Sen. Rafferty looks to boost student homelessness legislation from pilot program to permanent resource

Posted: October 31, 2024 | Uncategorized

AUGUSTA —Sen. Joe Rafferty, D-Kennebunk, has proposed a bill for the 132nd Legislature to codify the McKinney Vento program in Maine. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that helps students whose housing situation is impacting their education.  The state of Maine adopted a pilot program to provide additional assistance for school districts that are working with families to prevent homelessness or help with homes that need repairs. Senator Rafferty’s proposal would expand this pilot program, due to expire in the summer of 2025, into a permanent one.

“This pilot program has changed the lives of families across Maine,” said Sen. Rafferty. “I have heard from families who have received aid through the McKinney-Vento program at their school and am thrilled to see its effects during the pilot phase. Having seen the transformational impact of this pilot, I am eager to fight to create a permanent place for this program within our legislature. We need to assure families that relief and security will continue so their children can have a safe space to sleep at night.”

The 131st Legislature heard from students and parents struggling with housing needs around the state. Sen. Rafferty, a former coach and educator, understands that students worrying about whether they have a safe place to sleep at night will affect their ability to perform in the classroom. The program supports students in various living situations, such as sharing housing with friends and relatives, living in hotels, motels, vehicles, or abandoned buildings, or living in rentals with insufficient heat or electricity.

Enrollment in the McKinney Vento program is currently open for this school year with informational sessions being held virtually and in-person. Each school district has its own McKinney-Vento specialist who can assist families in becoming enrolled and this bill will help districts struggling with record numbers of students experiencing homelessness.

For more information on the McKinney-Vento Program or to see if you and your family are eligible for assistance, please visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/safeschools/highmobility/homelessed.