Education for homeless children and youth

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) $5,180,855 under the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program (CFDA 84.196) for the performance period of July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This formula grant supports comprehensive services designed to ensure homeless children and youth in Illinois have equal access to free, appropriate public education. The program funds activities including the identification and enrollment of homeless students, academic support services, transportation assistance, professional development for educators, and coordination with local education agencies to remove barriers to school participation and minimize educational disruption.

As a state educational agency, ISBE serves as the primary recipient and pass-through entity, distributing subgrants competitively to local educational agencies (LEAs), educational service centers, and community organizations throughout Illinois. These sub-awardees directly implement federally-funded services to support homeless students, while ISBE maintains oversight, compliance, and accountability responsibilities. The state educational agency model is standard for this program, with ISBE receiving its allocation through the federal formula and managing the distribution and monitoring of resources to ensure effective service delivery across the state's school districts and supporting organizations.