Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2008

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act funds are to support the education of homeless students by addressing the following priorities:

1. tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other educational services that help homeless students reach the same challenging state content and student performance standards to which all children are held. (Qualified personnel may provide homework assistance, tutoring, and supervision of other educational instruction.);

2. expedited educational evaluations of homeless students to measure their strengths and needs and to:

   1. avoid gaps in the provision of necessary services; and

   2. determine a homeless student's eligibility for other programs and services, including gifted and talented programs, special education and related services for children with disabilities, English language acquisition, Title I, vocational education, and appropriate programs or services under ESEA;

3. professional development programs designed to raise awareness among educators, pupil services personnel, administrators, and school committees, regarding the rights and special needs of homeless students;

4. education and training programs for parents of homeless students, regarding the rights their children have as homeless students, the educational and other resources available to their children, and in activities needed to ensure the meaningful involvement of homeless parents in their children's education;

5. contracting with external agencies to provide homeless students with medical, dental, mental, and other health/social services;

6. developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs for homeless children of preschool age that are not provided through other federal, state, or local funds;

7. programming and services that address the particular needs of unaccompanied youth;

8. before- and after-school programs, mentoring, and summer programs for homeless children and youth, and services and assistance to attract, engage, and retain homeless students, including unaccompanied youth, in these programs;

9. pupil services programs that:

   1. provide violence prevention counseling and referrals to counseling;

   2. address the needs of homeless students who are domestic violence survivors; and

   3. coordinate with other agencies to expand/enhance services to homeless students;

10. providing supplies to non-school facilities, such as shelters, temporary housing facilities, and other locations, serving homeless students and adapting these facilities to enable them to provide services; and

11. providing extraordinary or emergency services to eligible students as necessary to enroll and retain them in school.

NOTE: Successful applicants will be expected to develop a local Homeless Education Program Services Coordination Committee designed to assess the needs and assist in the provision of services to the district's homeless student population.

Based on an analysis of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Data Collection Reports, the following school districts have been determined to have a significant population of homeless students and form a priority pool of applicants:

Attleboro; Barnstable; Beverly; Boston; Brockton; Cambridge; Chelsea; Chicopee; Dennis-Yarmouth Regional; Fall River; Fitchburg; Framingham; Haverhill; Holyoke; Lawrence; Leominster; Lowell; Lynn; Marshfield; New Bedford; Northampton; Orange; Peabody; Quincy; Salem; Springfield; Taunton; Triton Regional; Waltham; West Springfield; Weymouth; and Worcester.

Note: School districts not listed above may apply but must document a significant population of homeless children and youth.

Applicant school districts must include collaboration with community-based organizations through a local Homeless Education Program Services Coordination Committee.

Subject to appropriation, approximately $750,000 is available. Individual school districts should submit applications based on the funding levels indicated.

Districts may provide services (See Priorities.) through programs on school grounds, at other facilities, or may use funds to enter into contracts with other agencies to provide services for homeless children and youth. McKinney-Vento funds may provide the same services to other students who are determined by the school district to be at risk of failing or dropping out of school to ensure that program activities integrate homeless and non-homeless students.

Grant funds may not be used to pay for the district's Homeless Education Liaison, a position required in all school districts.

Transportation costs may not exceed 15% of a grant and may not be used for those transportation costs required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Competitive proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. on the date due.

Grantees must provide an annual evaluation that includes the number of students served, an identification of the needs and services provided, and an assessment of continuing barriers to the education of homeless students.

A scoring rubric is available upon request.

Submit three (3) sets, each with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director. Mail to:

Donna Pisaturo
Office for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148-5023