How Many Schoolchildren Are Homeless In Philadelphia?

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- There are an appalling number of homeless children across Pennsylvania: some 26,000, in fact, according to the Department of Education’s most recent numbers, from 2013-2014.

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

The Philadelphia School District alone has 3,768 homeless students. And that’s not including a wide variety of private and charter schools.

In all of Philadelphia County, including Roxborough and Manayunk, there are nearly 6,000 homeless children, or an average of about 30 for every 1,000.

Only Forest County in the northwestern part of the state, with an average of 56 homeless per 1,000, was worse off.

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 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.