Federal Appropriations for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program and Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) Programs

LAST UPDATED: December 20, 2011

BACKGROUND: Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) programs help homeless children and youth by making sure that they are identified, immediately enrolled in school, provided transportation to stay in school, and connected to community resources for basic needs.

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs serve homeless youth by meeting their immediate needs, providing long-term residential services, and conducting prevention and outreach efforts to move youth off of the streets.

CURRENT STATUS:

In mid-December, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for FY2012. This legislation provides the same amount of funding for the EHCY and RHYA program as was provided last year - $65 million for EHCY, and $115 million for RHYA programs.

ACTION NEEDED:

Please urge your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators to express their support for providing at least $75 million for EHCY programs and $135 million for RHYA programs in FY 2013. A SparkAction network alert, which includes a sample letter that can be edited online, is available at this link:

Action Alert for EHCY and RHYA funding

MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON EHCY and RHYA:

In the face of one of the worst economic crises our nation has faced, including a shocking increase in home foreclosures, homelessness is affecting unprecedented numbers of children and youth. At the end of the 2009-2010 school year, public schools enrolled 939,903 homeless children and youth - a 38 percent increase since the 2006-2007 school year.

Homelessness is associated with a higher likelihood of multiple school transfers, missing school (truancy), dropout, and/or lower standardized test scores. Thus, homeless students often require additional supports if they are to be able to participate in any educational program. Indeed, the most promising instructional strategy or academic program will be of little benefit to children and youth who have not been identified, cannot get to school, or who are constantly changing schools due to the instability of their homeless situation.

The Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program removes barriers to homeless student enrollment, attendance, and success in elementary and secondary education. There is no other federal education program that does what it does: the EHCY program is unique in its focus on finding, enrolling, and supporting our poorest children and youth. Local school districts use EHCY funds for outreach and identification, enrollment assistance, transportation assistance, school records transfer, immunization referrals, tutoring, counseling, school supplies, assessment, professional development for educators, and referrals for community services.

Yet federal funding has not kept up with needs. Congress appropriated $65 million for EHCY in FY2009, FY2010, FY2011, and FY2012. This funding level leaves hundreds of thousands of homeless children and youth without direct services. Flat funding for the EHCY program not only ignores the surge in student homelessness, weakening the only safety net that many homeless children and youth have.

An appropriation at the full authorized funding level of $75 million for EHCY - a modest increase of $10 million - is needed to ensure that school districts can continue to identify and assist children and youth experiencing homelessness. Without an education, these children and youth unlikely to obtain the skills they need to become productive adults contributing to the economy and to their communities.

Additionally, Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs provide critical outreach, shelter, and transitional living resources to the nation's unaccompanied homeless youth. Of the estimated 1.6 million homeless youth in America, RHYA programs contacted just over 838,000 unaccompanied youth last year, and only six percent of those youth were provided shelter or transitional housing.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that in FY2010, over 5,500 homeless youth were turned away from a transitional living project or maternity group home due to a lack of space. This figure does not even begin to capture the number of homeless youth who are never referred to a RHYA residential project, or who live in a community or region without one. Congress should provide $135 million for RHYA programs in FY 2013 to help these youth reconnect with their families, find safety from the streets, or get the support they need to prepare for independent living.

For More Information:

Please contact Barbara Duffield at bduffield@naehcy.org or (202) 364-7392.