Imagine a fourth-grade student that does not have a consistent home. The food the school provides at breakfast and lunch is the only ration of food they receive for the day. Snow days are agonizing not knowing if they will have food for that day and hoping to return to school only to eat. Students are beginning to notice that they wear the same two shirts and pants to school every day, and exclusion from groups of friends is evident. Teachers send the student habitually to the nurse to get cleaned up each morning, not realizing that the student is missing morning activities and lessons causing them to fall academically behind. At the end of every day, they look lost and not sure what bus to take because they are often staying with different family friends, local shelters and hotels, at times it is easier not to go to school than to feel abandoned and lost.
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Since 2007 there has been 100% increase of identified students and a 7% increase nationally over the previous year (National Center for Homeless Youth (NCHY), 2016). Currently, 30% percent of the national homeless populations are children and youth (NCHY, 2016). “Blue collar, “middle income” jobs (annual income $32,000-$53,000) are at a net loss of over 900,000 since before the recession. On the other hand, low wage jobs have increased. High wage jobs requiring at least a college degree also have risen” (National Employment Law Project, 2016). Students that are homeless have “Higher incidences of acute and chronic illnesses, depression and anxiety,” are “associated with poor classroom engagement and poor social skills,” and “87% more likely to drop out of school (NCHY, 2016). According to the National Coalition of Homeless Youth (2016), “75% of homeless or runaway youth have dropped out or will drop out of
Since 2007 there has been 100% increase of identified students and a 7% increase nationally over the previous year (National Center for Homeless Youth (NCHY), 2016). Currently, 30% percent of the national homeless populations are children and youth (NCHY, 2016). “Blue collar, “middle income” jobs (annual income $32,000-$53,000) are at a net loss of over 900,000 since before the recession. On the other hand, low wage jobs have increased. High wage jobs requiring at least a college degree also have risen” (National Employment Law Project, 2016). Students that are homeless have “Higher incidences of acute and chronic illnesses, depression and anxiety,” are “associated with poor classroom engagement and poor social skills,” and “87% more likely to drop out of school (NCHY, 2016). According to the National Coalition of Homeless Youth (2016), “75% of homeless or runaway youth have dropped out or will drop out of