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McKinney‑Vento team outlines supports and a public dashboard after identifying about 4,905 students experiencing homelessness
Summary
District staff described outreach, transportation, tutoring and community partnerships for students identified under the McKinney‑Vento Homeless Assistance Act, and introduced a public dashboard that district leaders said helps partners target services.
District staff presented the School District of Palm Beach County's McKinney‑Vento program and a new public dashboard that the staff said will help community partners find and serve students experiencing homelessness.
Mr. Oswald, introducing the federal program, said the district aims to enroll McKinney‑Vento‑eligible students immediately and provide transportation to the school of origin and necessary supplemental services. Alicia Coleman, program planner, reviewed definitions and the district's identification and support work: "It defines homeless, for children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence."
Current numbers and goals: Coleman said the district identified 4,905 McKinney‑Vento students as of April 1. The program's state goals include identifying at least 5% of eligible students within direct certification counts, achieving at least a 90% school‑attendance rate and promoting at least 90% of those students to the next grade. Coleman told the board the students identified through the program were attending at about a 90.18% rate in March.
Services and partnerships: The presentation listed enrollment assistance, transportation to school of origin (including private transportation or mileage reimbursement when needed), on‑site tutoring in six shelters with eight certified teachers, year‑round essentials (uniforms, hygiene kits) and a "sneaker closet" providing new shoes. Staff said community partners including Lewis Center/Adopt a Family, Turning Points and Palm Beach County Youth Services help provide donations, summer camp slots and case management.
Coleman and Mr. Oswald demonstrated a public support services dashboard that allows users to filter data by school, commission district or municipality and to see attendance and other indicators. The dashboard also shows hunger relief program participation (the presenters cited 2,271 students in the hunger‑relief backpack program as of the dashboard snapshot).
Outcomes: District presenters credited the coordinated approach and community partnerships for a graduation rate increase among McKinney‑Vento students from FY23 to FY24. Coleman said the graduation rate for identified students increased 12.5 percentage points to 82.2% in FY24.
Board members praised the outreach and asked for donation channels and easy links to the dashboard. Mr. Oswald and Coleman provided contact paths and said donation partners such as The Giving Closet Project and the Lewis Center accept clothing and other items; staff agreed to share precise links and referral steps.
Ending: The board thanked McKinney‑Vento staff for the presentation and for the stronger coordination with community partners; members urged wider circulation of the dashboard link and donation information so residents and local groups can contribute.
