Rep. John H. Rogers is calling for the state to allocate $11.3 million statewide to address the cost of state compliance with the federal McKinney-Vento Act relating to educational opportunities for homeless students.   The federal act provides that a homeless student living in temporary housing in a host community outside of the city or town where the family lived prior to becoming homeless may choose to remain enrolled in the community of origin school.  Due to the state’s participation in the federal program, cities and towns are required to provide transportation of some homeless children after they are placed in a different municipality for temporary housing. 

As the state McKinney-Vinto Plan is a voluntary agreement between the Commonwealth and the federal government, Auditor Suzanne Bump has determined that the requirements are unfunded mandates and thus subject to the Massachusetts Local Mandate Law.  This law provides that any post-1980 state law or regulation that imposes additional costs upon any municipality must either be fully funded by the Commonwealth or be subject to local acceptance.  Auditor Bump’s Division of Local Mandates is responsible for determining the local financial impact of proposed or existing state mandates

Rogers is calling on the state to bear the financial responsibility for the transportation costs for homeless students thus freeing the school system to allocate its scarce resources for other vital needs in its local budget.

“If this state funding allows even 1 teaching position to be saved in Walpole, this will be a great benefit to the education of our students,” said Rogers.

Rogers has sent a letter petitioning for this fiscal relief to Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker Robert DeLeo.  He has requested that the Legislature and the Governor provide funding of $11.3 million in a supplemental budget appropriation to cover the mandated cost for FY2012 as well as ongoing reimbursements in future budgets. 

Rogers will continue to work with local officials to identify and resolve any unfunded mandates.  School Superintendent Lynch had advised Rep. Rogers that the cost of this unfunded mandate for the current year is $52,000, the cost of a classroom teacher.

Rogers' letter to the governor, House speaker and Senate president

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