adequate nighttime residence; and
WHEREAS, Children of all ages are negatively impacted by
homelessness in the areas of physical health, emotional and
behavioral development and academic success; and
WHEREAS, Children and youths experiencing homelessness face
obstacles such as losing treasured possessions and dealing with
hunger and sleep deprivation; and
WHEREAS, A homeless family's constant moving disrupts
children's education, causing frequent absences from school that
can result in low test scores and that can double the likelihood
of repeating a grade; and
WHEREAS, The National Coalition for the Homeless cites
studies indicating that youths experiencing homelessness are set
back academically by three to six months; and
WHEREAS, The national school dropout rate for homeless
children is 60% higher than for a child who does not have that
experience during the school year; and
WHEREAS, New provisions of Federal law are being implemented
to better assist students and families with the resources and
attention they need; and
WHEREAS, Specifically, under the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Education Assistance Improvement Act, districts must work with
other local agencies such as law enforcement, juvenile courts
and runaway and homeless youth centers; and
WHEREAS, Preschool-age homeless children must have access to
and receive supportive services; and
WHEREAS, Districts must provide transportation until the end
of the school year even if a student becomes permanently housed
outside of the district; and
WHEREAS, More importantly, districts must protect the privacy
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