The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento) guarantees a free and appropriate public education for all children and youth experiencing homelessness. To this end, the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) grant program provides funding to eight regions in Pennsylvania to support students experiencing homelessness.

ECYEH’s priorities include identifying and tracking the number of students experiencing homelessness and providing supports such as school enrollment assistance, uniforms, transportation, other needs such as backpacks and school supplies, and referrals. Each year, the Office of Research and Evaluation works collaboratively with the School District of Philadelphia’s ECYEH offices to produce a summary of the ECYEH activities in the District. This brief summarizes activities during the 2023-24 school year.

Key findings include:

• ECYEH identified a larger percentage of students experiencing homelessness in 2023-24 compared to 2022-23.
• Students identified as “doubled up” represented the most frequent living arrangement for those experiencing homelessness.
• In addition to having a higher rate of chronic truancy, students identified as experiencing homelessness also scored lower on standardized assessments, had higher rates of suspensions, and had lower rates of graduating on time compared to District students overall.
• ECYEH continued their Teen Evolution Experience Network (TEEN) program and created new partnerships that supported students experiencing homelessness.