Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs: FY2016

1. programming designed to raise awareness throughout the district and community;

2. tutoring, supplemental instruction, and other educational services that help homeless students close achievement gaps;

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

4. collaborating with external agencies to provide homeless students and families with medical, dental, mental health, and other community and state services;

5. providing violence prevention counseling, referrals to counseling and/or address the needs of homeless students who are domestic violence survivors;

6. providing supplies to non-school facilities and adapting these facilities to enable them to provide services; and

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

Two or more LEAs with a combined total of fifty (50) or more enrolled homeless students may apply as a consortium.

Applicant LEAs must include collaboration with community-based organizations through a local Homeless Education Service Coordination Committee or other established local committee or council addressing homelessness.

Approximately $720,000 is available.

Using 2013/14 homeless student enrollment data LEAs/consortia should submit applications based on the following funding levels:

1. $60,000: 2,000 or more enrolled homeless students
2. $55,000: 1,000 or more enrolled homeless students
3. $50,000: 700 or more enrolled homeless students
4. $40,000: 400 or more enrolled homeless students
5. $30,000: 200 or more enrolled homeless students
6. $20,000: 100 or more enrolled homeless students
7. $10,000: 50 or more enrolled homeless students

DESE reserves the right to alter the award to each funded LEA.

Districts may provide services 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 housed students to ensure that program activities integrate homeless and non-homeless students.

Grant funds cannot be used to pay for the district's Homeless Education Liaison, a position required in all school districts, or for clerical staff support.

Transportation costs may not exceed 10% of the grant and may not be used for transportation costs that are required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

1. convene a local Homeless Education Services Coordination Committee or actively participate in an established local committee/council designed to assess the needs and assist in the provision of services to the homeless student population in the district;

2. provide an end-of-year progress report; and

3. attend network meetings twice a year.

1. Email one (1) complete set of all required documents to eharris@doe.mass.edu no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 29, 2015 (Note: Signatures are not required on the emailed version).

   and

2. Submit one (1) copy each of Part I-General-Program Unit Signature Page and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grant Assurances both with an original signature of the Superintendent/Executive Director (or others as indicated) where required and postmarked by Friday May 29, 2015.
   Mail to:
   

   Elizabeth Harris
   Office for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
   Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
   75 Pleasant Street
   Malden, MA 02148-4906