Homeless Student Enrollment in Kane County
Homeless Student Enrollment in Kane County
Despite an overall decrease in school enrollment in Kane County, the number of students reporting homelessness remains steady. So far this school year, 2,635 students have registered as homeless.
Currently, the highest number of homeless enrollments is in Elgin School District U-46 ( click on graphic to the right).
Homeless children are protected through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a federal law created to support the enrollment and education of homeless students. Homelessness is defined, in general, as having no fixed, adequate, and regular residence.
“We are predicting by the end of this year to have up to 472 more students reporting as homeless than last year," said Kane County Regional Office of Education Supt. Pat Dal Santo.
Dal Santo provided a report on homeless students to the Kane County Board's Public Services committee (click here to watch the entire meeting).
The Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE) has staff dedicated to helping homeless students access educational opportunities by addressing barriers to learning. They coordinate services like food, housing, transportation, clothing, school supplies, and mental health support to ensure homeless students receive the assistance they need.
While the number of homeless students in Kane County continues to slowly rise, Kane County overall student enrollment is on the decline. Between 2018 and 2023, the total number of students has decreased by more than 10,000 students to 108,651. According to the ROE, eight out of the nine school districts in the county are experiencing declining populations, with the exception of the Burlington School District 301.
The influx of new arrivals to the U.S. is also impacting enrollment numbers in Kane County. According to the ROE, the number of students who have elected to self-identify as asylum-seeking is 729. The ROE also reports that the Illinois Board of Education has provided an additional $10,000 in funding, to provide for all students of asylum-seeking families in Kane County.
For more information about the wide range of support services offered by the Kane County Regional Office of Education, visit their website at www.kaneroe.org.
