Lavender asks schools to spend funds reserved for unhoused students

Roughly $10 million in federal funds still unspent

State Rep. Deb Lavender (MHDC)

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, is urging school districts across Missouri to utilize a Department of Education ARPA fund to assist unhoused students or risk losing out on millions of as-of-yet unused federal funding.

"School districts that have students experiencing homelessness should take advantage of a golden opportunity to chance to assist these students with the unique challenges they face in a school setting due to being unhoused," Lavender said. "We have a chance to spend federal dollars addressing this issue that will otherwise disappear if we fail to act."  

The American Rescue Plan Act, included several provisions to help elementary and secondary schools recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, including over $800 million through the U.S. Department of Education to support the specific needs assist children and youth experiencing homelessness. Missouri received $13 million for that purpose from that pool of funding.

Lavender noted that currently most of these funds, about $10 million, have not yet been utilized. These funds need to be budgeted by local school boards and approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education by the end of September of this year and spent by January of 2025. If they are not appropriated and spent, they will be rescinded by the federal government.

Lavender added that she plans on working further with the Missouri House Democratic Caucus to assist qualified schools to be able to utilize these funds prior to their expiration.