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Richmond schools report 25% year‑over‑year rise in students eligible for McKinney‑Vento services; chronic absenteeism high among that group
Summary
Richmond Public Schools staff reported a roughly 25% increase in students identified as McKinney‑Vento eligible this school year and said nearly half of those eligible students are chronically absent.
Richmond Public Schools staff updated the board on the district’s Center for Families in Transition (CFIT) and reported an increase in students identified as eligible for McKinney‑Vento services.
CFIT staff said 739 students were found eligible for McKinney‑Vento services this school year, an increase of more than 25% from the end of the prior school year; of those 739 students, staff reported 678 were active cases at the time of the update. CFIT staff also reported a high chronic absenteeism rate for students identified under McKinney‑Vento, about 48 percent.
Chief Parks (presenting on behalf of the CFIT team) described CFIT’s coordination with transportation, community partners such as Project Hope Virginia, Commonwealth Catholic Charities, HomeAgain shelter services, the market at 20 Fifth and other local organizations, and school‑based teams. Parks emphasized CFIT’s role in submitting transportation requests for students found eligible and in providing wraparound supports — from hygiene kits and food to caps and gowns for graduation — noting staff frequently work beyond normal hours to meet families’ needs. “It truly takes a village,” Parks said, describing a family case that required coordination across multiple agencies.
Board members asked about budget and transportation impacts of the caseload increase; staff said they would follow up with transportation‑specific cost information. Board members and the superintendent praised CFIT staff and local partners and urged continued interagency collaboration.
Ending: Staff committed to provide requested follow‑up documentation to the board, including transportation cost impacts and further details on active case counts and interventions.
