Homelessness on the rise among Washington's K-12 students
The number of students in Washington’s school system experiencing homelessness climbed last year, a new report finds.
Data from the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction shows that 3.8%, or 42,436 students, experienced homelessness during the 2022-2023 school year.
That’s up from around 37,000 students during the 2021-2022 school year and roughly 32,000 students the year prior – though the report notes that remote learning policies during the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to identify and serve these students during those years.
The increase could reflect both an overall rise in homelessness and school districts’ improvements in tracking these students, according to a spokesperson at OSPI’s Education of Homeless Children and Youth program. Access to more federal funding during the pandemic made it easier for districts to identify and work with students who are homeless.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/04/30/homelessness-on-the-rise-among-washingtons-k-12-students/