NEWS 1

MHOMELESS16
Alexandra Chunn
The results from the Northwest Arkansas 2015 homeless census report
that 1,195 K-12 children are homeless from the 13 school districts in
both Washington and Benton counties. Over half of the homeless
population in Northwest Arkansas is composed of youth under 18 years
old.

UA researchers and volunteers counted and interviewed the NWA

homeless population January to gather demographic information.
Organizations that benefit from this census include 7hills (CQ) and the
Salvation Army who receive federal funding from the US Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Professor Kevin Kirkpatrick(CQ), a professor of sociology and the

director of the UofAs Community and Family Institute presented the
findings for the NWA biennial census report March 9. Kirkpatrick has
also served on the board of directors at 7hills, a homeless center in
Fayetteville for nine years.

I think the reason we have a larger homeless population is because

we have services, Professor Kirkpatrick said.

NEWS 1
MHOMELESS16
Alexandra Chunn
139 children under six years old and K-12 youth are not enrolled in
school in NWA according to the census.

The McKinneyVento Homeless Education Assistance Act(CQ) is a

federal law that ensures immediate enrollment and educational
stability for homeless children and youth. It also provides federal
funding to states for the purpose of supporting district programs that
serve homeless students.

The act defines homeless children as individuals who lack a fixed,

regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition
encompasses children and youth living in shared housing, motels or
similar housing, or emergency/transitional shelters.

Every school district under Title III has a homeless transition

coordinator. This coordinator submits monthly reports on their districts
homeless K-12 youth. Janet Schwanhausser (CQ) is Bentonvilles
coordinator.

Bentonville school district has 398 homeless children, the largest

number with 33 percent of the total homeless youth population.

NEWS 1
MHOMELESS16
Alexandra Chunn
Fayetteville comes in second with 207 children, 17 percent of the total.
67 percent of the K-12 homeless are in Benton County, with the other
33 percent in Washington County according to the census.

Professor Kirkpatrick said Benton County doesnt think they have a

homeless population and if you were to go to Bentonvilles
superintendent he would say he didnt know about the 400 homeless
students.
When asked for information or a comment, both Bentonville and
Fayettevilles homeless transition coordinators did not respond.

According to a poll conducted by the Public Agenda Foundation, 67

percent of people think most homeless people are homeless because
of circumstances beyond their control. When asked when thinking of
the homeless, how often do you think of teenagers, people responded
35 percent occasionally and 25 percent hardly ever.

In the same poll, 31 percent of people responded that when thinking

about the homeless, they think about single mothers with children. 29
percent said frequently, but 14 percent said hardly ever. Of the
different groups of homeless, 34 percent of respondents said single

NEWS 1
MHOMELESS16
Alexandra Chunn
mothers with children is the greatest concern to them, personally, the
largest concern by a landslide.

When asked about the NWA homeless population, Alison Hunter a

junior early education major said, I didnt event know that was an
issue around here.

The Department of Education reported a record number of homeless

students enrolled in US public schools in 2013 with an 8 percent
increase from 2012.

2.5 million children in America, one in every 30 children, go to sleep

without a home of their own each year, according to the report
Americas Youngest Outcasts by the American Institutes for Research
and the National Center on Family Homelessness(CQ).

In the same report, Arkansas is ranked 47th in the nation for overall
performance in the areas extent of child homelessness, child well
being, risk for child homelessness and state policy and planning
efforts.
***All percentages and numbers were CQed twice

NEWS 1
MHOMELESS16
Alexandra Chunn