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Number of homeless students in WS/FCS increased 11% over last year

Sheila Thorp, director of social work for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, presents on the school district's 2024 homeless students numbers during a board meeting in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. SANTIAGO OCHOA/WFDD

Sheila Thorp, director of social work for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, presents on the school district's 2024 homeless students numbers during a board meeting in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. SANTIAGO OCHOA/WFDD

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is recognizing November as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month.

The number of students without stable housing in the district has steadily increased over the last few years. 

Nearly 1,200 WS/FCS students were identified as experiencing homelessness last year. That’s an 11% increase from the year before, and more than double from 2020. 

Director of Social Work Sheila Thorp discussed the issue during a school board meeting on Tuesday. 

“Students of color, students who are pregnant, and students who identify as LGBTQ, are far more likely to experience homelessness," Thorp said. "Students with disabilities and English language learners are also represented disproportionately.” 

The district has a program, called Project H.O.P.E., which aims to support these students. Last year, it provided hotel stays, food cards and more than 1,000 bus passes. Tutoring is also offered to children at local shelters.

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.

Amy Diaz began covering education in North Carolina’s Piedmont region and High Country for WFDD in partnership with Report For America in 2022. Before entering the world of public radio, she worked as a local government reporter in Flint, Mich. where she was named the 2021 Rookie Writer of the Year by the Michigan Press Association. Diaz is originally from Florida, where she interned at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and freelanced for the Tampa Bay Times. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of South Florida, but truly got her start in the field in elementary school writing scripts for the morning news. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.

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