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Maintaining Data on Homeless Students
posted by: Ruthie | February 18, 2014, 09:17 PM   


The economic crisis of 2008 has hit millions of families extremely hard.  According to the U.S. Department of Education,
over 1.1 million children were considered homeless during the 2011-12 school year. This statistic is 10% higher than the year before and 72% higher than before the recession.


In cases of homelessness, school is often the only haven for these children.
According to the National Association for the Education Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY), children report that school is a surrogate home, a familiar oasis, and a distraction from the daily stress of poverty on a near daily basis.

While school provides a welcome escape for homeless students, the lack of data and records on these students makes it difficult to monitor their progress in schools. Without an address, it can be very difficult to follow up with students or contact them if they are consistently absent from school.

In order to remedy this problem, some states are taking action to better maintain data on homeless students.
Washington State, recently passed HB 2373, requiring the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to gather data on the number of homeless students enrolled in the state’s public schools and report it to the state’s governor. If HB 2373 passes in the senate, the OSPI would be charged with designating homeless student liaisons, as well as reporting other data regarding homeless students, including dropout rates.

While state governments and the Department of Education continue to work on policies and programs for mitigating student homelessness, many times the most effective strategies for supporting students in poverty are lead by teachers.
Click here for a guide for resources on helping homeless children.

Is homelessness a problem among students at your school? 
Comment below.

 

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