Seattle Schools Community Forum: Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

Editor’s note: I apologize for the wonkiness of the look of this story. In the time I stepped away from blogging, I think Blogger changed some formatting and I’m struggling to understand it. 

As most of you know, the district reopened schools and three schools had homeless encampments on or nearby their campuses. 

The district had this to say on the subject back in April 2021 (partial):

Most importantly, we are working with school principals, the schools' Parent Teacher Associations, outreach organizations, and the city to address this issue with the sensitivity that defines Seattle. 

Homelessness has been a crisis in our city for years, and it has only been exacerbated by COVID-19. We support the city's efforts to find long-term solutions for community members who are experiencing homelessness. We take this issue seriously and are actively working with the city to compassionately address encampments of unhoused people near our schools, while keeping the safety of our students and staff at the forefront.

Yes, Seattle can have a level of sensitivity that other cities don’t but that is parallel to the fact that Seattle has a loooong process to deal with many issues. Homelessness is currently the most apparent one.

Lowell Elementary’s encampment got moved fairly quickly and it was the one CONTINUE READING: Seattle Schools Community Forum: Broadview-Thomson K-8 School Encampment: Hubris and Inaction May Mean Trouble

The Pursuit of Education: A Story of Homelessness, Perseverance, and the Impact of Caring Educators - ED.gov Blog

The Pursuit of Education: A Story of Homelessness, Perseverance, and the Impact of Caring Educators - ED.gov Blog

The Pursuit of Education: A Story of Homelessness, Perseverance, and the Impact of Caring Educators

By: Jahnee S.

I was 8 years old when I first experienced homelessness. Homelessness then became a struggle that my family and I couldn’t escape. I experienced standing in the snow, hoping my family and I had a place to sleep on a church floor; how packed and unsanitary emergency shelters are, as I got lice within two days of staying there; how “The Florida Project” brought me flashbacks to the many months my family lived in motels, and how I viewed peers with “the basic necessities” with such envy. Constantly moving and being disappointed led me to become extremely detached and avoid relationships of any kind out of fear of abandonment. Eight years later, at 16 years old, I was still experiencing homelessness. Though homelessness was not new to me, this experience as a 16-year-old was the most difficult because I was on my own without a family.

I began to struggle significantly with depression, and I often felt unloved and unworthy. I remember my mantra echoing in my head, “If everyone I ever loved left me alone, why should I care about my future?” My deteriorating mental health made me question everything about high school and if I would ever be able to walk across that stage. In October 2016, I became truant. I was part of the 87% of teens that experience homelessness and drop out of high school.

I did end up reuniting with my family eventually and we secured temporary housing in a new state, but at that point, the trauma and depression were so deep that my mental health had not changed. I saw no purpose in enrolling back in school because I was so overwhelmed. I had a major decision to make for the following school year – would I go CONTINUE READING: The Pursuit of Education: A Story of Homelessness, Perseverance, and the Impact of Caring Educators - ED.gov Blog

Education Department Announces State Allocations of $800 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness | U.S. Department of Education

Education Department Announces State Allocations of $800 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness | U.S. Department of Education

Education Department Announces State Allocations of $800 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced today plans to distribute $800 million to help support the needs of students experiencing homelessness under the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) fund. ED announced the state allocations for the $800 million total allocated in the American Rescue Plan and will distribute $200 million in funding on Monday.

Alongside the announcement, the Department issued a letter to Chief State School Officers underscoring the urgent need to use this funding to identify homeless children and youth, provide wraparound services in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provide assistance to enable homeless children and youth to attend school and participate fully in school activities, including in-person instruction this spring and upcoming summer learning and enrichment programs. The remaining funds will be allocated to states as soon as June.

"The pandemic made the inequities in our education system even worse, especially for students experiencing homelessness," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. "As districts and schools return to in-person learning, we must act with urgency to provide all students, including students experiencing homelessness, equitable access to high-quality learning environments and the resources to help meet their basic needs which schools often provide."

