Kelso School District seeks $40,800 from county to sustain expanded McKinney-Vento liaison

Kelso School District leaders presented a request to the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners for a $40,800 annual contribution to sustain an expanded McKinney-Vento liaison position that provides housing-stability support for students and families. Superintendent Marybeth Tacken and Student Services Director Gunnar Gethormsson described the program's services, outcomes and partnerships during a 10 a.m. work session.

Tacken said Kelso has prioritized the McKinney-Vento liaison role and credited it with strong graduation outcomes for students served. "We've been recognized as a state model," she said, and reported that in recent years nearly all McKinney-Vento seniors she cited were post-secondary enrolled. Gethormsson said the district is requesting $40,800 per year, which the district described as roughly 30% of one position's salary and related supports; the district said that funding would help maintain housing-stability work that goes beyond the federal McKinney-Vento requirements.

Commissioners asked detailed questions about eligibility, caseload and funding sources. County staff said the consolidated homeless grant is a potential source but that some academic functions remain outside of that grant's allowable uses. Gethormsson and Tacken said Kelso currently identifies about 262 students as experiencing homelessness (data from September) and that the liaison spends an estimated 12'15 hours weekly on housing-stability work beyond the liaison's federally required duties.

Commissioners directed Health and Human Services staff to continue work with the district and to bring a draft contract back to the board for formal consideration. Gina James said staff would develop contract language that defines eligible activities and an "up to" dollar-amount for the county contribution. One commissioner said the proposal looked transparent and data-driven and favored moving forward; another asked for the formal contract to return for review before any county expenditure.

The board did not make a funding appropriation at the meeting; next steps are county staff drafting contract terms and returning them to the BOCC for approval.