More Homeless Students Than Ever Before

Published September 08, 2009 @ 07:04AM PT

Today, over one million school-age children are kicking off the school year with a difficult assignment: returning to school without a stable home. In the past two years, the number of homeless students in schools across the country has doubled, creating acute challenges for both financially-stretched school districts and students struggling to get by.

McKinney-Vento (the major piece of federal homeless legislation) requires schools schools to see that homeless students are able to remain in their original school prior to being displaced. The law is popular among homeless advocates, since it goes to great lengths to see that homeless students do not fall behind academically amid an unstable home life.

Yet, the requirements of this law are proving strenuous for already over-burdened school districts. In many cases, the cost burdens of meeting the needs of homeless students fall on state and local governments. Thus, the heaviest burdens often fall on the poorest communities with the highest numbers of homeless students.

So what does meeting the needs of a homeless child look like? It begins with transportation. If a student is staying in a shelter or on a relative's couch, the school is required to provide transportation to the student's original school by whatever means necessary -- bus, car, taxi, or gas money. In addition, each district must appoint a "homeless liaison" to see that students' food and material needs are met, including free breakfasts and lunches, uniforms, backpacks, calculators, books, etc.

Fall 2009 is unlike any previous year; never before has the number of homeless students in U.S. schools been so high. In the past two years, the number of homeless students nationally has increased by 100 percent, according to estimates by the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. And initial school reports say this upward trend is continuing. San Antonio, Texas, for example. has 1,000 homeless students enrolled -- twice as many as fall of last year.

Few would disagree that ensuring stability for homeless students is absolutely critical regardless of the costs attached. But during times like these, even the best-intentioned schools have a breaking point.

Photo from the NY Times.

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Comments (10)

I'm not sure of the level of severity that has been taken by the parents across this nation to bringing their children to understanding that the economic uncertainties that tie this nation have brought attention to being brought towards the low-incomed families of this nation in order to seek a solution. It seems t hat the more searching that goes on the more that this nation seems unstable when the asumption of an economic standing is presented. We haave to understand that low-incomed families make up the vass majority of this nations population and as the uncertainty of budgeting and economic assumptions are presented the more problem will come to light.

The fact that more and more school aged children are from families that are stuggling financialy is becoming a common result. A reason that our educational system seems to be failing on a global view-point. We are producing a nation of tired under-educated lo-incomed working classed children.

This has to change.

Posted by Aaron Shaw on 09/08/2009 @ 09:14AM PT
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I agree! All these outsourcing agreements disguised as "free trade" are killing the working class people in this country!

Clinton promised us "millions of high paying manufacturng jobs and much less illegal immigration" if we passed "NAFTA" and look what's happened!

It's turned out to be a collosul mistake yet we're *still* in it fourteen years later!

President Obama needs to get us *out*of "NAFTA!"

The only ones crying out for "free trade" are big coporations not the people!

"Free trade" hasn't made my life better at all!

Also, states like Calif have no room to complain when they spend $15-$20 B on illegal aliens in their state. That money would go a long way towards ending the homeless problem among our citizens!

Posted by Thomas Porter on 09/13/2009 @ 03:16PM PT
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I agree, please, let's stop letting the illegals get benefits. I live in DC, lost my job, went to apply for some benefits (medical assistance, food stamps) until I could get a job. I was told that unless I was homeless, and prove it, it wouldn't be done. But IF I WAS AN ILLEGAL, I would have received the benefits that DAY!! Can you believe it, I've paid taxes for over 20 years, yet. . . I was shocked. The woman telling me this was a US citizen, and looked at me like she couldn't believe it, either. Over 10 hospitals in southern CA have gone bankrupt because of illegals. Not to mention the $ going into the prisons where so many are locked up.

Also, how about the wars? Does it benefit you or me?

Posted by sharron chadwick on 09/15/2009 @ 09:57AM PT
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I naively married an immigrant. I knew nothing of illegal immigrants, greencards and all that. I learned. Romance was like a potion to me, until after the quick marriage. Then it was down to business: money, paperwork, interviews at INS: six years of it: greencard, then citizenship, then he divorced me and trying to complain and fight this injustice through the INS got me only: "You stayed for six years, there's nothing we can do." True, I messed up my life, but I wish there were support groups for people like me, devastated by the lie of love forever (until he/she gets what they have planned long and hard to achieve)...a year later after the divorce, I have lost everything. He is an Engineer with wife and child here now.

Posted by Christina Boyer on 09/15/2009 @ 12:02PM PT
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Here is a great resource for anyone who wants to help underprivileged children in school. I strongly suggest browsing the site. You can even combine donations with friends to fulfill a classroom's request.

http://www.donorschoose.org/

Posted by Dennis G. on 09/08/2009 @ 09:31AM PT
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I think something that is often overlooked is the disadvantage that wealthy kids confront when the schools won't reach out to help them with free lunches and after school programs. Many times, even though their parents may be rich, the kids are victims of neglect and just as impoverished. Mommy and Daddy drive their BMW to the beach house and leave them alone with little money and semi-desirable snacks.

Posted by Turk Fowler on 09/08/2009 @ 11:57AM PT
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I agree even in rich households parents can neglect their children.

Posted by Casey Williams on 09/19/2009 @ 08:49PM PT
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Our economic system of tax cuts for the very rich, ever increasing income gap between rich and poor, and the general take over by the corporation of our political system has resulted in everyone besides the rich suffering. Homelessness is one of many symtom of these economic policies.

I see that American dollar and eventually the econmy defaulting within a year. I am not disturbed because those in a favorable position before the collapse didn't have the foresight to at least share some of proceeds of the society. Uncontrolled greed and the need to control have driven this present crisis.

Individuals who visit and subsrcibe to sites such as this most begin to plan more cooperative economies. The days of market driven, unlimited growth economies are over. Latin America, Europe, and India are all moving away from the American type of market driven economies that only benefit a few billionaires and millionaires.

Homeless people must stop consuming bad foods, drugs, and alcohol that have made them vertual slaves. Lets prepare for a new day.

Posted by Terrance Newton on 09/13/2009 @ 09:59AM PT
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As an educator, these kind of statistics sadden me. It breaks my heart to see motivated, intelligent and otherwise good students have their education compromised because of their unstable home lives. And the financial reality, as Ms. Moriarty notes, is that schools with high numbers of homeless students simply do not have the resources to comply with the McKinney-Vento Act. It's tragic.

Posted by Tracey McCormick on 09/15/2009 @ 09:34AM PT
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What does solving family homelessness for kids and communities look like? Check out the documentary about one community in America and the people in it who are solving family homelessness.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=606A3D1DA49C4609

Posted by NORTH COUNTY SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE on 09/15/2009 @ 04:08PM PT
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Author

Shannon has worked in homeless shelters and service organizations in San Francisco, the Triangle region of North Carolina, and currently in the greater Boston area. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.