The number of homeless families with children continues to grow, and it is a very real crisis for the children and our community. Currently there are more than 18,000 homeless students in our county, according to the San Diego County office of Education.
Monarch students live in shelters, motels, single room occupancy housing, double- or tripled-up with other families in small apartments, in cars, camp sites, or on the streets. They’ve often been absent from school for long periods of time and are achieving below grade level when they enroll.
Monarch removes barriers typically encountered by homeless students and provides programs and services not offered at traditional schools. Its program is designed to help students achieve and surpass grade level work in a welcoming, accepting environment. The average student arrives at Monarch three years behind grade level, yet for every six months a student spends at Monarch, he or she will progress more than a year academically.
Without an education and critical support services, homeless youth risk becoming another generation of homeless adults. Education is the one chance homeless children have to break the cycle of poverty.