US – 1.3 million homeless students enrolled in public schools (all levels)

A growing number of students don’t have homes to return to once classes are out.

Approximately 1.3 million students enrolled in U.S. public preschools, elementary schools, middle schools and high schools schools were homeless during the 2012-13 school year.

That’s up 8% from the prior year, and the highest number on record, according to the National Center for Homeless Education, funded by the Department of Education.

A lack of affordable housing is a big reason, forcing many families to live in the streets, shelters, motels or to double up with other families, said Jeremy Rosen, director of advocacy at the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at Student homelessness hits another record – Sep. 22, 2014.