Rise in Memphis homelessness causing changes for MSCS

By Connor Dacus
 

With the spike of homelessness in Memphis, Memphis Shelby County Schools has made changes to help

support children dealing with poverty.

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At the beginning of the new school year, the number of homeless students attending MSCS had risen from around 1,200 to almost 3,000 students.

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Improvements have been implemented by MSCS to support these students while they are in the classroom such as free meals and school supplies.

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Homelessness causes poor nutrition and hygiene which make it difficult for these students to succeed in a classroom.

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“If you’re on the move all the time, or if you’re in a location that’s not really meant to be your permanent home, then you’re lacking all of those things that a home provides,” Germantown Elementary Principal, Stacy Johnson said, “a nice quiet place to sleep, the proper nutrition, clothing and there are a lot of other things happening with the people in their lives, Interactions that are maybe not healthy.”

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With these issues arising within MSCS, they must think more about the problem homeless students face inside the classroom, their lack of attendance, and how schools can make their lives easier while they are in school.

 

The Community Alliance for the Homeless has an annual Point in Time count to locate as many homeless individuals as possible. The PIT count has showed an increase in the number of homeless people in Shelby County last year.

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“The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is an annual count of sheltered and unsheltered homelessness on a single night in January,” the CAFTH said, “It is held toward the end of the month during the hours when unsheltered individuals are most likely to be identified.”

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Free breakfast and lunch for all MSCS students is a meal assistance program that was implemented back in 2013 but is making a difference today as the number of homeless students continues to rise. This program provides free breakfast and free lunch to any student who attends a MSCS school. Principal Johnson shared the impact this program has on students.

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“I know it does, because I see it,” Johnson said. “They will come in looking for it.”

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Lack of transportation and changing locations make attending school very difficult for homeless students. MSCS has a policy that homeless students can attend any school that they want within the district at any time.

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“They literally can go to any school that they want,” MSCS counselor Christal Tharp said. “They don’t have to turn in any paperwork, every school is expected to receive these students without giving them any problem.”

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Christal Tharpe shared the direct impact that homelessness has had on students in MSCS.

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“I have a student this year, she’s been to six different schools already and she's three years over the age for the grade,” Tharp said. “That is due to homelessness.”