MDE Announces $1 Million in Grants to Support Education for Students Experiencing Homelessness
MINNEAPOLIS – Today the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) announced $1 million in federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act competitive grants to 22 districts and charter schools throughout Minnesota.
“Students experiencing housing instability and unaccompanied youth are the most at-risk student group in Minnesota. These funds will help school districts to focus assistance on the students most in need,” said Commissioner Willie Jett. “Education is a great equalizer. Children and youth experiencing housing instability must have access to the educational services they need to succeed.”
Recipients include:
- Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
- Bdote Learning Center
- Bemidji Public School District
- Bloomington Public School District
- Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
- Columbia Heights Public School District
- Duluth Public School District
- Eden Prairie Public School District
- Hopkins Public School District
- Mankato Public School District
- Minneapolis Public School District
- Moorhead Area Public School District
- North St. Paul-Maplewood Oakdale Public School District
- Osseo Public School District
- Robbinsdale Public School District
- Rochester Public School District
- Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public School District
- Saint Paul Public Schools
- South Washington County Schools
- St. Cloud Public School District
- White Bear Lake Public School District
- Worthington Public School District
MDE receives McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act funds from the U.S. Department of Education and distributes them through a competitive, three-year grant cycle. The purpose is to improve the academic and school success of students experiencing homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Act is designed to address the challenges that children and youths experiencing housing instability have faced in enrolling, attending and succeeding in school.
- Districts and charter schools will use the funding for projects such as:
- Supporting shelter-based tutoring programs
- Collaborating with early childhood programs to improve identification of preschool children
- Providing bilingual support to meet the needs of new-to-country arrivals
- Providing staff professional development to raise awareness about the needs and rights of homeless children and youth
- Removing transportation barriers
- Providing school supplies and other resources for student success
- Implementing activities to improve immediate enrollment and identification
- Supporting family engagement
In Minnesota 17,774 students experienced homelessness at some point in the 2022-23 school year, or 1.5% of all Minnesota students.
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