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School district reports steady McKinney‑Vento caseload, waits on state pilot funding
Summary
District staff told the Gallup‑McKinley County Schools board that student homelessness identification rose sharply over recent years, local McKinney‑Vento funding increased but remains small per student, and the state has not yet released a pilot grant application tied to Senate Bill 201.
McKinney‑Vento program staff told the Gallup‑McKinley County Schools board that the district identified 281 students in the 2022–23 school year and 589 in 2023–24, and that the most recent count was 521 students identified as experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The presentation noted the district received roughly $24,000 in earlier years and that local McKinney‑Vento support rose to roughly $73,000–$73,800 in the most recent allocation.
The program presentation, given by counseling coordinator Josh Stepney and introduced by Assistant Superintendent Ashley Ryan, outlined how the district identifies students and what supports the funds pay for. "This presentation specifically will focus on McKinney Vento, our homeless program, and also speak about some of the counseling work," Stepney said. He described identification methods (enrollment forms, staff reports, a digital McKinney‑Vento referral form) and early interventions such as after‑hours tutoring and student assistance teams.
The presentation said eligibility determinations are made case by case under the McKinney‑Vento standards of "fixed, regular and adequate" housing, and that cultural considerations factor into assessments. Stepney cited causes for student homelessness including job loss, domestic violence, incarceration and natural disasters, and said the district has seen lower graduation rates among students experiencing homelessness (78 percent overall versus 58 percent for identified students in one reported year).
Board members pressed for funding details. Vice President Long and board member Priscilla Benally asked whether the 521 figure was self‑reported; Stepney replied the count is a mix of staff‑ and parent‑reported cases and that any district staff or partner organization may submit the digital form. Board members also noted the per‑student scale of current funding: "$73,800 amounts to about $142 per student of the 521 students," a board member observed during discussion.
On state funding, Stepney and Assistant Superintendent Ryan said the Legislature appropriated $2,100,000 under Senate Bill 201 as a pilot pool that could include roughly $100,000 per district in a pilot phase, but the Public Education Department had not posted an application or guidance at the time of the meeting. The presenters said the appropriation is structured as a three‑year grant cycle ($2.1 million per year, $6.3 million over three years) but that schools remain in a "waiting game" until the PED issues an application. Board member Michael Mitchell and others named Gregory Frostad as a contact who had been involved in discussions with the department.
Board members urged continued advocacy for rural districts to receive a share of state resources. "We tend to get ignored like most of rural New Mexico," a board member said, urging legislators to press for equitable distribution. District staff said they are monitoring PED and working with the deputy superintendent to identify when the application is posted.
The presentation closed with staff describing follow‑up procedures: when staff help families secure housing the district follows up through school counselors and community partners to check progress, and the district leverages local partners (a community pantry and others) to provide clothing, food and basic supplies.
Nut graf: The board heard that McKinney‑Vento identification increased markedly over recent years, local funding rose but remains small on a per‑student basis, and the state pilot funds from Senate Bill 201 exist in statute but are not yet accessible because the Public Education Department has not posted an application.
Background and context: McKinney‑Vento is a federal program that requires school districts to identify and support students experiencing homelessness; district staff explained identification processes and described how state pilot funds might supplement local supports if and when the PED makes applications available. The presenters recommended continued outreach and training to improve identification and use of existing funds.
Ending: Board members thanked staff for the report and asked staff to notify the board when PED issues guidance for the Senate Bill 201 pilot application so the district can apply. No formal board action on McKinney‑Vento funding was taken at the meeting.
