In Miami County student homelessness is on the rise.
According to statistics released by the Indiana Youth Institute, the rate of students in the area qualifying as homeless has more than quadrupled since 2008.
The statistics, which were gathered by the Indiana Department of Education, indicate that in 2008 eight students in Miami County qualified as homeless. This year the number crests at 38. The label doesn’t necessarily mean the students are living on the streets, but rather may qualify as highly mobile.
“The classifications would be students who are living in a mobile home, car or campsite, maybe an RV or something of that nature,” said Maconaquah Elementary School Principle and McKinney-Vento homeless liaison Kelly McPike. “Students who are living in a doubled up situation may qualify as well, so their family is living with another family or at a homeless shelter or other temporary housing.”
Regardless, representatives at the IYI believe the impact on a student’s development could still be severe. In a press release from the organization, several studies are referenced including one from the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Public Schools.
This study indicates “homeless or highly mobile students (H/HM) suffer academic failures that may manifest themselves in ‘antisocial behaviors and increase the risk for social and emotional problems, with many subsequent implications for adult outcomes.’ In addition, children who frequently move are 35 percent more likely to repeat a grade and 77 percent more likely to have multiple behavioral problems.”
“I definitely think attendance is affected,” said McPike. “What we see is sometimes it’s more difficult to get students to school and that’s going to affect them academically. Also, just the fact their family is in survival mode, a lot of those kids are living day-to-day and they don’t know where their next meal is coming from, so it’s difficult to learn in that type of stressful situation.”
Each school district in Indiana is appointed a McKinney-Vento liaison. Under this role, individuals assist students and families in dealing with highly-mobile or homeless lifestyles. As a liaison for MSC, McPike said her primary role is to act as a bridge between these students and potential aid organizations.
For example, students in need of clothing will be connected with the Salvation Army. For those in need of transportation, McPike said she reaches out to the YMCA. But none of this can happen without the cooperation of those in need.
“Sometimes people aren’t forthcoming with sharing that information, but if they do then maybe we can connect them to these resources that would help them out during a difficult time,” said McPike.
Within school corporations, students receive additional aid in the form of textbook fee and lunch assistance.
As the problem continues to grow in Miami County, the root cause may be economic.
“I do think that, as your poverty rate increases you’re going to see more families living in doubled-up housing and more families living in some sort of temporary housing,” said McPike. So absolutely there’s a correlation between the poverty rate and homeless rate.”
Which may hold true with the 2000 United States Census indicating 8 percent of individuals in Miami County registered below the poverty level and 14.7 percent in 2011, according to the United States Census Bureau.
But Miami County isn’t alone. The entire state registered a noticeable increase in student homeless rates. In 2013 the DOE identified 15,777 homeless youth, which marked an increase from 12,248 in 2010.