25 Jul Council Bluffs Community School District (CBCSD) Receives $40,000 Grant from Iowa Department of Homeless Education
The Council Bluffs Community School District (CBCSD) was recently awarded a $40,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Homeless Education, McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth to support a new comprehensive Homeless Program Plan that will offer a full range of services to homeless youth and their families.
CBCSD will provide professional development to administration, advocates, counselors, and teachers to heighten their understanding and sensitivity to the overall needs and rights of homeless students, as well as their specific educational and emotional needs. This will enable district staff to improve their ability to identify homeless students, understand the state and federal laws pertaining to the rights of homeless students, know when and how to refer students to the McKinney-Vento Liaison for services, understand services available through the district and the community to address homelessness, and adapt their specific classroom environment or requirements to accommodate the unique academic needs of homeless students.
The comprehensive Homeless Program Plan will increase the academic success of CBCSD students experiencing homelessness or high mobility by ensuring the district has fully developed policies and procedures to facilitate the enrollment and success of these students. Under the Homeless Program Plan, the CBCSD will improve identification and tracking of homeless students, improve professional development, increase the growth and effectiveness of the collaborative community referral network, and improve parent education and training.
The Council Bluffs Community School District, formed in 1859, has a rich history of innovation, distinguished educators, and successful graduates. The mission of the Council Bluffs Community School District is to guarantee that every student graduates with the knowledge, skills and character to become a responsible citizen and to succeed in a changing world by creating a leading-edge, inclusive educational system which provides challenging expectations, diverse experiences, engaging curriculum and innovative teaching within a collaborative, caring community.