WRITER AT SAN DIEGO VOICE SITES NATIONAL CENTER ON FAMILY HOMELESSNESS on HOMELESS STUDENTS

HOMELESS STUDENTS ARE AT RISK byu CARINA deMANIGOLD at VOICE OF SAN DIEGO

EXCERPT: Research shows that child homelessness has a negative impact on child development, and troubling reports from the National Center on Family Homelessness state that homeless children are eight times more likely to be asked to repeat a grade, three times more likely to be placed in special education classes and twice as likely to score lower on standardized tests. Homelessness for children means more than lack of a stable place to live; it also means more health problems, failing education, and possible chronic homelessness. These students face a range of problems regarding schooling, from finding a way to get to school, to having the appropriate clothing and finding a quiet place to study.


There is one piece of very important federal legislation, sometimes unknown to the general public, which is called McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 2002, that explicitly addresses the needs and concerns of homeless students. The legislation encourages states to provide homeless students with the same appropriate public education as their peers, including preschool, received by other students within the school environment. It guarantees homeless children and youths certain rights, and allows them to enroll in school immediately. The law requires states to revise regulations that may serve as barriers for the homeless students; however numerous educational barriers continue to exist.