Source: The Atlantic
More than 200,000 students in K-12 in California are without permanent homes, often living in shared housing with multiple families, in cars, motels or on the streets which results in stress and distraction from school, among other concerns.
The number of homeless youth in the state of California increased by 20 percent in the last three years, and continues to rise as housing costs soar.
Officials estimate that the number is much greater since the status of a students’ housing situation is self-reported and many are ashamed to admit that they do not have stable housing, according to a report.
This becomes a greater issue because while public schools are required to provide assistance to students who are suffering from homelessness, many schools across the state report that there are no students battling with homelessness on their campuses, while data indicates otherwise.
Furthermore, in the state of California, only about 60 percent of school districts receive extra funding to help students battling with homelessness – far below what is needed to help the population of students who deal with unstable housing every night.
Read Full Story: The Atlantic