homeless students | InCity Times

College Focused – and Homeless

By “Lotus”

South Worcester, summer of 2023. Worcester must help its homeless – not deny their existence! photo: Rose T.

I always dreamed of going to college. I sure fought my hardest. But as a post-foster youth, a victim of abuse, and a single mother at the age of 18 displaced more than 50 miles from my home, a place to call home was something I longed for.

It turns out that a lack of a permanent address was the biggest impediment to further my education. I desperately wanted to pursue my education. While participating in a program as a young adult, I was the only participant that was striving for a high school diploma. Others were trying to achieve their GED. Some had obtained a GED. Only one other resident had already obtained a high school diploma.

I was expelled my senior year three days before graduation for using headphones in music class. I was told that a book that was lost on school property was my responsibility to pay in order to graduate. At that time I was a recipient of public assistance and an abuse survivor in litigation set for trial against my abuser.

The program sent me a termination letter. I tried to sign myself back into foster care, to preserve custody of my child. Truth was, the foster parents wanted to adopt my son, and all of a sudden the youth who needed services was kicked out of the foster home and rendered homeless.

Being homeless, and at the good graces of others, I was not allowed to receive mail at many of the places I stayed. Additionally, I ran the risk of my information falling into the wrong hands. I figured it better safe than sorry. A lack of a mailing address made it difficult to obtain an ID needed to pursue my education, or even to get an apartment.

… People who fall upon desperate times reach out for help. I was in Western Mass and I sought shelter. While in the shelter I was told by shelter management that I could not study for school full-time because I needed to work. I was pushed to take a job at Subway in Westfield. This was on top of my schedule and being dependent upon transportation and having to pay out of pocket for extended-day childcare.

There was never a rule or regulation that I broke pertaining to education, and I was well within the qualifications of cash assistance, but I am sure that it had to do with my level of education. I was not respected for who I was and where I was in my journey. This impeded my ability to continue my education. This triggered many symptoms of post traumatic stress, particularly surrounding housing insecurity.

While attending Westfield State University as a homeless single mother and non-traditional student, I majored in Criminal Justice. The major courses were held at an entirely different building than the remainder of the campus courses. The majority of my colleagues within my major were young males, majority Caucasian.

I took a CLEP Exam where my score earned me 12 credits for my proficiency in Spanish. Instead of applying the 12 credits, I was only afforded 5 credits. Worcester State College asked for confirmation from the administrator of CLEP. I had my exam scores sent over. Worcester State College realized the error and attempted to correct my transcripts in the semester in which the error was realized.

When Westfield State University was presented with the evidence they refused to respond further. As it stands, I was denied an opportunity to participate in the C.A.P.S. Program reviewed by the State of Massachusetts. I currently hold 126 credits, and I have fulfilled the requirements of both universities, minus an arbitrary residency requirement that would not apply under the C.A.P.S. Program. I was also a MassTransfer Compact student, which allowed me a guarantee of credits transferred in from Holyoke Community College and also allowed for the entire 12 credits. I have been allowed to transfer in all but three courses equivalent to 9 credits already obtained at another C.A.P.S. participating university. I am told that if I want my degree I have to take more courses.

I am now homeless. I have not been able to achieve the educational goals I have set forth for myself – and I didn’t have a choice.

By John Monfredo, Worcester Public School Committee member

“I just can’t concentrate, and I worry about what the next day will bring, for living with two other families is very difficult.” … “I’m scared and afraid to tell anyone about my situation.”

These are statements from children who are homeless in Worcester and they are among the 2,400 students who worry about what is going to happen to them. These students represent 10 percent of the Worcester Public School population. The public only sees the buses rolling and sees the 44 schools in our public school system operating, but few can understand the changes that have taken place in our schools. Like all urban cities in this nation, we in Worcester have homeless children in our schools and it impacts their education!

One counselor told me about a student who received A’s and then unexpectedly his marks dropped. She finally was able to find out that this high school student was now living in a homeless shelter.

People living in poverty are most at risk of becoming homeless. In our city 71.8% of our students live under the poverty line.

Children experiencing homelessness face many barriers to education. Looking at the data, one sees a high absence rate, lots of moving from place to place, and poor health and nutrition. Again, according to the data, homeless children are likely to be ill four times more often than other children, with four times as many respiratory infections, and they are four times more likely to have asthma attacks. Unfortunately, homeless children go hungry twice as often as other children.
Unless you have your head in the sand, you realize that poverty has a major impact on academic progress. This is not given as an excuse but as a fact. Just think about it. Can you function if you’re hungry and have a tooth ache or are worrying about where you’re sleeping tonight?

