1. The Impact of Homelessness Newport School District ’12-’13 Keri Leslie

2. The Facts… 27,390 homeless students were identified in Washington Public Schools last school year, a 58% increase since the ‘07-08 school year. More than 1.5 million children in the U.S. live in families without a home. 1.6-1.7 million youth join the ranks of runaways each year. 7% of all 5 th graders have lived in a shelter or car.

3. Who is considered Homeless? Living in “doubled-up” situations, Living in motels, hotels, campers, or campgrounds, Staying in temporary housing/shelters, Living in a place not designed for humans to live (street, car, city park, abandoned building), Living in substandard housing (no electricity, no running water, etc), Youth not living with legal parent or guardian, Runaways/”Throwaways”.

4. Moving? It takes 4-6 months to recover academically after changing schools. Students who switch schools frequently score 20 points lower than non-mobile students on standardized tests. Mobile students are less likely to participate in extracurricular activities and more likely to act out or get into trouble. Mobility during high school greatly diminishes the likelihood of graduation.

5. Why do you think it takes 4-6 months to recover (catch up) academically from a move? New school has different curriculum New school is at a different place in their curriculum Settling in to new schedule Having a hard time making new friends New teacher, new teaching styles Upset! Rebelling about the move

6. Have you ever moved? What possessions did/would you miss most during the move? My books were packed, the teacher got mad at me and said my mom needs to unpack them so I can get my reading points We moved in the summer and my winter coat is still in storage My baby book got ruined when the storage building leaked Miss? I still can’t find… or that broke when… or I haven’t seen that since…

7. It could happen to anyone…

8. Housing crisis/Foreclosure Lack of affordable housing Recession/Loss of primary income Mother Nature/Natural Disaster Domestic Violence or other abuse Parent leaves or passes away Long-term illness or accident Drug and/or Alcohol abuse Fire Any other reason to leave your home with nothing but your life

9. How hard is it to build a bridge out of toothpicks … when you live under one? Have you ever… Lived with someone else? Been between homes? Not had a shower available? Seen how expensive it is to wash your clothes at a laundromat? Had to haul water? Not had your belongings available? Not had a place or the items needed to do your homework? Been afraid to go home? Not known where you’re going to sleep tonight? Been on a camping trip that doesn’t end?

10. Ever lived with someone else, alone or as a family? What do you think you’d miss/not like about it? Their kids are always in my stuff and won’t let me get my homework done I have to sleep on the floor I like my aunt but… it’s not the same, it’s not my stuff, I don’t know where things are, I feel like an outsider I don’t feel comfortable just hanging out, reading a book or watching TV, grabbing a snack like I did at home I don’t have a space I don’t like their house rules or they don’t have any rules

11. What do you take for granted being housed? Showers/Laundry done Bed Kitchen Table Heat/Electricity/Running Water My own space Television …

12. What makes for the start of a bad day for you? Ugh, bad hair. Gross, ketchup on my jeans. What? A “C”? I worked on that all weekend. Maaan, I guess I can’t come over… Yeah, we lost the game in overtime. Ugh, today’s PE and I don’t have anything to dress down in again. Gross, I really need a shower and to wash my clothes. What? I can’t come back tonight? Maaan, I’m hungry. Yeah, your couch would be great.

13. What can you do? Be welcoming Be understanding Be a role model Be of assistance Be a friend.

14. Through it all, school is probably the only thing that has kept me going. I know that every day that I walk in those doors, I can stop thinking about my problems for the next six hours and concentrate on what is most important to me. -Formerly homeless student, LeTendre Scholar, 2002