Teachers Say More Students Homeless, Living in Poverty

 http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/teachers-say-more-students-homeless-living-poverty

This is a sad and heavy article about the reality that some of our students live in today.  The number of students whose families are in economic crisis is growing, according to a recent survey released by Scholastic and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. According to Primary Sources: America’s Teachers on the Teaching Profession, veteran teachers reported that they have more students who are homeless than they did five years ago. Over a third of teachers in low-income communities—those with a median household income of less than $40,000 per year— report seeing an increase in the number of homeless students in their schools. In communities with a median household income of $40,000 to $69,000, 40 percent of teachers reported the same. Even high-income areas are not immune, with more than a quarter of teachers surveyed reporting higher numbers of homeless students.  It breaks my heart to hear that students are coming to school hungry.  I have had several students that sleep on the floor every night, and I find it hard to have the same expectations for these kids knowing their circumstances. I think providing the essentials for these kids is a start, but the problem goes much deeper.  Hopefully schools and communities can come together to help these children and families in need, so these children have a fair chance.