVID-19 relief package. The plan included $800 million for schools to hire counselors or train existing staff to help homeless students. Nearly all schools in California received some money. About 120 districts in California won grant money through the McKinney-Vento Act, which last year dispersed about $15.9 million in California to pay for things like rides to school, backpacks, staff and other services. Districts are chosen on a competitive basis; not all districts that apply receive funds. But those funding sources are drying up. Most of the pandemic relief money has already been spent, and President Donald Trump's recently approved budget does not include McKinney-Vento funding for 2026-27. The cuts come at a time when advocates expect steep increases in the number of homeless families over the next few years, due in part to national policy changes. Republican budget proposals include cuts to Medicaid, food assistance and other programs aimed at helping low-income families, while the immigration crackdown has left thousands of families afraid to seek assistance. For families living on tight budgets, those cuts could lead to a loss of housing. And in California, the shortage of affordable housing continues to be a hurdle for low-income families. Even Kern County, which has traditionally been a less pricey option for families, has seen a spike in housing costs as more residents move there from Los Angeles. Joseph Bishop, an education professor at UCLA and co-author of a recent report on homeless students nationwide, said the loss of government funding will be devastating for homeless students. 'California is the epicenter of the homeless student crisis, and we need targeted, dedicated support,' Bishop said. 'Folks should be extremely alarmed right now. Will these kids be getting the education they need and deserve?' Better food, cleaner bathrooms In Kern County, identification has only been one part of the effort to help homeless students thrive in school. Schools also try to pair them with tutors and mentors, give them school supplies and laundry tokens, and invite them to join a program called Student Voice Ambassadors. There, students can tour local colleges, learn leadership skills and explore career options. As part of the program, staff ask students what would make school more enticing — and then make sure the suggestions happen. At one school, students said they'd go to class if the bathrooms were cleaner. So staff improved the bathrooms. At another school, students wanted better food. They got it. Williams credits the program with reducing absenteeism among homeless students. Two years ago, 45% of Kern County's homeless students were chronically absent. Last year, the number dropped to 39% – still too high, he said, but a significant improvement. 'Without McKinney-Vento funds, the Student Voice Ambassador program would go away,' Williams said. 'How will we keep it going? I don't know.' ___ This story was originally published by CalMatters and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA student summer food program open for applications
Jun. 3—OLYMPIA — This summer, approximately 620,000 children across Washington will benefit from SUN Bucks, a program designed to help families purchase food when school is not in session. The initiative, funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program, is aimed at providing nutritional support during the summer months. "The Washington SUN Bucks Summer EBT Program is a vital resource for many of our Ephrata families, especially those experiencing housing instability," Ephrata School District Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning and McKinney-Vento Liaison Deb Knox said in a statement to the Columbia Basin Herald. "During the summer months, when school meals aren't available, this program helps ensure students still have access to nutritious food. It eases some of the burden families face and supports the health and well-being of our kids during a critical time." In December 2022, the federal government established a permanent summer EBT program to ensure that children have access to food amidst rising costs and limited resources. With federal approval secured, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has partnered with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction to kick off the distribution of SUN Bucks starting June 1. "Students learn better when their basic needs are met," State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said in a statement. "During the school year, we ensure students are fed during the day with our recently expanded school meal program. While school isn't in session, the summer EBT program provides an essential opportunity for children in Washington to access nutrition and meals." Each eligible child in participating households will receive a one-time payment of $120, which will be deposited onto existing SUN Bucks cards beginning June 1. People who qualify have 122 days to use the funds before they expire. For newly eligible participants, cards will be mailed starting mid-June. Eligibility requirements vary for children aged 8 to 18 from households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Benefits will qualify automatically. "I think the biggest thing is that having a program provided by the state that enables families to access food for school-aged children during the summer is always going to be important," Moses Lake School District Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon said. "While it's a one-time benefit, a lot of families find that benefit immensely important, especially during the summer months, when kids are home more versus in school and their grocery bills naturally tend to be a little bit higher during the summer months." Additionally, students who attend schools offering the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program and are certified for free or reduced-price meals may qualify as well. "Food is foundational to everyone's well-being," Cheryl Strange, acting secretary of DSHS, said in a statement. "We are pleased to partner with OSPI to ensure as much support for children and families as we can, especially during the summer months." Families who do not automatically qualify can apply online for the SUN Bucks program, which is available in both English and Spanish. Applications will be accepted through August 29, 2025. Moreover, families receiving SUN Bucks can still participate in existing Summer Child Nutrition Programs, including grab-and-go meals at local schools and community sites, ensuring comprehensive food access during the summer. The Columbia Basin Herald published an article yesterday on where students can access grab-and-go meals and sit-down meals during the summer months. For more information or assistance, families can contact the SUN Bucks Contact Center at 833-543-3230 during regular business hours.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mobile library gives free books to homeless Albuquerque Public Schools students
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A program bringing books to homeless students made a stop at Bernalillo County's family shelter. Albuquerque Public School's McKinney-Vento program, which serves homeless students and families, rolled out its mobile library Monday afternoon. Up to $7,500 in project funding available through Bernalillo County Neighborhood Grant Program Unlike a regular library, kids can keep the donated books, which organizers say is a big relief for families who worry about book returns and fees. 'Last fall, we had some of our students tell us that they were able to go to the library at school but weren't able to take books home because they didn't have a home to go to. They said their parents were fearful of the fees and the costs of not being able to return library books. So, this program gives us an opportunity to make sure that our students in shelters have access to literacy,' said Cristal Wilson, director of APS McKinney-Vento program. The mobile library was named Mary's Book Nook after long-time APS employee Mary Bretting-Miller, who worked for APS Title 1 for forty years. She also started Storytime in the Park in partnership with KRQE. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
