Forty-eight charter schools and the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) stand to lose nearly $3 million in support for the thousands of students and their families who experience homelessness during the school year.
These funds were provided by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) via the Pennsylvania’s ‘Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness’ (ECYEH) program. The ECYEH program is the only federal education program that removes barriers to enrollment, attendance, and reduces truancy caused by homelessness.
The schools used this money to expand their capacity to provide staffing, train school personnel, and provide direct services like short-term housing support, uniforms, transportation, motel stays, summer programming, school supplies, and more. In 2022, these schools served 5,866 children and youth experiencing homelessness. While this year's numbers won't be known until next year, we anticipate a higher number of students will be supported.
When the ARP dollars disappear after this year, it will not be possible to maintain the same capacity to serve students experiencing homelessness. There are no new funds expected and neither the state nor the city supplements the federal fund with their ‘General Funds.’
HopePHL is working with Valley Youth House, Philly Homes 4 Youth, PHMC, Eddie’s House and more than a dozen agencies across the state to advocate on this issue.
WHAT ADVOCATES ARE ASKING FOR: Advocates are asking Mayor Parker and the Philadelphia City Council Assembly for $3 million in General Funds to continue much of the expanded support for students experiencing homelessness. We are meeting with City Council and members of the Parker Administration to convince them of this needed support.
ACTION ALERT: Contact the Mayor and City Council and ask them to “Fund homeless education by investing $3 million.”
