Department of Education (ED)/McKinney-Vento Act FY 2016
THE NEED FOR FUNDING AND REPORT LANGUAGE:
$50,000,000 increase in funding for U.S. Department of Education to 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 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. Yet many liaisons are designated in name only, and lack the time and the training to carry out their duties. This lack of capacity is particularly severe in light of the increase in student homelessness. 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.
Need
The resources directed to child and youth homelessness programs have not been sufficient in recent years. In the 2012-2013 school year, public schools identified (a record) 1,258,182 homeless children and youth – an 8% increase over the previous year and 85% increase since 2006-2007. Meanwhile, funding for EHCY has remained flat since FY 2010. 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.
Solution
We are requesting a $50,000,000 increase in funding in FY 2016 for U.S. Department of Education (ED) to implement the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth (ECHY) program in order to provide services to and identify homeless children and youth, who are at high risk of human trafficking. The EHCY program is effective in addressing youth homelessness. With the support of EHCY grants, local education agencies have provided identification, enrollment and transportation assistance, as well as academic support and referrals for basic services. The EHCY program has given homeless children and youth the extra support they need to enroll and succeed in school.
Proposed Report Language
The Committee recommends a $50,000,000 increase in funding for U.S. Department of Education to 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.