A national report released last week summarizes the findings of a voluntary survey of school districts conducted by the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth and First Focus. The survey found that many school districts across the country are reporting increases in the number of homeless students in the classroom, largely due to the economic downturn and foreclosure crisis. Many districts have identified the same number or more homeless students in the first few months of this school year than they identified the entire previous year, or significant increases in referrals.
These school districts report many challenges. These include:
• Rising transportation costs and logistical challenges
• Inadequate staff to identify and support children and youth experiencing homelessness
• Lack of available shelter space and low-income housing
• Reduction in other community services and supplies
• Greater severity of needs
The report calls for federal action, including an infusion of funding for the McKinney-Vento Act¹s Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, so that homeless children and youth can stay in their schools and receive the support they need to attend and succeed, additional money in the Emergency Shelter Grant program for homelessness prevention, and increases in rental housing resources through new Section 8 Housing Vouchers.
Read the report.