OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Homelessness is an issue that will never fully resolve. It’s a mainstay in the lives of many, most of whom won’t have an opportunity to avoid it.
Worse still, the problem has slowly continued to impact the Marion County Public School (MCPS) system.
“You have kids living in motels, hotels, and campgrounds. Sometimes they’re living with other people or relatives,” says Thomas Butler, a member of the McKinney-Vento Liaison with MCPS.
As of March 2025, 1,483 homeless students were enrolled in MCPS. Butler says that number is rising by 25 to 30 students each month.
Of those students, 1,372 are homeless due to issues like unaffordable housing, long-term poverty, unemployment, lack of healthcare, mental illness, domestic violence, and eviction.
“One-bedroom apartments in this county can go from anywhere between 1600 and 1700 dollars… most of our homeless families can’t afford that,” says Butler, adding that families with poor credit face even more barriers to renting.
Another concern is the number of “unaccompanied homeless youth” – children not living with a parent or guardian.
“They could be living with a relative or friend, or sometimes with someone they don’t even know,” Butler says.
Currently, 195 students are considered unaccompanied. Without a parent or guardian, school staff often have trouble locating them outside school hours.
Many homeless families move frequently, often based on which motel offers the cheapest rate. That instability makes it hard for the district to coordinate school transportation.
“It’s hard for the school district to set up transportation for kids… it takes the district’s transportation department at least two to three days to get them set up once they move,” Butler says.
By the time transportation is arranged, the family may have already moved again. This disruption leads to inconsistent attendance.
While online classes might seem like a solution, Butler says that’s not realistic for many.
“Most of these kids don’t have Chromebooks or computers, and a lot of them don’t even have the Wi-Fi to do homeschool,” he says.
As part of the McKinney-Vento Liaison of Marion County, Butler’s top priority is ensuring the educational rights of homeless children. However, he says that this past year has proved challenging.
Last year, the program received $270,000 in federal grant funding. This year, it dropped to $118,000 – despite the homeless student population rising from roughly 1,100 to nearly 1,500.
Butler says employment in the liaison has suffered, dropping from seven members to just three. More importantly, this has impacted the district’s ability to help homeless youth.
Butler believes that more funding is where the solution begins.
“The federal government needs to provide more funding for the homeless programs,” says Butler.
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