Source: China News Network
According to a new study by the University of California, Los Angeles, at the end of the 2018-2019 school year, 269269 K-12 (from kindergarten to 12th grade) students in California were homeless, enough to fill 5 Los Angeles Dodge Stadiums.
Data chart: On May 15, Mills High School in San Mateo County, Northern California, usa, ushered in a special graduation season. Photo by Liu Guanguan, a reporter of the China News Service
The report released by UCLA on the 21st found that the number of homeless students has increased by 50% in the past 10 years. With the number of homeless students exceeding 269,000, the researchers hope the report will highlight the current inadequacy of programs targeting homeless youth and highlight more funding for programs and new policies at the federal and state levels.
The report also exposes loopholes in federal law, such as the McKinnivanto Homeless Assistance Act, which funds the homeless. The researchers found that of California's 1,037 school districts, only 106 could receive assistance under the law. Even in some school districts, two-thirds of the schools attended by homeless students are not funded.
The report's authors say the coronavirus pandemic could create more difficulties for homeless students and families. The study found that while Latino students make up 54 percent of California's student body, they make up 70 percent of homeless students. African-American students, who make up 5 percent of the total number of students, make up 9 percent of the homeless.
Based on the data, the researchers hope to close the gap between existing federal and state programs and students who have not yet received funding. Because homelessness and housing instability have proven to be responsible for low student attendance, poor grades, and low graduation rates, the researchers hope the report will encourage schools to prioritize students in difficult situations and provide them with the learning experiences they need to grow.