Strong Homeless Students’ Educational Rights.
Bad News:
Record Number of Homeless Students and Scant
Resources.
The official parchment scroll proclaims May 2014 as
Homeless Students’ Educational Rights Month, signed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.
Advocates and supporters will gather on May 8 in Aurora to commemorate the 20th
anniversary of hallmark civil rights legislation, the Illinois Education for Homeless Children Act, and urge restoration of $3 million of state funds to
help homeless kids.
Twenty years ago, Illinois legislators established strong educational
rights for homeless students, passing Charlie’s Bill, named for Pat Van
Doren’s image of a captivating 4-year-old boy that adorned every piece of
literature promoting the bill. The law removed barriers commonly experienced by
homeless students and guided schools to help the students succeed. In 2001,
federal legislation based on the Illinois law passed, ensuring access to school
for homeless students nationwide.
Advocates will utilize momentum from this 20th anniversary
commemoration to push for more resources to help homeless students. Illinois
lawmakers removed $3 million to help homeless families and youth from the
budget following the 2008-09 school year.
Since then, schools have identified almost 55,000 students without homes, more than double the census in 2009.
“It doesn’t do any good to have a proclamation if we don’t
have the resources to back it up,” declared Diane Nilan, founder and president
of HEAR US, a Naperville-based national nonprofit advocacy organization. Nilan
ran the shelter at Hesed House in Aurora and was part of the effort to pass the
state and federal legislation to remove barriers for homeless students. HEAR US
is the sponsor of the May 8 event featuring Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and
Mary.
The Law Project of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is spearheading the campaign
to restore the $3 million. They point to the “109% increase in identified
homeless students statewide since 2008-09 when $3 million in homeless education
funding was last included in the state budget.” Funding will help ensure
immediate enrollment of homeless students, reduce truancy, provide academic
support, including transportation, and augment local services to help students
and their families.
Nilan
has worked with the Law Project for decades. She created the Forget Me Not campaign to restore the $3 million. HEAR US will recognize the Law Project at
the May 8 event, which features a performance by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. They will invite the audience to contact their lawmakers and urge
restoration of the funding.
The May 8 event is open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10 for the 6:30
reception and concert at Copley Theater, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. More
information available at www.hearus.us.
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