Homeless Facts

Recent History of a Growing Crisis

The number of homeless students in the United States reached a record high during the 2019-2020 school year, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education. The report shows that homeless children enrolled in public preschool and grades K-12 increased from the previous school year to 1,508,265. It is estimated there are approximately 1.5 million homeless students today as some states under-report based on national standards.

According to the Education Department, three-quarters of these students live “doubled up” — that is, with friends or extended family members — while 16 percent live in shelters. Some 3 percent live without shelter. And about 6 percent are “unaccompanied,” meaning they live completely on their own without parents or other family members. A significant number of homeless students have disabilities or have limited English language skills.

Troubling as these numbers are, they likely understate the problem of homelessness among the young, the First Focus Campaign for Children said in a statement. The nonprofit pointed out that the data did not include children too young for school or those not enrolled in public schools. “A record number of homeless students means a record number of our children being exposed to sexual trafficking, abuse, hunger, and denial of their basic needs,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the First Focus Campaign for Children. “The new data means that a record number of kids in our schools and communities are spending restless nights in bed-bug infested motels and falling more behind in school by the day because they’re too tired and hungry to concentrate.”
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/23/homeless-students_n_5864414.html

The impact is profound on public schools, which struggle to try to address the needs of homeless children. Teachers often find themselves working not only to help children learn but also to clothe them, keep them clean and counsel them through problems — including stress and trauma — that interfere with classroom progress. Many schools receive federal funds meant to help connect homeless students with support services. But that federal funding has not kept pace with the increasing need: In fiscal 2006, the Department of Education distributed $61.8 million for homeless youth programs. It had fallen slightly to $61.7 million by 2013, then increased slightly to $65 million in 2014
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/number-of-us-homeless-students-has-doubled-since-before-the-recession/2015/09/14/0c1fadb6-58c2-11e5-8bb1-b488d231bba2_story.html