Mussman Passes Legislation to Allow Schools to Better Assist Unhoused Students

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, passed legislation allowing school districts to provide extended hotel stays for student families who have lost or are at risk of losing their housing. 

“One homeless student is one too many. We’re seeing an unfortunate number of families facing and experiencing homelessness, and we don’t have enough support systems in place to respond to this,” said Mussman. “Schools must often think outside the box to meet the needs of distressed families. By allowing school districts to provide housing assistance to families, we’re helping to reduce costs and lessen the disruption students and families experience when they are housing insecure.”

House Bill 4137 expands the Education for Homeless Children Act, allowing districts to provide motel stays for students, as needed. The bill does not require schools to provide motels, but creates the option to do so with existing budgeted funds. School districts will be able to use their transportation funds for this purpose in addition to all previous uses.

In accordance with federal McKinney-Vento laws, school districts are responsible for transporting displaced students to their base schools, in hopes to disrupt their education as little as possible. With too few emergency and temporary shelters throughout the state, families must often stay far from their children’s schools, increasing the school’s transportation costs.

If it has been determined that it may be less expensive for the district to help a family stay in a nearby hotel, than transport a student from wherever else the family may land, the district may choose to use their transportation funds in this manner.

House Bill 4137 passed the House with bipartisan support and heads to the Senate.