U.S. Reps. Jim Renacci and Steve Stivers, Republicans from Ohio, introduced bipartisan legislation recently providing resources and support for homeless students to help them graduate from high school and succeed in postsecondary life.
The education community generally agrees that a high-school diploma, at a minimum, is essential for young people to attain future economic security through family-sustaining jobs, but homeless youth grappling with fulfilling basic needs like food and shelter face a more challenging path to graduation than their more well-off peers.
The Preparing Homeless Youth for Education and Employment Act, H.R. 4234 would authorize the Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (EHCY) to offer grants that would support college and career counseling and dropout prevention services.
“Homeless youth face more academic challenges than almost every other demographic group,” said Renacci. “In spite of these challenges and the desire of most homeless youth to pursue higher education and high quality careers, few have the appropriate resources to help them achieve their dreams.”
U.S. Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Seth Moulton (D-MA) joined Renacci and Stivers in introducing the bill.
Stivers said, “This bipartisan legislation will give homeless youth important resources and support so they can stay in school and plan for the future to build a better life. This is another important step in the effort to combat youth homelessness, and I am proud to support this legislation.”
The measure has received support from several youth and education organizations, among them The American School Counselor Association, the National Education Association and SchoolHouse Connection.
“This legislation will provide important flexibility to allow school districts to increase counseling services for youth experiencing homelessness, as well as drop-out prevention services. We are very pleased to support it,” said Barbara Duffield, executive director of SchoolHouse Connection.
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, enacted in 1987, has primary jurisdiction for homeless children and youth education. It created the EHCY, which compiles data on homeless children and youth and the obstacles they face in undertaking a free and appropriate public education, according to the U.S. Department of Education. It awards formula grants to school districts for activities promoting enrollment and attendance of homeless students and programs to support their school success.