RIDE Awards $331,000 to Support Homeless Students

Published on Friday, October 25, 2019

PROVIDENCE, RI - The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) today awarded more than $331,000 to support homeless students. These McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Education for Homeless Children and Youth subgrants will be awarded to eight districts across the state.

The subgrants, federally funded and administered by the state, are renewable for up to three years. Each winning application had to demonstrate a well-developed project that facilitates the enrollment, attendance, and success in school of homeless students. The projects had to show that they provide temporary, special, and supplementary services to meet the unique needs of homeless students. 

"Homeless students are among our most vulnerable populations, and the challenges that these students face impact their academic, physical, and social emotional well-being," said Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. "There are many ways that we can and must support students and families facing homelessness, and McKinney-Vento grants are an important resource that help us drive that work."

Other factors considered in McKinney-Vento grant applications are the involvement of parents or guardians in the education of their children, the extent to which homeless students will be integrated within the regular education program, and coordination with other agencies and organizations that serve homeless students. 

Funding decisions were made based on need and quality of the application. The successful districts and subgrant amounts are: