WASHINGTON D.C. – Included in a housing bill passed by the U.S. Senate over the weekend, is an amendment that will help children affected by the foreclosure crisis stay in school and receive educational assistance.
The amendment, sponsored by Senators Menendez, Murray, and Brown with the assistance of Senators Kennedy and Enzi, will authorize an infusion of funds to school districts across the country through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program to help ensure that students who are forced to move from their homes do not also have to leave their schools.
A recent report published by First Focus and the Brookings institution revealed that nearly two million children will be directly impacted by the mortgage crisis. Research shows that when families lose their homes, children not only experience problems related to their health and behavior, but their educational development suffers as well. Children forced to change schools frequently are more likely to score below grade level in math and reading, and have an increased chance of repeating a grade and ultimately dropping out of school.
“One of the pieces of collateral damage from the devastating foreclosure crisis that hasn’t gotten enough attention is the effect it can have on our nation’s children,” said Senator Menendez. “It is unfair to let these children float from one unfamiliar school to another through no fault of their own and against the will of their parents. When they are abruptly uprooted from the schools where they have formed a connection to the teachers, learning material and classmates, their development can be severely stunted. For the development of the children of our country, we are pleased and thankful that our amendment was included in the housing legislation and will become law. I also applaud First Focus for its work to make children and families a policy priority and for its indispensible support on this issue.”
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program allows homeless students to stay in their schools even if they are forced to move outside the school district. In addition, the program provides homeless students with a variety of supports, such as tutoring, school supplies, and counseling, among others, to help stabilize their education even through the rest of their lives are fraught with uncertainty. Increased funding to the program will also assist school districts to identify homeless families, and provide them with gas vouchers or other transportation assistance so they do not have to further deplete their savings in order to provide educational stability for their children.
“Countless Americans are struggling to provide for their families because of the combined challenges resulting from the foreclosure crisis and the downturn in the economy,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus. “It is in our nation’s best interest to support these families in order to minimize the impact that these challenges will have on the lives of children – our nation’s future leaders. We commend Senators Menendez, Kennedy, Murray, Brown, Enzi, Dodd and Shelby for leading the effort to support children who are impacted by the foreclosure crisis by ensuring that they are provided with the services they need to stay in school and on track for future success.”
The housing bill, which also passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week, will now move to the President’s desk where it is expected to be signed into law early this week.
Related:
Report: The Impact of the Mortgage Crisis on Children