ANALYSIS


Understanding the Transportation Needs of Homeless Children and Federal Requirements


By Barbara Duffield Te economic recession has taken a heavy toll on Amer-


ica’s families, youth and schools. Across the nation, public schools are identifying unprecedented numbers of children and youth who have lost their housing due to job loss, fore- closure, eviction, and other related problems. Te numbers of youth who are homeless without a parent or guardian have risen dramatically, too. By the end of the 2008-2009 school year, 956,914 homeless children and youth were identified and enrolled in the nation’s public schools; this represents a 41 percent increase over the previous two years. Tese worrisome trends show no signs of abating: while the federal data collection for the 2009-2010 school year is not yet complete, many states are reporting higher numbers again this year.


portation to and from the school of origin to ensure school stability. Tese policies allow homeless children and youth to continue their learning uninterrupted by the dislocation and disruption of homelessness. Indeed, transportation to the school of origin is an effective academic achievement strategy; an evaluation of a demonstration program in Wash- ington state found that homeless students who received transportation to stay in their school of origin had higher scores on their state assessment than those students who did not receive transportation. Te importance of McKinney-Vento transportation poli-


cies are perhaps best understood through the eyes of the children they are intended to benefit — children like Kyle, a fourth-grade student in Spokane, Wash. Due to the instabil- ity of homelessness, Kyle moved around with his family most of his life. Tere were large gaps where he had not gone to school at all because of his family’s frequent moves. After he was identified as homeless by the school district, Kyle moved 11 times in one year. Te school district provided transpor- tation assistance to keep him stable in one school. Because he had the opportunity to attend one school consistently, school staff were able to determine that his academic and behavioral struggles were caused by more than just home- lessness: a special education evaluation revealed that he was nearly deaf in both ears. He now has hearing aids in both ears and told his teacher: “I can hear now, and I am being good. I want to be a crossing guard.” While transportation is essential for homeless students,


In the sea of uncertainty and chaos that a homeless child


experiences — not knowing where she might sleep that night, not knowing when her next meal might come, not knowing what is happening to her parents and siblings — school is an island of stability and hope. It is also a lifeline out of poverty, providing the education that is necessary for students to obtain jobs at wages that enable them to afford housing. Furthermore, a critical element of our nation’s eco- nomic recovery and strategy to regain competitive footing is ensuring that all students graduate from high school and are ready for college or the workplace. Federal law, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance


Act, recognizes these facts and requires school districts to keep homeless children and youth in their “school of ori- gin” if it is in the child’s best interest and if it is the wish of the parent or guardian. School districts must provide trans-


48 School Transportation News Magazine February 2011


the requirements under the McKinney-Vento Act also pres- ent significant challenges. School districts struggle with the cost and logistics of providing transportation, espe- cially when crossing district lines. Rising homelessness, and budget shortfalls at the local, state, and national level, ex- acerbate these difficulties. Indeed, the annual appropriation of approximately $65 million through the McKinney-Vento Act is woefully inadequate to meet the need. At this fund- ing level, only one in 10 school districts nationwide receives direct funding through a competitive subgrant to supple- ment their efforts to serve homeless students. Even then, McKinney-Vento funding does not cover the entire cost of transportation in subgrant districts. Tese daunting circumstances demand a Congressional


response. Te “Educational Success for Children and Youth Without Homes Act” was introduced in the 111th session of Congress. Tis bipartisan legislation would more than triple the authorized funding level of the McKinney-Vento Act, and give school districts additional flexibility in using other


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