American Rescue Plan – Homeless Children and Youth Funds (ARP-HCY) funds are uniquely flexible funds dedicated to support the identification, enrollment, and school participation of children and youth experiencing homelessness, including through wrap-around services. Eligible uses of funds include “any expenses necessary to facilitate the identification, enrollment, retention, or educational success of homeless children and youth in order to enable homeless children and youth to attend school and participate fully in school activities.”

Allowable uses of ARP-HCY funds approved by the U.S. Department of Education include:

• Training to better identify students experiencing homelessness, connect them to wraparound services, and provide additional counseling and other behavioral and mental health supports.
• Hiring or retaining staff, or contracting with community-based organizations, to help families effectively navigate housing and other support systems.
• Paying for short-term, temporary housing (including a hotel or motel) on a case-by-case basis.
• Providing transportation to and from the school of origin, or to attend classes and participate fully in school activities. This may include the purchase of vehicles for the specialized transportation of homeless children and youth, as well as reimbursing parents and youth for gas costs, purchasing prepaid gas cards, and paying for limited car repairs, if such costs are reasonable and necessary.
• Purchasing store cards/prepaid debit cards that students or families can use to purchase materials necessary for a student experiencing homelessness to participate fully in school
  activities.
• Expanding access to reliable, high-speed internet for students through the purchase of
  internet-connected devices or equipment (including cell phones), mobile hotspots, wireless service plans, or installation of community wireless hotspots to help students stay connected to schoolwork.
• Providing early childhood education to young children who are not formally enrolled in the LEA, but who are experiencing homelessness in the LEA. This includes activities to transition children to kindergarten, coordinating screenings, referrals, activities to determine eligibility for subsidy, and early intervention services (including transportation to those services).
• Assisting youth and their parents/guardians with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and many other college readiness and college access activities, adding staff hours to provide such assistance, and paying for college application expenses such as registration fees, preparation materials, entrance and placement exams, and other fees associated with college applications.
• Hiring graduation coaches or paying stipends to counselors to conduct transcript audits to help award partial credits and ensure students are on track for graduation.

In addition, local educational agencies (LEAs) may use funds for any of the sixteen uses permitted by the McKinney-Vento Act (42 U.S.C. 11433(d)). These include:

• The provision of tutoring, supplemental instruction, and enriched educational servicesthat are linked to the achievement of the same challenging State academic standards as the State establishes for other children and youths.
• The provision of expedited evaluations of the strengths and needs of homeless children and youths, including needs and eligibility for programs and services (such as educational programs for gifted and talented students, children with disabilities, and English learners, services provided under title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 or similar State or local programs, programs in career and technical education, and school nutrition programs). 
• Professional development and other activities for educators and specialized instructional support personnel that are designed to heighten the understanding and sensitivity of such personnel to the needs of homeless children and youths, the rights of such children and youths under this subtitle, and the specific educational needs of runaway and homeless youths.
• The provision of referral servicesto homeless children and youths for medical, dental, mental, and other health services.
• The provision of assistance to defray the excess cost of transportation for students under section 722(g)(4)(A), not otherwise provided through Federal, State, or local funding, where necessary to enable students to attend the school selected under section 722(g)(3).
• The provision of developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs, not otherwise provided through Federal, State, or local funding, for preschool-aged homeless children. 
• The provision of services and assistance to attract, engage, and retain homeless children and youths, particularly homeless children and youths who are not enrolled in school, in public school programs and services provided to nonhomeless children and youths.
• The provision for homeless children and youths of before- and after-school, mentoring, and summer programs in which a teacher or other qualified individual provides tutoring, homework assistance, and supervision of educational activities. 
• If necessary, the payment of fees and other costs associated with tracking, obtaining, and transferring records necessary to enroll homeless children and youths in school, including birth certificates, immunization or other required health records, academic records, guardianship records, and evaluations for special programs or services.
• The provision of education and training to the parents and guardians of homeless children and youths about the rights of, and resources available to, such children and youths, and other activities designed to increase the meaningful involvement of parents and guardians of homeless children and youths in the education of such children and youths. 
• The development of coordination between schools and agencies providing services to homeless children and youths, as described in section 722(g)(5). 
• The provision of specialized instructional support services(including violence prevention counseling) and referrals for such services. 
• Activities to address the particular needs of homeless children and youths that may arise from domestic violence and parental mental health or substance abuse problems. 
• The adaptation of space and purchase of supplies for any nonschool facilities made available under subsection (a)(2) to provide services under this subsection. 
• The provision of school supplies, including those supplies to be distributed at shelters or temporary housing facilities, or other appropriate locations. 
• The provision of other extraordinary or emergency assistance needed to enable homeless children and youths to attend school and participate fully in school activities.