When some students leave for school in the morning, they leave unsure of where they’ll lay their heads the next night.
This housing instability affects them emotionally, mentally and academically.
In an effort to help these students succeed in school, Portage Public Schools has launched a new before-and-after-school tutoring program.
This program is designed to increase academic success, but more importantly, it is an opportunity to build a relationship with a caring adult, create connections with peers, and grow a positive association with school, said Janet Johnstone, Coordinator of Instructional Services and Portage Public School’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Liaison.
“When your basic human needs are not being met, it can be hard to focus on learning,” Johnstone said. “When you’re worried about where you’ll sleep at night or where your next meal is coming from, you don’t have the same capacity to worry about your academics.”
Homelessness is defined as lacking a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. While those living in a shelter or without a home are most commonly viewed as homeless, families who lose their homes due to hardship and move in with a friend or relative also experience the same housing insecurity.
The District is required to report to the state the number of students experiencing this instability.
At PPS, the number is rising.
By the end of 2017, PPS identified 92 students experiencing homelessness in the District. Only three months into the 2023-24 school year, that number has increased to 146. In reality, the number of students is likely higher because state officials know it is an underreported statistic.
Portage likely has another 50 students or so who are not identified because of a lack of understanding of what homelessness is as well as the stigma associated with being homeless.
During the 2020-21 school year, there were more than a million homeless children enrolled in public schools across the nation, according to the National Center for Homeless Education, a federal agency. A lack of affordable housing, the COVID-19 pandemic and rising rent prices are all factors that contribute to a higher need among the student population.
Families are likely to experience homelessness for an average of 3-5 years and can often still face challenges even after finding stable housing. Students enduring this instability need the safety and security provided by their school and the educators who care for them to support every opportunity for success.
Homelessness affects students of all ages and can have significant impacts on a student’s ability to learn in school.
According to MISchoolData.org, in 2021, approximately 81% of all 12th graders in Michigan graduated with a high school diploma. In comparison, only 56.21% of students experiencing homelessness graduated that same year. The District has implemented its tutoring program in an effort to help increase these students' chances of graduating and finding future success.
The tutoring program, which began this fall, is serving almost 50 percent of eligible students and continues to grow each week.
The students eligible for the tutoring program include those identified through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which authorizes the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program. It is the primary piece of federal legislation related to the education of children experiencing homelessness providing specific rights to the child and the family to allow for stability in education during an unstable time in their lives.
The program is funded by the American Rescue 2 Grant, a federally funded grant designed to provide services for underserved families experiencing homelessness.
PPS staff hope to continue the program with other funding after the federal grant runs dry, Johnstone said.
The students meet with their assigned tutor twice weekly either before or after school. The instructional staff who stepped up to help these students are “truly amazing,” said Suzanne Kiszka, Student Academic Support Specialist in the Educational Supports and Intervention Department.
Kiszka said the program is made possible by the dedicated educators but also by the support of the PPS Transportation Department, whose bus drivers run extra routes after the tutoring for these students.
“Without them, this program wouldn’t be possible,” she said.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing homelessness, please reach out to your school counselor or engagement specialist for more information.