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* Press release…
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today announced $38 million in federal funding to identify and support students experiencing housing insecurity. The funding will bolster schools’ efforts to identify students in temporary living situations and provide them with services.
Students in many different living situations qualify for extra resources. The additional funding announced today will help schools overcome barriers to identifying students for services, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools statewide identified 17 percent fewer students to receive services related to housing insecurity last school year compared to the year before. The number of students identified statewide dropped from 38,898 to 32,301.
* The Daily Herald’s Katlyn Smith had a good piece over the weekend about this very topic…
Months into the pandemic, school districts across Illinois braced for a rise in the number of students without stable housing.
The COVID-19 crisis had unleashed widespread job loss and health complications, leaving “many more families and children homeless or at risk of homelessness,” the Illinois State Board of Education warned in July 2020.
When the numbers came in, however, it was “quite a shock,” said Deb Dempsey, an advocate for homeless students with the Kane County Regional Office of Education. Schools identified thousands fewer homeless students in 2020-21 than in the year before.
“It was like, ‘Oh my God, where are these kids?’” Dempsey said.
But what appears to be a significant decline is not only misleading. It’s cause for concern. Educators say there isn’t a reduction in homelessness.
“It’s just that we’ve lost track of them, which is the worst thing that can happen because then they’re kind of falling through the cracks and not getting the services that they need,” said Tom Bookler, a regional homeless liaison in the North Cook Intermediate Service Center.
* Back to the press release…
“So many families have experienced financial hardship during the pandemic. We hope to increase understanding among parents and educators that students in many different living situations can qualify for and benefit from this funding,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala, “Living with friends or relatives, staying in motels or other short-term housing, or having to move out due to unsafe conditions or a disaster like flooding or fire – students and families in any of these circumstances are entitled to extra money to ensure they can continue to participate fully in all the opportunities school has to offer, as well as support for any trauma they may be going through.”
A new study by the University of Chicago’s Inclusive Economy Lab found that housing insecurity can affect students’ grade point averages, attendance rates, and graduation rates. The extra funding for schools will help ensure students experiencing housing insecurity have equitable opportunities by covering the costs of school fees and school supplies; transportation to and from school, extracurricular activities, and appointments; counseling; and other supports.
ISBE has already distributed $6 million to the state’s regional lead area liaisons and allocated $6 million in regular federal funding for students experiencing housing insecurity. An additional $24 million will go directly to school districts to boost their efforts to identify students who quality for extra services due to housing insecurity. ISBE will use the remaining $2 million to provide professional development to educators and community partners to increase understanding about the impact housing insecurity has on students.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 10:47 am
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Another thing to consider once they’ve been identified is how to transport them. With so many districts struggling to staff their regular bus routes the addition of more homeless students from further flung areas has been one of the many new challenges being posed to district administrators due to the pandemic
Comment by Steve M Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 10:59 am
Homeless students are the canary in the mine?
Comment by Dotnonymous Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 11:50 am
===“It’s just that we’ve lost track of them, which is the worst thing that can happen because then they’re kind of falling through the cracks and not getting the services that they need,” said Tom Bookler, a regional homeless liaison in the North Cook Intermediate Service Center.===
When being told of the pandemic damage to students, this is real, unlike not being able to play football until spring or playing basketball with a mask.
Education, like in life, is about showing up for the opportunity, and in these cases, the opportunity to be able to *be* present has been stifled, even if it’s an online issue with residences.
Eye opening to say the least.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 12:21 pm
Two other things to keep in mind:
- There has always been an undercount of homeless students. The pandemic made that undercount exponentially worse.
- As evictions continue to work their way through the courts, we are just going to see the real number increase.
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 12:36 pm
===- As evictions continue to work their way through the courts, we are just going to see the real number increase.===
Nice talking point but eviction filings are still below pre-pandemic levels.
Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 12:39 pm
“Nice talking point but eviction filings are still below pre-pandemic levels.”
Great. I sincerely hope that remains the case.
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 12:46 pm
“eviction filings are still below pre-pandemic levels.”
Maybe some places, but certainly not everywhere, e.g.
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2021-11-01/mclean-county-sees-a-spike-in-evictions-2-months-after-the-moratorium-ended
– MrJM
Comment by MisterJayEm Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 1:48 pm
Some of the homeless students with no access to electricity or running water experienced so many challenges. We sent the student to the nurse with a short note. The nurse walked the student down to the gym where there was a washer, dryer, shower,shampoo, and soap. The student cleaned up, wore sweats until the clothes were dried and came back to class.
No other students said one word as they learned lessons about kindness, gratitude, and respect.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Nov 9, 21 @ 2:20 pm