Can a district use McKinney-Vento funds to purchase a washer and dryer as part of an after-school independent living skills program for McKinney-Vento students? They will use the equipment to teach students how to wash their clothes, while also teaching cooking, budgeting, and other skills. The students are being bullied due to dirty clothes, and many won’t come to school.

Answer: Yes, McKinney-Vento funds can be used to purchase a washer and dryer for a program like this. It could fit under several allowable uses:

(7) 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 students are not coming to school due to hygiene and bullying.)

(12) The provision of specialized instructional support services (including violence prevention counseling) and referrals for such services.  (Teaching how to wash, how to cook, etc..  The inclusion of “violence prevention counseling” as a specific example shows that the term “specialized instructional support services” is much broader than typical academics or coursework)

(16) The provision of other extraordinary or emergency assistance needed to enable homeless children and youths to attend school and participate fully in school activities. (The students are not coming to school due to hygiene and bullying.)

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