The Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter to Chief State School Officers, outlining recommendations for maximizing use of dedicated American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding for homeless children and youth (HCY) to help students experiencing homelessness and improve outcomes to levels that meet or exceed pre-pandemic achievement.
Any activity allowable under Section 723(d) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is also allowable under the ARP-HCY program. Allowable activities include paying expenses necessary to facilitate the identification, enrollment, retention, and educational success of children and youth experiencing homelessness and providing expedited evaluations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
To accelerate opportunities and outcomes, states may consider activities to (1) improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism; (2) address physical and mental health needs; and (3) strengthen early childhood education, support college and career readiness, and smooth transitions to higher education.
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