Report Shows Number of Homeless Students in Sacramento County Has Jumped 50% in 5 Yrs

Since 2005, the amount of homeless children and youth in Sacramento County has grown alarmingly by 7,254. This presents a jump of more than 50 percent! The figures are based on whether or not students come from what can be considered a stable home. This is defined to mean "lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.” The stats seem to be proof enough that the impacts of the poor economy are far from dissipating for many families. The county’s board of supervisors appointed the Sacramento County Children's Commission, which were informed about the homeless figures in a comprehensive report that touched on child safety, academic achievement, family economics and health. Bob Erlenbusch, policy director of the Sacramento Housing Alliance, commented that “I was surprised that the number of homeless kids and youth going to school each day had jumped 50 percent in five years. That's a huge number.” The Bee reports:

“Nationally, public schools saw a 38 percent increase in students who were homeless during the period documented in the Sacramento report, said Barbara Duffield of the National Association of Education of Homeless Children and Youth. In a survey of the top reasons for student homelessness, schools cited the recession and job loss at the top, Duffield said. […]The county report listed Folsom Cordova fourth in the county in its number of homeless students last year, with 662. Twin Rivers Unified had the most with 1,844. Hunt and other liaisons, along with teachers, principals and other school staffers, work with the Project TEACH program to screen families for housing instability and hook them up with food, transportation, counseling and other services.”

Budget cuts have only exacerbated the availability of services.