MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The amount of students classified as homeless at Waco ISD is three times the state average. One non-profit and the local school district is helping those kids break the cycle and find success.
- Chronic absenteeism is a national problem among youth experiencing homelessness, and we’re seeing it right here in our neighborhood, that’s one reason why The Cove Waco offers an attendance recovery program.
- From 2018 to 2023, the graduation rate for students experiencing homelessness at Waco ISD grew 14 percentage points.
- The district also saw a 3.5 percent decrease in dropout rates for homeless students.
- From 2023 to 2024, Waco ISD saw a 25% increase of students living in hotels and motels
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“It is a significant increase of experiencing adult homelessness if you don’t have a high school diploma,” said Harold Brown with The Cove Waco.
Chronic absenteeism is a national problem among youth experiencing homelessness, and we’re seeing it right here in our neighborhood, that’s one reason why The Cove Waco offers an attendance recovery program.
“Every hour they spend here at the cove they can make up to 3 hours and recover those credit hours which helps them move on to the next grade and graduate,” said Brown.
It’s programs like The Cove and Waco ISD’s Highly Mobile Student Services that help get teen’s in homeless situations to cross the stage.
“We don’t believe that a students’ zipcode or situation defines their future. We believe they are capable,” said Julianne Heldt
From 2018 to 2023, the graduation rate for students experiencing homelessness at Waco ISD grew 14 percentage points. The district also saw a 3.5 percent decrease in dropout rates for homeless students.
“The interventions that we’re providing are working, our students are graduating at a higher rate,” said Supervisor of Highly Mobile Services at Waco ISD, Julianne Heldt
With more than 1000 students classified as homeless in Waco ISD, I asked Julianne Heldt how they work to prevent them from falling into homelessness as an adult.
“We’re checking in to see that they’ve got their FAFSA done, that they have opportunities to apply for and go to college,” said Heldt.
From 2023 to 2024, Waco ISD saw a 25% increase of students living in hotels and motels, and a 69% increase of students living in shelters.
The Mckinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act defines a homeless as a youth who does not have a regular, adequate place to stay at night. That includes people who share housing with others, live in motels, trailer parks, transitional shelters, and those who live in cars, parks and public spaces.
