Bucks IU Providing Educational Stability For Kids Facing Homelessness

DOYLESTOWN, PA — As communities across Bucks County and eastern Pennsylvania observe Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week this month, the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (Bucks IU) is highlighting the ongoing, behind-the-scenes work that ensures some of the region’s most
vulnerable children never lose access to education, even when they may lose access to housing.

Through the Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) program, the Bucks IU supports school districts throughout Bucks, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Northampton counties, helping families experiencing housing instability keep their children enrolled, engaged, and connected to learning.

“Our team is dedicated to offering resources, guidance, and expertise while always prioritizing discretion and protecting the dignity of every family and student,” said Dr. Mary Agnes DeCicco, Bucks IU Program Director of Federal and Nonpublic Programs and Supervisor of the agency’s ECYEH team.

The Bucks IU’s work is part of a statewide initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, established under the federal McKinney-Vento Act, which guarantees specific educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. Pennsylvania is divided into eight ECYEH service regions; the Bucks IU manages Region 8, which serves Bucks, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Northampton counties.

During the 2023–24 school year, more than 7,100 students in Region 8 experienced housing instability, according to the most recent state data. Statewide, the number exceeded 50,000 students

"Losing a home is disruptive enough,” said Dr. Mark Hoffman, Bucks IU Executive Director. “This program makes sure access to education isn’t lost, too. Our ECYEH efforts are a direct reflection of our mission to support every learner, especially those facing difficult times. The ECYEH team acts quickly, solves problems, and does what’s needed to keep kids connected to school. This work reflects our mission at its core: supporting every learner, especially those facing the hardest challenges.”

The Bucks IU ECYEH team includes Regional Coordinator Michelle Connor, Social Worker Jonathan Lepore, and Foster Care Coordinator Kathy Wittenbrook, under the supervision of Dr. DeCicco. Together, they collaborate with school districts, county agencies, and community organizations to uphold educational stability for students experiencing homelessness and those in foster care, who also receive federal protections.

The Bucks IU ECYEH Team (from left): Dr. DeCicco, Program Director of Federal and Nonpublic Programs; Kathy Wittenbrook, Region 8 Foster Care Coordinator, Michelle Connor, Regional ECYEH Coordinator; and Jonathon Lepore, School Social Worker.

“I collaborate with foster care liaisons across our five counties, as well as the designated County Children and Youth Agency education liaisons, to ensure educational stability for these students,” Wittenbrook said.

Connor noted that the team’s approach is grounded in the “Five W’s”:

• Who is experiencing homelessness?
• What protections apply in this situation?
• Where can those protections be used to ensure enrollment, transportation, and continued attendance?
• When are those rights to be enforced?
• Why this work matters is to remove barriers and promote stability.

“Having this information allows the ECYEH program throughout Region 8 to promote the
academic success and well-being of these students,” Connor said.

School district leaders also underscore the impact of the Bucks IU’s partnership. “Our motivation is always to do what’s best for our students and their families, and the Bucks IU ECYEH team helps us to do that,” said Justin Rubenstein, Supervisor of Student Services for the Central Bucks School District.

As part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, the Bucks IU ECYEH team is hosting several activities, including a discussion at the Bucks IU Administrative Offices in Doylestown about housing instability and how “small actions can make an impact,” said Lepore.

Staff will also reflect on what “home” means to them and “Wear Red on November 21” to show solidarity with individuals experiencing homelessness and to support community organizations serving local families.