Homeless Students

There are 52,000 Plus Homeless Children in Illinois:

Some Solutions for CPS Students

By Thomas Hansen, Ph.D.

 

There are over 13,000 homeless students in Chicago.

The results of being homeless, moving from school to school, and not knowing where they are going to sleep are clear on children: “Continuously falling behind in education makes children experiencing homelessness four times more likely to show slow development, and two times more likely to have learning disabilities” (https://atlantamission.org/the-impact-of-homelessness-on-education/#:~:text=Continuously%20falling%20behind%20in%20education%20makes%20children%20experiencing,affects%20the%20child%E2%80%99s%20social%20development%20and%20their%20self-esteem.).  This in turn negatively impacts the child’s social development and their self-esteem.  A huge number of students nationwide face the challenges of homelessness – and many students in Illinois face those difficult challenges also.

The 2017-18 Illinois school data from the US Department of Education shows “that an estimated 52,978 public school students experienced homelessness over the course of the year” (https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/il/).  On that web page, we learn also that the numbers divide out, showing “467 students were unsheltered, 5,140 were in shelters, 2,037 were in hotels/motels, and 44,875 were doubled up.”  Let’s break this down and look at what those terms mean—the “nitty-gritty” of the total 52,000 plus kids in Illinois who do not have a home. 

“Unsheltered” means there are children and young adults who are sleeping somewhere that is not meant to be a domicile, not meant to be slept in or on.  Examples are: dumpsters, abandoned cars, alleys, buses and trains, back corner of an all-night diner, back room of a hardware store that is closed for the night.  That such locations can be terribly unsafe is an understatement. 

Why these spots for sleeping?  In some cases, children, and/or their parents, prefer such locations for sleeping for privacy issues.  Sometimes, the family is avoiding going to a shelter because they have had a bad experience there.  In other cases, homeless persons are not aware of other options because of language or cultural differences.  In still other cases, persons are avoiding certain people (e.g., a father who is attempting to find the mother to harm her and the children are swept up in the mix, or a parent who is trying to kidnap children away from the other adult, or a parent is hiding the children from people who want to separate the family or harm the unit in some other way).  

Note that most of these (all of these?) locations have no bathroom, no sinks, no showers for the people to use.  The children, therefore, travel the city often with unkempt hair, dirty clothes, no showered body.  The “grime” is not chosen but is rather a result – and a symptom – of living in conditions that are less than ideal.

“Shelters” are locations—funded and managed through a variety of organizations and agencies—where homeless families, children, and adults spend the night.  These locations are meant to provide sleeping, bathing, and toiletry accommodations for persons.  This is the standard place homeless people are referred to.  Said one homeless person I asked about shelters, “some are not terrible, others are not great, but I am still afraid to go.”  When I pressed Alice (not her real name) for more information, she explained that in a huge city like Chicago there is too much chaos involved.  “I just will never go,” insisted Alice.

“Motels and hotels” that are inexpensive do actually exist within and near the city.  They range in cleanliness and affordability, of course.  Some attempt to not allow homeless people to book and secure rooms in them.  Homeless people will tell you of the huge discrimination out there, of the dirty looks from the bus drivers who see the passengers attempt to board with several bags, and the typical responses like “We have no more rooms open for the night.”   

“Doubled up” means there is an “extra” family living in the house or apartment.  Some family member opens their home to a sibling’s partner or spouse and children.  Sometimes the extra people wind up sleeping in the basement and make areas or “rooms” there among boxes or old furniture.  Sometimes the extra people sleep on the couch and are gone each morning when the main family wakes up and heads to the kitchen for breakfast.  Still other times, the extra people live in an extra bedroom or den or a porch.  In some neighborhoods that tent you see in the backyard is not for kids to play in… in summer months there might be two parents and two children sleeping there.

There are in fact various ways to get help.  There are many good resources available, but families must go from one agency to another to find them.  One agency might provide housing options and a clinic, another offering food, another clothing, and still another offering counseling and job services.  What happens to the children?  How do they survive?  Find food?  Find education?

This is a huge national problem.  In New York City schools, for example, most recent figures show almost 21,000 homeless students there.  These students lag behind other students and have difficulties getting their homework done and learning to function socially and academically.  It has also been “found that homeless students achieve proficiency on New York State standardized tests at roughly half the rate of housed students” (https://www.voa-gny.org/impact-of-homelessness-on-education).

What about in in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) specifically?  There were 16,451 homeless CPS students during the 2018-19 school year, the most recent period for which data is available.  Solutions vary—and CPS parents are hoping the new mayor will do many of the things she said she would do.  For example, she said she would make taking care of homeless people – including children – a priority of her administration.

CPS has an actual policy for assisting and educating homeless students in its schools (https://policy.cps.edu/download.aspx?ID=128).  Homeless students must receive free education just as housed students must. 

One plan that has emerged from intensive discussions about homeless students in Chicago – and wound up also in the CTU Contract – is the idea of hiring homeless advocates for CPS students  https://www.chicagohomeless.org/homeless-student-advocate-positions-now-open-at-14-chicago-public-schools/).  In this program, run by the Office of Students in Temporary Living Situations (STLS) advocates for homeless students in 14 different buildings are providing a variety of essential services  (https://www.cps.edu/services-and-supports/crisis-support/students-in-temporary-living-situations/).  Schools with more than 75 students who appeared to be STLS kids are the buildings with funds for the advocate positions.

How do students get the special services?  There are a variety of ways, according to Claire Bohmann, Resource and Training Coordinator for the STLS Program.  Bohmann explained that some students or parents may notify the STLS advocate about the living situation, or a teacher or other staff person may notify the STLS advocate of a student's living situation.  There are also liaisons and other school staff who “are trained to recognize signs of homelessness and proactively identify students in temporary living situations and offer services,” according to Bohmann. 

            How many students in CPS have been receiving the services from the STLS Program?  Bohamnn states, “Last school year there were 13,843 students enrolled in the STLS program across the District.”  She goes on to explain that there is no data available yet for this school year.  There are several high schools where the STLS Program works, including Bowen, Clemente, and Fenger. 

The STLS Program provides assistance in removing barriers faced by STLS kids.  These include providing transportation, school uniforms, school supplies, fee waivers, and referrals to community resources.  To find out if students and their family members are eligible for STLS services, contact the STLS Liaison at your school. Every CPS school, including charter schools and options schools, has an STLS Liaison.  For other questions about the STLS Program, please call 773-553-2242, or fax at 773-553-2182, or email  STLSInformation@cps.edu.

The idea that there are so many children who are homeless might make you wonder just how great the economy is.  The numbers and the reality of homelessness in Chicago and the rest of Illinois are alarming concepts.  However, the good news is now there are policies and solutions in place for helping homeless kids to get them on track to succeed in school and in life.