Report: More Idaho students experiencing homelessness

A new report says the number of Idaho public school students experiencing homelessness has grown by 64 percent over seven years.

A report from the Idaho Asset Building Network states 2.6 percent of Idaho’s public school students qualified as homeless last year, compared to 1.6 percent in 2010.

About 7,800 Idaho students reported they lacked a “fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence” in the 2017-18 school year, compared to about 4,700 in 2010-11.

The Idaho Press reported Wednesday the group found that the issue exists in both rural and urban Idaho school districts.

Idaho Department of Education spokeswoman Kris Rodine says more than two-thirds of the increase occurred between 2010-11 and 2011-12, when the number of homeless Idaho students rose by 47 percent.

She says “the numbers have stabilized somewhat” in the past three years.

You can help homeless students in our area. Bonneville School District 93 needs 500 sign-ups to start a “Purposity” page.

“Purposity” (a mixture of the words “purpose” and “generosity”) is a website where you can sign up, put in your zip code, and see posts of needs that local homeless students have. But the district needs 500 signups so they can start.

“We have 55 students who are living in a homeless situation. Some are in campers, some are in shelters, others are living with other family members and they have a lot of needs so this is a way that we can fulfill these needs,” says Jessica Baksis, Federal Programs Administrative Assistant.

For more information, watch this video HERE. If you would like to sign up, go HERE