Times Are Tough – But That Should Not Keep Kids Out of School

By Amanda M. Jones

Amanda M. Jones is the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of Out The Boat Ministries, Inc., a startup faith-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide housing, education, and social services to homeless youth. While working to establish a strong foundation for this ministry, Amanda is pursuing an M.S. in Human Services Administration at the University of Baltimore.  She also writes “In Diligent Pursuit”, a blog in which she discusses issues of personal growth and professional development and their importance in healing social ills.  Amanda also currently tweets under the username VisionSpeaks.

It’s the season for thousands of Maryland youth to return to school.  Some are glad to get back to the classroom; most others dread the end to their summer freedom.

For Jeff Sukkasem, this will be the best school year he's had in a long while.  Not even two months ago, the Washington Examiner reported that Jeff finally won his battle against Montgomery County Public Schools for the right to attend school here.  Jeff, whose parents are from Thailand, is a US citizen - his parents sent him here in hopes of giving him a better life.  Unfortunately, Jeff & his legal guardian, a hotel worker, are not able to pay the $12,000 cost of tuition that MCPS requires of non-residents, so Jeff has been home-schooling himself at the library.

Jeff's woes stemmed from the fact that his parents could not demonstrate residency in Montgomery County. This roadblock is not new to those wishing to access the American public school system.  Before 1989, if a family could not demonstrate satisfactory proof of residence, students were denied admission to school.  This fueled a vicious cycle of young people missing out on the very education that could help them break the cycle of poverty in which they lived. Enter the McKinney-Vento Act, to ensure that even homeless students could receive an education by requiring schools to admit students regardless of their ability to present proof of address.

Jeff's victory came at a very critical time in our nation's history.  We're in the worst recession since the Great Depression, increasing numbers of people are losing their jobs and homes daily, and the economy shows little to no signs of improvement. Shelters are full and waiting lists get longer by the hour, causing families to get "creative" with their housing arrangements.

All too often, this results in at least one change of school and even prolonged or chronic absence from school throughout the year. Studies show that with just two changes of schools cause a student to be 50% less likely to read on-level by the end of the school year. More frequent school disruptions mean a student is 50% less likely to graduate from high school.

In America, where all citizens are supposed to be entitled to a free public education, why should a student have to fight to be enrolled in school?  When some states even punish parents and students alike for a child's absence from school, what's the hang-up about a kid who actually wants to attend?

Indeed, it can be extremely difficult for schools to effectively serve students who don't have a stable or traditional living arrangement. Who do teachers contact if there's trouble with or an opportunity for the student?  What happens in case of an emergency? Where do report cards get mailed?  All these are valid concerns-even just the tip of the iceberg. They are also the very reasons the school system needs a major overhaul. Instead of compartmentalizing various aspects of students' lives; schools should work with the community to integrate education as a solution to issues they may face.  If a student like Jeff, who is eager to learn and has some place to call home has to fight two years for a spot in school, imagine how daunting a task it must be for a homeless family to make sure the kids are in school.

Consider this: in Prince George's County, there are only two year-round transitional housing programs for families and one emergency shelter. Montgomery County doesn't fare much better, with just eight transitional programs and two emergency facilities. Both counties each have but a handful of options for single mothers and their children. 

Contrast that with the fact that, according to Catholic Charities, in 2007 42% of the homeless served outside of Baltimore city were families with children.  For these families, schools are often the saving grace for making sure kids are fed and looked after during the day. In fact, if it weren't for these provisions, many struggling families would be worse off than they already are.

On the bright side, President Obama renewed the 20-year old McKinney- Vento Act, even beefing it up as part of the Recovery Act. This is great news, considering that CNN reports an estimated 1.95 million youth will be impacted by foreclosure over the next two years.  Still, our children and their families need more. Preventing family homelessness is key to ensuring our youth gain a solid education. Affordable housing and shelter options are not widely available for these families.

There are policy options that can help address these issues. Extended school days provide students with the academic edge they need to function in the increasingly global economy, but it provide parents with some relief from child care concerns and keep older youth off the streets. Schools could extend the free and reduced meals program to include dinner, which would provide yet another relief for struggling parents in addition to making sure students are physically primed for learning. Schools across the nation, including local programs at KIPP DC, the SEED school, and Maya Angelou Public Charter School, have successfully implemented this model with very favorable results.

So, in the midst of all the uproar over healthcare reform, think about the young people who may not make it successfully through the school year due to a lack, not only of insurance, but also of roofs over their heads.  It's time we stopped short-changing our kids. They deserve better and the success of our nation depends on the success of our young people.

   MB&TPI