By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
According to the National Center for Homeless Education, a "homeless" student is one who lacks a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence, and includes youth sharing housing due to the loss of housing or economic hardship, youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is is a public or private place not designed for regular sleeping, or children living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, or substandard housing. At Wednesday's USD 428 Board of Education Luncheon at Riley Elementary School in Great Bend, Director of Teaching and Learning JoAnn Blevins discussed a $15,000 McKinney-Vento Homeless grant she helped secure for the district.
"I went ahead and applied for this one because, according to the data, as many students as we have living in poverty, we are severely under-identifying kids that are considered unhoused," she said. "That definition is huge."
The funds will be used to establish programs and assistance for students who meet the homeless criteria. Blevins is working alongside Andrea Bauer, the district's public information director, to establish those programs.
"We're working on putting together a work group where we can put some heads together and get the word out that we have these resources available for families," Blevins said.
Districts from around the country were able to apply for the competitive grant at different levels. Blevins' application for $15,000 for USD 428 was the maximum amount the grant offered.
Blevins said the funds will be used to develop public awareness materials about the McKinney-Vento Act, its purpose, and to remove barriers to learning that come with being homeless or unhoused.
"Additionally, the funds can be used to do the work of removing those barriers after a student is found eligible for McKinney-Vento support," she said. "Funds can be used to pay fees associated with high school classes that have supply fees, pay for dual high school and college credit courses, provide school supplies, and other school needs."
McKinney-Vento support can also be clothing and food support. All students eligible under the act automatically qualify for free meals for the school year. District staff members work to identify the needs of students who qualify and work to remove the barriers that prevent them from receiving a free and adequate education, which may include referring them to local charitable groups and agencies or paying for services if they fall under the McKinney-Vento Act.