The Department's letter to Chief State School Officers provides additional information and recommendations to support states and school districts in putting these resources to work to support students experiencing homelessness, particularly for student groups who have been historically underserved.

On Friday, April 23, 2021, at 4:15 p.m. ET, Secretary Cardona will lead a roundtable discussion with students who have experienced homelessness, centering the conversation on lived experiences and critical federal investments. Secretary Cardona will be joined by U.S. Sen.  Patty Murray (WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (WV). Together, they will learn about the individual background of each student and discuss how American Rescue Plan funds can support students experiencing homelessness. Members of the press who wish to cover the event may RSVP by emailing press@ed.gov.

Today's announcement received praise from Members of Congress from both sides of aisle:

"This past year has been so difficult for every student, parent and educator across the country—but what students experiencing homelessness have gone through is unthinkable. The first thing we told people during this pandemic was to 'stay home.' But so many students don't have a safe place to call home, access to internet, devices, or critical services that students have relied on to learn during this pandemic," said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). "We fought hard to make sure the American Rescue Plan includes dedicated funding for students experiencing homelessness, and that the Department of Education is acting quickly to get these resources to our communities. I'll keep fighting to make sure students experiencing homelessness not only get enrolled in school, but also get the kind of support and stability they need so they can learn and grow in the classroom."

"The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional burdens for everyone but especially our students currently experiencing homelessness," said U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (WV). "I am pleased Secretary Cardona is moving quickly to get the first round of the $800 million I successfully fought to include in the American Rescue Plan to school systems so they can identify and assist homeless students in their schools. If we can't find these students, we can't provide the essential support and services they need. I won't stop fighting to put a roof over every student's head and ensure they have the tools to succeed. I look forward to continue working with my bipartisan colleagues as well as Secretary Cardona to help every student thrive."

"It is significant that every single one of my colleagues recognized the importance of supporting homeless youth and children by unanimously agreeing to my amendment twice on the Senate floor earlier this year," said U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK). "I thank President Biden and Secretary Cardona for working with me and my colleagues to get this funding out the door as quickly and effectively as possible. By releasing this first round of funding, we can start to provide much-needed relief to the most vulnerable - homeless youth and children. I appreciate that Secretary Cardona has invited a young Alaskan to participate in a roundtable discussion with students who have experienced homelessness. This young Alaskan, who has persevered and is now thriving, will be a strong voice for so many other young people throughout our country."  

"Arizona youth experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, deserve safe and stable shelter, especially during the pandemic. I'm proud of our work across the aisle ensuring the COVID-relief law included our bipartisan Emergency Family Stabilization Fund, helping protect Arizona families and children from housing insecurity and keeping kids connected to their school work," said U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ).

Specific state allocations are listed below:

State	Total ARP Homeless Allocation	ARP Homeless I (April allocation)
ALABAMA	13,232,539	3,308,135
ALASKA	2,349,723	587,431
ARIZONA	16,914,124	4,228,531
ARKANSAS	8,209,311	2,052,328
CALIFORNIA	98,709,231	24,677,307
COLORADO	7,640,075	1,910,019
CONNECTICUT	7,244,365	1,811,091
DELAWARE	2,690,527	672,632
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA	2,530,583	632,646
FLORIDA	46,104,268	11,526,067
GEORGIA	27,835,648	6,958,912
HAWAII	2,700,973	675,243
IDAHO	2,881,855	720,464
ILLINOIS	33,112,868	8,278,217
INDIANA	13,066,572	3,266,643
IOWA	5,073,494	1,268,374
KANSAS	5,440,776	1,360,194
KENTUCKY	13,656,376	3,414,094
LOUISIANA	17,067,174	4,266,793
MAINE	2,694,256	673,564
MARYLAND	12,780,987	3,195,247
MASSACHUSETTS	11,988,315	2,997,079
MICHIGAN	24,366,891	6,091,723
MINNESOTA	8,650,935	2,162,734
MISSISSIPPI	10,659,014	2,664,754
MISSOURI	12,816,310	3,204,078
MONTANA	2,502,430	625,607
NEBRASKA	3,575,993	893,998
NEVADA	7,022,161	1,755,540
NEW HAMPSHIRE	2,295,973	573,993
NEW JERSEY	18,109,524	4,527,381
NEW MEXICO	6,413,341	1,603,335
NEW YORK	58,881,309	14,720,327
NORTH CAROLINA	23,576,625	5,894,156
NORTH DAKOTA	1,999,661	499,915
OHIO	29,294,425	7,323,606
OKLAHOMA	9,783,762	2,445,941
OREGON	7,343,336	1,835,834
PENNSYLVANIA	32,732,708	8,183,177
PUERTO RICO	19,428,481	4,857,120
RHODE ISLAND	2,718,574	679,643
SOUTH CAROLINA	13,835,064	3,458,766
SOUTH DAKOTA	2,502,430	625,607
TENNESSEE	16,295,356	4,073,839
TEXAS	81,348,380	20,337,095
UTAH	4,032,024	1,008,006
VERMONT	1,867,977	466,994
VIRGINIA	13,818,290	3,454,572
WASHINGTON	12,134,870	3,033,718
WEST VIRGINIA	4,987,694	1,246,924
WISCONSIN	10,092,963	2,523,241
WYOMING	1,989,459	497,365
National Activities	1,000,000
TOTALS	800,000,000	199,750,000

