The Mohonasen Central School District has been awarded funding to support students experiencing homelessness as part of a $525,000 McKinney-Vento subgrant from the New York State Education Department.
The grant was secured through a three-district consortium led by the Watervliet City School District, with the Cohoes and Mohonasen Central School Districts as partners. Funding will be distributed over a three-year period, from September 2025 through September 2028.
“There are significant restrictions on what we may spend district funds on, especially in the areas of supplemental food, hygiene items, and targeted support for students in crisis, such as when there is a house fire or other displacing event,” said Superintendent Shannon Shine. “Grants such as this allow us to meet students where they are,” he added.
The funding will enable the districts to provide services that go beyond federally and state-mandated supports, including:
- Food through backpack programs
- Clothing and toiletries
- School supplies
- Transportation to and from after-school activities and tutoring.
The grant application was developed in collaboration with the Capital Region BOCES Grants and Development Service.
First enacted in 1987, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have equal access to public education and the support necessary to thrive. McKinney-Vento reports that school districts in upstate New York face major challenges due to limited resources, shelters and support services, making homelessness harder to identify, measure and address. The subgrants are intended to help districts improve services for students living in transitional housing.