Department of Education (ED)/ McKinney-Vento Act FY 2017
THE NEED FOR FUNDING AND REPORT LANGUAGE
$85,000,000 for U.S. Department of Education to fully implement the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth programs (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.) to increase the capacity of public schools to identify and serve homeless children and youth, who are at a high risk for human trafficking.
Summary of Program
Homeless children and youth are particularly at risk for human trafficking. Under the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program, all school districts are required to designate a homeless liaison who pro-actively identifies homeless children and youth and connects them to vital services like food, housing, and clothing. Under the Act, school districts are also required to provide transportation to stabilize the educational experiences of homeless students. Because all school districts – even those in communities without youth shelters — must designate a liaison for homeless students, schools are uniquely positioned to identify youth who are being trafficked, or are at risk of being trafficked, and provide connections to services. The EHCY program is a smart investment because of its effectiveness in addressing youth homelessness.
Need
The resources directed to child and youth homelessness programs have not been sufficient in recent years. In the 2013-2014 school year, public schools identified (a record) 1,360,747 homeless children and youth – a 7% increase over the previous year and 100% increase since 2006-2007. Only 22% of school districts receive support through the EHCY program in any given year. As a result, homeless children and youth are under-identified and continue to face significant barriers to school enrollment and continuity.
In addition, many liaisons for homeless students are designated in name only, and lack the time and the training to carry out their duties. A recent GAO Report (GAO-14-465) found that school districts struggle to identify and serve homeless students due to lack of capacity. Per pupil funding has decreased from $91 per child in 2006, to $53 per child in 2013. This lack of capacity is particularly severe in light of the increase in student homelessness.
Solution
Increasing funding for the EHCY program will support a dedicated infrastructure within the nation’s public schools to identify and serve children and youth who are at very high risk of human trafficking. We are requesting $85,000,000 in FY 2017 for U.S. Department of Education (ED) to implement the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program in order to provide services to and identify homeless children and youth, who are at high risk of human trafficking. In FY 2016, funding increased for the EHCY program for the first time in a decade. The amount requested is the amount authorized in the recently enacted Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Proposed Report Language
The Committee recommends $85,000,000 for U.S. Department of Education to fully implement the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth programs (42 U.S.C. § 11431 et seq.) to increase the capacity of public schools to identify and serve homeless children and youth, who are at a high risk for human trafficking.