Schools Striving to Keep Homeless Children in Classrooms

Nancy, a mother of two young District 300 school children, knows first hand the difficulties of raising children while homeless. 

Nancy, who requested her full name not be used to protect herself and her children, moved from Indiana to the area in April 2010 to escape an abusive husband. Desperate to leave her intolerable situation, she packed up the children's clothing and only the necessary belongings to move in with her brother's family on the western side of the district. 

Suddenly, she found herself in a situation that more families in District 300 are facing: She and her children were homeless.

"I never thought I'd be starting over again at 36," said Nancy. "But my situation has drastically improved since I moved here."

Nancy registered her children for school last spring. Her 8-year-old son attends Sleepy Hollow Elementary School in Sleepy Hollow. Her 7-year-old daughter is disabled and attends Lincoln Prairie School in Lake in the Hills.

Nancy says she has local District 300 school officials to thank for turning her life around.  Administrators passed her name onto Patty Briones, assistant homeless liaison for District 300. 

"I didn't even know they gave her my name, but Patty called me and helped me so much," Nancy said. "She gave me school supplies and found a place where I could work temporarily."

Starting Over

Nancy was fortunate to find a permanent job with the help of a family friend, and three months ago, moved her children into a town home owned by an extended family member.

Her rent is $700 per month, and money is still very tight. Her daughter's condition is severe and limits Nancy to a six-hour workday. She cannot afford a professional caretaker.

"I would be homeless still, but my brother's mother-in-law has set the rent so low so I can afford it," Nancy said.

This school year, the district offered Nancy free school supplies and clothing. Briones passed Nancy's name on to a church that provided Christmas presents for her children.

"That was a load off my shoulders," Nancy said. "I've never heard of any school district helping a family like this one has. It was a relief that someone was there to help."

Homeless Students Numbers On the Rise

Homeless liaisons are working overtime at some area districts. Schools are coping with rising numbers of homeless students and face the challenge of keeping kids in a stable learning environment while their families move from place to place.

The federal definition of homeless, according to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, is someone who does not have a regular, adequate nighttime residence; is living in a public or private place not meant for housing; or is living in a shelter or institutionalized temporary residence.

But the Illinois State Board of Education has a broader definition.

According to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, “homeless” includes children living with relatives or friends, called “couch families,” due to economic hardship. It encompasses children living in motels, hotels, trailer parks and campgrounds due to lack of alternative accommodations.

It can also include families living in cars, public spaces, abandoned buildings or other such settings.

“When HUD does its street counts of homeless people, it doesn’t count couch families,” said Dennis Hewitt, executive director of PADS, Public Action to Deliver Shelter, in Elgin. “Some homeless families are mobile, and it creates quite a situation for the school districts. We may have two or three different transport companies arriving here to pick up students.”

Hewitt said PADs, with its main office at 1730 Berkley St. in Elgin, has seen the number of children patrons double this year. Most attend Elgin Area School District U-46, where school officials have counted 500 homeless students.

A few are enrolled in Community Unit School District 300, which at last count reported 332 homeless students within the district, said Barbara Kelly, director of pupil personnel services.

Check back to Tuesday to read more about what District 300 is doing to help and learn more about homeless children in other area school districts, including District 158, 155 and 47.