• Tags: American Rescue Plan (ARP)Press Releases

Education Department Announces State Allocations of $800 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness | U.S. Department of Education

CURMUDGUCATION: HI: A Houseless Village

CURMUDGUCATION: HI: A Houseless Village

HI: A Houseless Village

 It started with this tweet:

Reactions were peak tl;dr, with most people not making it past the tweet. But click past to the story, and then on to the contest itself, and you quickly see there' a lot to this.

I'm no expert on Hawaii. My ex-wife lived there for a few years and my sister-in-law and her husband lived on O'ahu for a while. My wife and I visited for about a week. We stayed in a condo near the beach up near the zoo, and is our habit, we took our rental car on some road trips to see the rest of the place. Which on O'ahu, once you get out of city traffic, doesn't take all that long. It's a place of great contrast. Travel up the west side of the island, and you soon arrive at the tip that looks like the end of the world; exposed to the brunt of the ocean, just past the government space-listening station, the road just ends in a patch of lava. Rough paths and an eerie peaceful quiet, not twenty miles away from a roaring metropolis. On the way there, you go past some rough patches of poverty. We would have driven past the community in this story without knowing it. But as I said--no expert, which is something I share with many folks drive-by commenting on this. It's not just homeless kids. It's a whole community.

That community is Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae (Refuge of Wai'anae), a community of about 250 houseless people, characterized by resident Twinkle Borge as  "Not homeless-- a village without a place."

Hawaii is a tough place to be homeless. On the one hand, the weather is generally on your side, but on the other, local authorities are not. While we were there, an early morning walk would get you free admission to the morning rousting of the homeless along Waikiki. Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae's CONTINUE READING: CURMUDGUCATION: HI: A Houseless Village

Let's Support California’s Proposition 21 - LA Progressive

Let's Support California’s Proposition 21 - LA Progressive

Let’s Support California’s Proposition 21

s Big Real Estate’s No on Prop 21 campaign spins and distorts, there’s one thing the real estate industry can’t change: the overwhelming support of trusted leaders and organizations for Proposition 21. From California’s housing justice movement to labor union icon Dolores Huerta (pictured above), they’re urging Californians to vote early — and vote “yes” on Proposition 21.

Prop 21 is the statewide ballot measure that puts limits on unfair, sky-high rent increases, reins in corporate landlord greed, and prevents homelessness. Top experts at USC, UCLA, and UC Berkeley agree that sensible rent limits are key for stabilizing California’s housing affordability crisis. 

