Number Of Homeless Students On The Rise

The Washington Post (12/27, Sieff) reported that Fairfax, VA, "one of only two counties in the nation with median household incomes above $100,000, counts nearly 2,000 homeless students in its school division - about 200 of whom" are on their own, a number "twice what the comparable figure was two years ago, a surge reflected nationally as the faltering economy has undermined many families. The rise has coincided with newly aggressive initiatives by school districts, including Fairfax, that increasingly are getting involved in ensuring their students are not only taught and fed but also housed." The Post added, "For the first time since the Education Department started counting earlier this decade, there are nearly a million homeless students in the United States, according to government statistics."