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INFORMATIONAL LETTER
NO: 89
POLICY CODE: DD/JLG
TO: Superintendents
of Schools
FROM: J. Duke Albanese, Commissioner
DATE: June 17, 2002
RE: Grants to SAUs for Providing Educational and Related Services for Homeless Students
Request for
Proposals
The Maine Department of Education announces the availability of grants under the McKinney –Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.) to provide educational and related services for homeless children and youth in schools serving students at public expense.
DEFINITION OF HOMELESS STUDENT:
In accordance with McKinney-Vento Sec.725, the
term “Homeless Children and Youths”
“(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular,
and adequate nighttime residence [within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)] and
(B) includes-
(i)
children and youths who are sharing the housing of
other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason;
are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack
of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional
shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;
(ii)
children and youths who have a primary nighttime
residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used
as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings [within the meaning of
section 103(a)(2)C)];
(iii)
children and youths who are living in cars, parks,
public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations,
or similar settings; and
(iv)
migratory children(as such term is defined in section
1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as
homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in
circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).”
PURPOSE
The purpose of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Grants to SAU’s
is to ensure that homeless children and youth gain access to a free and
appropriate public education. The McKinney-Vento grants program provides direct
services to homeless students to enable them to enroll in, attend, and achieve
success in school, and to meet Maine’s system of Learning Results.
A. For School Year 2002-2003, the available funds for these grants were $140,000.
B.
For School Year 2003-2004, funding is subject to continuance
of federal funds.
C.
Eligibility: Maine
School Administrative Units (SAUs) or
multiple units applying with one application.
D. The grant project is two years (August 31, 2002 to July 31, 2004).
E. The estimated number of grant awards statewide is (12).
Group One Program Grants: Two (2) grant awards of up to $50,000 each, per year, with renewal in year two subject to continued federal funding. Program Grants are for the purpose of creating major homeless youth and child initiatives.
Group Two Support Grants: Ten (10) $4,000 grant awards. Support Grants are intended to help school systems implement the Reauthorized McKinney-Vento Homeless Act of 2002.
For application information, please contact:
Shelley Reed
Learning Systems Team
Maine Department of
Education
23 State House Station
FAX (207) 624-6700
Written questions concerning the RFP must be received on or before August 1, 2002. The written answers and questions will be posted on the DOE web page at the following address: (www.maine.gov/education/tda/homeless/htm).
Federal Grant Award CFDA #
84.196
GUIDELINES TO BE USED FOR RATING PROPOSALS *
Proposals will be rated on need and quality of the proposal, including:
1. The applicants’ needs assessment and the likelihood that the program proposed will meet such needs;
2. The
extent to which the SAU’s grant funds and local matching funds will be used to
facilitate the enrollment, retention and educational success of homeless
students in achieving Maine’s system of Learning
Results;
3. The
extent to which the applicant’s proposal identifies a plan for continuous
coordination with local services and agencies serving homeless students;
4. The extent to which the applicant exhibits, in the application and in current practice, a commitment to education of all homeless children and youth through the integration of homeless children and youth within regular education programs;
5. Involvement of parents and guardians in the education of their children;
6. The commitment and capacity of the applicant to seek funds to continue services to homeless students beyond year two of the project; and
7. Quality of the evaluation plan.
* Please see the specific criteria for rating included in Appendix D.