How Many Marple Newtown Schoolchildren Are Homeless?

Some 26,000 schoolchildren in Pennsylvania are homeless, according to the Department of Education’s most recent numbers, which are from 2014-2015.

And those children are spread across nearly every single school district in the entire state.

According to the data, there are 636 homeless schoolchildren in Delaware County.

Here’s how it breaks down:

• Chester Community Charter School - 19
• Chester-Upland - less than 10
• Chichester - 33
• Garnet Valley - less than 10
• Haverford Township - less than 10
• Interboro - 76
• IU 25- less than 10
• Marple Newtown - less than 10
• Penn-Delco - 16
• Radnor Township - 11
• Ridley - 40
• Rose Tree Media - 15
• Southeast Delco - 46
• Springfield - less than 10
• Upper Darby - 143
• Wallingford-Swarthmore - 21
• William Penn - 191

The actual number of homeless children could be much higher, as the data only reflects the homeless population which the state served using designated funds.

The numbers include children experiencing homelessness “who have been served in any way through McKinney-Vento funds. The served population includes children and youth ages birth through 21 that are not enrolled in schools.”

The McKinney-Vento Act works on a national level to help provide homeless children with access to the same free public education as their peers, and provides money for school districts to handle homeless students. Qualifying students receive free lunches and transportation if necessary, among other benefits.