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Homelessness Among Students

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Homelessness: Among Students 1

Homelessness:
Among Students
Eva Shelton
Gen 409: General Education Capstone
Instructor: Carl Garrigus
October 13, 2014

Homelessness: 2

Homelessness: Among Students There is a growing problem in our world today that some may not be aware of and it definitely needs some attention. The problem is homelessness among students. There are many obstacles associated with homelessness that could affect a student receiving an adequate education. This paper will review some of the problems associated with being homeless and how it affects school age children. Hopefully this review will provide a clearer understanding of the problem because in order to provide help we must understand the situation. Instead of the government cutting expenses associated with educational funds and resources, they must continue to provide the sources and make the public aware of availability.

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Homelessness: Among Students

1.) Sparks, S.D.,(2014). Schools Still See Surges in Homeless Students. Educational Digest 79 (7), 31. Retrieved from Ebsco host October 13, 2014

This article explains that the number of homeless students in the United States continues to show a significant increase. There are multiple variables as to why the numbers keep showing an increase. The one problem of students today is the economic hardships of the school systems. They are having problems with maintaining themselves and have experienced significant cut backs in the county where I reside. There are some federal grants and programs available to help homeless students however there is not enough money to keep up with the rising rate of students that are homeless. (Sparks, S. March, 2014) Through out this paper we will be looking at some of the reasons for homelessness and some solutions to assist this group of students in acquiring an appropriate education.

2.) Hallett,R.E.(2010) Homeless: How Residential Instability Complicates Students’ Lives. About Campus, 15 (3), 11-16 Retrieved from Ebsco host: October 13, 2014.
This article describes some of the barriers that students may face when secure and stable housing is absent. There are many barriers present that can have a negative effect on the educational success of a homeless student. They are exposed to things such as: violence, illegal substance abuse, and residential mobility. Many students are unable to work through these obstacles to pursue their educational goals. Often there is minimal financial support from the family with some federal, state, and institutional aid available. Some

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Homelessness: Among Students times the student feels an obligation to help the family and may use some of their financial aid to pay the bills or send money home creating a financial hardship for the student. Campus housing may be one way to stabilize daily living. There are also problems associated with campus living. The breaks and holidays must be considered and a place to stay during these breaks. For some a homeless shelter is the only option. Students need a quiet and safe place to be able to focus on school work and studying. Youth rarely identify with the term of homeless and shame permeates the life of a student without residential stability. Hallett, R.E., (2010)

3.) Hernandez, Jozefowicz- Simbeni ,D.M. & Israel, N. (2006) Services to Homeless Students and Families: The McKinney- Vento Act and its implications for School Social Work Practice. Children and Schools, 28(1), 37-44. Retrieved from Ebscohost.com October 13, 2014. This article discusses a very important piece of legislature that was put into place to protect the rights of homeless students. The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (P6 100-77) was first authorized to ensure that homeless students received the same quality and appropriate public school education that non homeless students received by addressing some of the barriers homeless children and adolescents face when enrolling and succeeding in school (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). It mandated that a designated state coordinator would promote educational access for homeless students. In 1990 and 1994, the law was amended to expand their services to pre school aged children
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Homelessness: Among Students

and other student groups and decrease non compliance, and provide incentives for compliance ( Markward & Biros, 2001) In 2001, - the McKinney- Vento Homeless Assistance Act was reauthorized as part of the No Child Left Behind Act (P.L. 107-110) This clarified who should be considered homeless. This article proclaims that even though the McKinney- Vento Act has been expanded, there remains today barriers to its’ implementation (U.S.Department of Education 2001) Each state is required to have a designated person to carry out the McKinney- Vento Act. School social workers also have a responsibility to do their part. Social Workers can link students and families to other services and community agencies that may provide assistance.

4.) Hall, R.A. (2007) Homeless Students and the Public School System. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 73(3), 9-12.
This article reviews emotions and behaviors that may be present for the homeless. There are some common emotions that include: anxieties, low self esteem, anger, embarrassment, and depression. Also it is common to see behaviors of aggression and possibly suicide attempts. There could be immature behavior or inappropriate behaviors as well as withdrawal and isolation. Disruptive classroom behaviors and difficulty concentrating, learning disabilities, or cognitive deficits may also be present. In order to improve the situation we must first understand the individual circumstances of each

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Homelessness: Among Students student. The school may even be to blame for some of the problems that exist for homeless students. When policies were written the homeless students were not considered. If a student is displaced because of a crisis, they may not have the adequate paper work that is needed to enroll in a school, or they may not have a proof of residency. Administrators have the authority to show a little flexibility and give the student a chance to produce such needed information. There are a lot of ideas in this article as to how school personnel can assist the homeless student. I chose this subject because I want to the chance to help people and make things better for them. I feel that the experience that I have working with others and my ability to listen to others will be great skills to offer.

5.) Homeless: A Teen Perspective (2006) Retrieved October 13, 2014 from: http://digital.films.com.proxy- library.ashford.edu/Portal Playlists. aspx.
This film tells of some of the obstacles that go along with being homeless and overcoming those obstacles to get an adequate education and continue that education to college level. Some of the various reasons that being homeless can happen to any one is shown in this video. There are hurts that are associated with being homeless. Going to school can be very difficult when there may not be adequate food supply or you have to sit up in a car seat and sleep. This affects your ability to concentrate and learn. There may not be clean clothing to wear everyday and maybe you would be embarrassed to wear the same ones over. There could be lack of transportation to get you to and from school. All of these things can affect the outcome of your education. There are some government
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Homelessness: Among Students

programs and funds that are available to the homeless and will allow them to get back on their feet with stable housing or even a job. With economic situation these days there could be a problem with getting a job. There are many people that work at a job that they are over qualified but have no choice. In the video Liz over came a variety of problems. Both parents were drug users and ended up with Aids, the family was torn apart because of poverty and her mother eventually died. She set her mind to what she needed to do and completed high school with honors and was accepted into Harvard University to continue her education. This is not the case for some however, the will power needed may not be present for them to continue and so they just give up and settle for what they have. In ending, I hope that this review will shed some light on the obstacles that some students have to face to make it through school. There are many things that can stand in the way of an adequate education as you have seen in this review. Everything from lack of food to not having a place to sleep, to not having clean clothing available can have a negative affect on the outcome of someone’s education. In order to improve the increasing problem of homelessness, we should all work together to help the homeless but first we must understand the problem. . Instead of the government cutting expenses associated with educational funds and resources, they must continue to provide the sources and make the public aware of availability.

References

Hall, R. A. (2007). Homeless Students and the Public School System. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 73(3), 9-12.

Hallett, R. E. (2010). Homeless: How Residential Instability Complicates Students' Lives.About Campus, 15(3), 11-16.

Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni, D. M., & Israel, N. (2006). Services to Homeless Students and Families: The McKinney-Vento Act and Its Implications for School Social Work Practice.Children & Schools, 28(1), 37-44.

Homeless: A teen perspective. (2006). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from http://digital.films.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=18596&xtid=36256

SPARKS, S. D. (2014). Schools Still See Surges in Homeless Students. Education Digest,79(7), 31.

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