ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — Currently, there are more than 33,000 students enrolled with the Ector County Independent School District. Out of 33,000, 2,068 ECISD students have been identified as homeless, according to the ECISD Community Outreach Center.
During enrollment, families and/or students must provide proof of residence. If one is not able to provide the required documents, they are then assessed to determine if they meet the criteria for McKinney-Vento.
According to the lead social worker with the ECISD Community Outreach Center, Letty Bernal, this criteria includes the loss of housing due to factors that include but are not limited to economic hardship.
"Our program is to have some kind of stability for them as far as education so that the student can continue to learn and be successful," Bernal said. "And then we work with the families as well to help them find housing."
The program allows the center to refer affected students and families to agencies that can provide them with the services or items they may need. This includes things like transportation, uniforms, school supplies and access to the program's food pantry.
Bernal said the need for affordable housing and the cost of rent are some of the factors that have contributed to the rate of students who are identified as homeless.
The program also helps with immediate enrollment by providing affected students and families with proof of their involvement with the McKinney-Vento.
"Every year it seems to increase. I feel like a lot of our families that are coming in are migrants," Bernal said. "We had an influx of families coming in from south of the border and then the oil field also brings families to Odessa and sometimes they come and then everything's expensive. Rent is high."
Some students who have been identified as homeless are considered "unaccompanied youth." Those are students who may have been forced to leave home due to a variety of circumstances.
"We really look for those students because we offer more support. We have staff in the high schools," Bernal said. "The case manager will visit with the students [and] try to help them with whatever needs."
Families and students remain a part of the program for the remainder of the school year even if they get permanent housing. They are rescreened every year during enrollment.
According to Bernal, several of the items the program can provide are based on donations. The ECISD Community Outreach Center is looking for donations for things like personal hygiene items, school supplies and uniforms.