The US Education Department released funds worth $600 million to states for combating homelessness in school children. The pandemic spiked the already existing demographic in the state, making it harder for educators to address the problem.

The states and districts will be identifying students that are experiencing homelessness and use the funds to provide essential services—like housing assistance, clothing, mental health support and food—that were already being rendered by funding through the McKinney-Vento Act, which is a federal education law that provides assistance to states to help them support children experiencing homelessness.