Schools, don't ignore the law! Homeless kids need help, not barriers

[justaprogressive]

While I often can't remember what I did a couple hours earlier, my memory of 30 years ago this August is etched in my head, heart and life. To my dismay, I've learned that what we accomplished -- passage of hallmark legislation to strengthen and protect the educational rights of homeless students -- has been to a great extent disregarded by Illinois schools according to recent analysis of Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) data. I suspect Illinois is not alone.

Thirty years ago, I was running the second largest emergency homeless shelter in Illinois, a program called PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) at Hesed House, the ecumenical center for ministry in Aurora.

I was immersed in preparing for our seasonal shelter opening when Tyeast Boatwright, the mother of a new family in our transitional program, stopped in and described a situation that infuriated me.

Her three children were denied school stability when they needed it most because they were now staying in our shelter in Aurora, adjacent to their Indian Prairie Unit District 204 schools where they had attended, done well in, and wanted to remain. I whipped out the ISBE brochure, "Lost in the Shuffle," which outlined educational rights of homeless students.

At the time, the federal McKinney Education for Homeless Children and Youth Act tepidly offered school stability. I assured this rightfully outraged mom that if she failed in her attempt to get the district to change their decision, I'd use my "muscle" as president of the Illinois Coalition to End Homelessness to advocate for her.

https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20230816/schools-dont-ignore-the-law-homeless-kids-need-help-not-barriers