Number of homeless students in Volusia County FL climbs

August 26, 2009

Number of homeless students in Volusia climbs

By LINDA TRIMBLE
Education writer

DELAND -- The number of homeless children attending Volusia County public schools has increased more than five-fold since 2003, with most of them enrolled in elementary schools, the School Board heard Tuesday night.

"Our numbers are high for Florida and high for a county this size," Pam Woods, the school district's homeless education liaison, told the School Board.

Volusia schools enrolled 1,990 homeless students last school year, compared to 350 in 2003, Woods reported. Volusia Schools has about 62,000 total students this year.

Under federal law, children are considered homeless when they lack "fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence."
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Number of homeless students in Volusia climbs