Education for homeless children and youth

The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education awarded the Pennsylvania Department of Education $5.32 million on July 1, 2026, under the Education for Homeless Children and Youth program (CFDA 84.196). The award obligates $5,320,263 and runs through September 30, 2027, with place of performance in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

This formula grant funds services to ensure homeless children and youth have equal access to free, appropriate public education. The program operates as a two-tier distribution mechanism: the Department of Education awards formula grants to States noncompetitively, and States then distribute subgrants competitively to local educational agencies on the basis of need and application quality. Pennsylvania, as the ultimate recipient through its Budget & Fiscal Management Division (Comptroller's Office), distributes funds to local school districts and other eligible recipients serving homeless students in elementary, secondary, and preschool programs statewide.

The award is structured as a formula grant, one of two assistance types the program employs. Recipient organizations must maintain records for three years. Single or program-specific audits are required when non-Federal entity expenditures reach $750,000 or more in Federal awards annually.