The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has awarded the Liberty Central School District a three-year grant totalling $525,000 to support students facing housing insecurity.
The grant is part of NYSED’s larger announcement awarding more than $8 million in federal funding to dozens of school districts and charter schools. The Liberty Central School District (CSD) will receive $175,000 annually over three years.
Deborah DeGraw, Director of Student Services at Liberty CSD, says that the school district currently has an average of 145 students experiencing homelessness – an increase from the 118 unhoused students in 2021.
The federal funds come through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, a key federal law that supports children and youth experiencing homelessness by guaranteeing immediate school enrollment, transportation, and social services. Family homelessness could include students who lack a regular residential home, live in emergency shelters or hotels, or spend a night at a friend or family member’s home.
Liberty CSD has received McKinney-Vento funding in previous years, which DeGraw says has allowed the district to establish a partnership with local food access nonprofit A Single Bite and provide meals to local families. The grant funding has also been used to provide care kits and supplies, afterschool tutoring, and trauma-informed counseling for students.
Some families have had to juggle housing, education, and basic living costs during an especially tough winter, says Dawn Hurley, Liberty CSD’s McKinney-Vento Outreach Coordinator.
“People are really struggling to continue paying rent. That puts pressure on all of the other costs of life as well. I know that we saw a number of families coming into McKinney-Vento this winter with [their] housing that just became inadequate because water pipes broke. The heat didn’t function. It was a very difficult winter, and so they had to relocate for that reason as well,” said Hurley.
Hurley explains that even families in permanent housing reach out to her with concerns about eviction and how this could affect their children’s enrollment and performance at school.
“I think it is very difficult to go to school every day while you are living in temporary housing, especially when you’ve just had to move,” said Hurley. “There’s so much [of an] emotional piece to that, but then there’s also just the reality of having your clothes ready and all of the ways that you want to present yourself at school.”
“Children experiencing housing insecurity bear challenges through no fault of their own, yet these hardships too often create barriers that negatively affect their educational journey,” said New York’s Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young. “Every student deserves equitable access to excellence in learning, and it is imperative that we provide them with every opportunity to thrive despite adversity. These grants help close critical gaps for students who need additional support due to their living circumstances, safeguarding their right to a free and appropriate public education in New York State.”
Families who believe they may qualify for services under the McKinney-Vento Act can call the Liberty CSD’s Central Registration office at 845-292-5400 ext. 2331.
Image: Bird’s eye view of the Liberty Central School District (Photo Credit: Liberty Central School District)