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Richland One staff report district identified 785 children connected to homelessness last year
Summary
Office of Student Support staff told the board that the McKinney‑Vento program identified 692 school‑age students and 93 children ages birth–5 last year, described transportation and enrollment protections, and outlined community partnerships and funding sources for services.
Miss Boon, an Office of Student Support presenter, told the Richland County School District One board the McKinney‑Vento Homeless Assistance Act guarantees immediate enrollment, transportation and comparable services for students experiencing housing instability. She said the district identified 692 school‑age students and 93 younger children last year, a total of 785 — roughly 22 new identifications per week on average.
The presentation described who qualifies under McKinney‑Vento (students lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including children living doubled up, in hotels or in vehicles) and outlined key rights: "these students have the right to immediately enroll in school even if they don't have normally required documents," Miss Boon said. She explained the district must provide transportation either to the school of origin or the local school and must ensure services comparable to those for non‑homeless students.
Board members asked about implementation details. Commissioner Cheryl Harris asked how long a student remains protected; Miss Boon said protections continue for the duration of the school year once the student is identified. Commissioners also pressed on transportation logistics when students live outside attendance zones and on how multiple children in a single family are accommodated; Miss Boon said decisions are made in the child’s best interest, in communication with parent/guardian and school staff.
Miss Boon described the district’s partner network and recent initiatives: housing clinics held at school sites (about nine clinics last year serving ~400 families) and referrals to organizations including Cooperative Ministry, Homeless No More, South Carolina Legal Services and USC Law’s housing program. She said the district continues scholarship arrangements with Extended Day for after‑school programming and uses a mix of federal competitive grants (including a three‑year grant in its third year), one‑time ARP/ESSER funds that must be liquidated by September, and local general fund dollars for transportation and services.
Commissioners asked for comparative data. Miss Boon said Richland One’s McKinney‑Vento numbers are higher than neighboring districts she monitors, and commissioners noted poverty rate differences that affect identification counts. Miss Boon said additional attendance and achievement data can be provided at a later date when available.
The presentation concluded with offers to supply follow‑up information on test scores, attendance trends among protected students and grant details; the board did not take formal action on the item.