Looking at the data on MCAS scores in grade three to twelve one sees that homeless children have a much higher percentage in the area of needs improvement and failing. Here is an example: In grade eight, the percentage of homeless children receiving a warning on their English Language Arts test was 23.2% with non-homeless children only 9.6%. In math, homeless children had a warning rate of 56.8% as compared to 34.0% of non homeless students.
Nevertheless, there are resilient students among the homeless and they are able to persevere for we do see students in the advanced and proficient range -but not many. So when looking at the scores of a district one needs to keep in mind the over-all circumstances of that district.

Another reason for those low test scores is the high absentee rate from kindergarten through high school for those children labeled as homeless. Common sense would tell you that it would be higher due to health issues, psychology issues, and hunger. Many of these children are bright but their physical needs have hindered their progress. Homeless youths are one of the most marginalized and victimized populations in schools. They experience more daily stressors and are more vulnerable to victimization than housed youth. Youth who are homeless have sustained higher rates of physical and sexual abuse prior to becoming homeless than the general population, and they are at continued risk for being physically assaulted and exposed to sexual exploitation. Similarly, rates of substance use, family violence, health issues and suicide are higher in this population.

These children live in shelters, doubling up (sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, and economic hardship), with some living in cars, parks, and many others awaiting foster care. There are many causes of homelessness for the economic downturn has forced more families into poverty thus jeopardizing children’s educational success. Other causes of homelessness according to the National Coalition for the Homeless are shortage of affordable housing, decline in public assistance, domestic violence and poverty. In addition, most people live a paycheck or two from having no money for a roof over their heads.

Congress attempted to assist homeless children in the 1980’s. In late 1986, legislation containing Title I of the Homeless Persons’ Survival Act was introduced as the Urgent Relief for the Homeless Act. After an intensive advocacy campaign, large bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress passed the legislation in 1987. After the death of its chief Republican sponsor, Representative Stewart B. McKinney of Connecticut, the act was renamed the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act. Then in 2000 President William Clinton renamed the legislation the National Coalition for the Homeless and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act after the death of Representative Bruce Vento, a
leading supporter of the act since its original passage in 1987.

The goal of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act is to ensure that each homeless child or youth is able to benefit from their educational program in spite of the challenges of their living situation. In an attempt to stabilize the child’s education and cut back on the mobility issue transportation is provide to children if they have had to move to a shelter or another setting. The child may continue to go to the same school.

As the Worcester Public Schools flyer states, “To the extent as practical and as required by law, the district will work with homeless families to provide stability in school attendance and other needed services.” The one flaw in this act is that it is an unfunded mandate. The Worcester Public Schools pays out of their budget over $400,000 to transport homeless students but does receive $60,000 in grant money that pays for head start home visits…staff outreach and case management, student materials such as first aid classes and emergency supplies for families, some school vacation programs, administrative support, and professional development training for teachers. I believe that Congress needs to do more!

In Worcester, Judy Thompson who wears many hats in the Worcester Public Schools (Coordinator of Counseling, Psychology and Community Outreach Services) is the liaison person for homeless programs for our students. The Worcester Public Schools, under Mrs. Thompson’s direction, attempts to educate staff about the homeless including the following: Reminding staff that the start of a new school can be stressful and intimidating for students, emphasizing the importance of establishing rapport with the students to let them know that the school is there for assistance, informing students of school programs and extracurricular activities that the students may be interested in participating in, have clothing and school supplies available to provide for students as needed, coordinating with the liaison and other administrators to facilitate access to programs, activities and transportation, be supportive and encouraging the students to do well, encouraging parental involvement even while families are in a shelter, and having a mentor for shelter/foster children who are entering a new school so that they can adjust to their new environment. These are just a few of the suggestions given to schools as they attempt to do all that they can for students in need.

A city defines itself in the way we assist those in need of service. Therefore, we need to consider other ways of assisting our children, such as establishing a center coordinated by United Way and the Worcester Public Schools. This way the public could donate supplies such as clothing, soap and other toiletry items. Most importantly, we need to find mentors for those children so that they know they are not alone. If any of our readers have other ideas write to the InCity Times with your thoughts. Let’s not just talk about this situation – let’s do something about it! Let’s do it for the children.