A bill to help homeless students better access schools and improve their grades has passed the Oregon Senate Education Committee.
If enacted, Senate Bill 658 would create a pilot program for school districts that would provide grant money for three academic years. It would also direct the Oregon Department of Education to submit a legislative report on homeless students and the pilot program itself, including high school graduation rates.
In a hearing late last month, Oregon Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, the bill's chief sponsor, said helping homeless youth early can offset continued challenges as adults.
“We do a very poor job in supporting homeless students here in Oregon and fund them very little,” said Knopp. “Children that are homeless during their youth are 68% more likely to experience chronic homelessness as adults.”
The bill passed the education committee and now goes to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means.
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