In the University of Southern California’s Rent Matters report, esteemed professor and co-author Manuel Pastor wrote: “The housing crisis requires a range of strategies, [and] moderate rent regulation is a useful tool to be nested in broader strategy. It has fewer damaging effects than are often imagined, it can address economic pain, and it can promote housing stability. And housing stability matters because it is associated with physical, social, and psychological well-being; higher educational achievement by the young; and benefits for people of color.”

The USC study found that rent limits don’t increase the rent of non-regulated units, don’t impact the construction of new housing, and help keep rents more affordable for everyone.

The need for stable, affordable housing has only taken on added importance because of the COVID-19 pandemic — people must have shelter to stay safe and healthy.

The need for stable, affordable housing has only taken on added importance because of the COVID-19 pandemic — people must have shelter to stay safe and healthy.

The urgency to pass Proposition 21 has prompted civic leaders, social justice organizations, and political groups to rally behind the measure. The diverse, impressive list is rock-solid proof that voting “yes” on Prop 21 is a no-brainer. It’s so long, in fact, that not all the names can be mentioned here. But you can check out the Endorsements page on the Yes on 21 website.

What makes the list so powerful is that it’s made up of people and organizations who’ve been fighting for fairness and justice in California — and, in some cases, around the world — for years. 

In comparison, No on Prop 21’s leading contributors are CONTINUE READING: Let's Support California’s Proposition 21 - LA Progressive

Enrollment Is Dropping In Public Schools Around the Country | 89.3 KPCC

 Enrollment Is Dropping In Public Schools Around the Country | 89.3 KPCC

Enrollment Is Dropping In Public Schools Around the Country

Orange County, Fla., has 18,000 missing students. The Miami-Dade County public schools have 16,000 fewer than last year. Los Angeles Unified — the nation's second-largest school system — is down nearly 11,000. Charlotte-Mecklenburg in North Carolina has 5,000 missing. Utah, Virginia, and Washington are reporting declines statewide.

Comprehensive national data aren't available yet, but reporting by NPR and our member stations, along with media reports from around the country, shows enrollment declines in dozens of school districts across 20 states. Large and small, rich and poor, urban and rural — in most of these districts the decline is a departure from recent trends. Over the past 15 years, data from the U.S. Education Department show that small and steady annual increases in public school enrollment have been the rule.

Six months after schools around the country shut their doors amid coronavirus lockdowns, these fall enrollment declines come as schools have been scrambling to improve remote learning offerings, and to adopt safety procedures to allow buildings to open for in-person classes, sometimes just a few days a week. In many parts of the country the start of the year has been marked by multiple changes in plans, widespread confusion among teachers and families, deep concerns about safety, and worries about unequal access to technology.

"We are not alone in this," Chris Reykdal, Washington State's Superintendent of CONTINUE READING:  Enrollment Is Dropping In Public Schools Around the Country | 89.3 KPCC

Work Or Online Learning? Homeless Families Face An Impossible Choice : NPR

Work Or Online Learning? Homeless Families Face An Impossible Choice : NPR

Homeless Families Struggle With Impossible Choices As School Closures Continue

The closure of school buildings in response to the coronavirus has been disruptive and inconvenient for many families, but for those living in homeless shelters or hotel rooms — including roughly 1.5 million school-aged children — the shuttering of classrooms and cafeterias has been disastrous.

For Rachel, a 17-year-old sharing a hotel room in Cincinnati with her mother, the disaster has been academic. Her school gave her a laptop, but "hotel Wi-Fi is the worst," she says. "Every three seconds [my teacher is] like, 'Rachel, you're glitching. Rachel, you're not moving.'"

For Vanessa Shefer, the disaster has made her feel "defeated." Since May, when the family home burned, she and her four children have stayed in a hotel, a campground and recently left rural New Hampshire to stay with extended family in St. Johnsbury, Vt. Her kids ask, "When are we going to have a home?" But Shefer says she can't afford a "home" without a good-paying job, and she can't get a job while her kids need help with school.

For this story, NPR spoke with students, parents, caregivers, shelter managers and school leaders across the country about what it means, in this moment, to be homeless CONTINUE READING: Work Or Online Learning? Homeless Families Face An Impossible Choice : NPR