Todays News

Homeless task force stalled, homeless students increased

The effort to form a task force to address homelessness in Marshalltown has been stalled by the search for a new city administrator.

City officials met with community members and advocates in April to discuss the pressing issue of homelessness in Marshalltown. It was at that meeting in which it was unofficially resolved a task force should be formed.

Mayor Joel Greer is collecting names of volunteers interested in serving on the task force. However, he has only heard from five interested people.

"For something of this scope, ideally, I hope to get eight to 10 people," he said. "I would like to get a good balance of people from different professions."

First, a new city administrator needs to be in place. Greer said the administrator would then be able to organize the task force.

In the meantime, there is evidence of a growing number of homeless people. During the 2022-23 school year, there were 140 homeless students in the Marshalltown Community School District. In the 2021-22 school year, there were 88, according to Eric Goslinga, principal of Marshalltown Learning Academy.

"Since 2020, the trend is increasing, but last year's jump was significant from the year before," he said. "Given the increasing housing and food costs, I am worried that this number will increase."

Goslinga gets homeless student referrals from a variety of sources, such as school counselors, student resource specialists, secretaries, teachers, principals, transportation employees and other self-reporting employees. He then may proceed with an investigation, which could include talking with the family or the previous school district. If the situation meets homeless criteria, Goslinga notifies district departments that may need to know.

"Homeless status is an educational record by law so that information is only shared on a need-to-know basis," he said. "Once those notices go out, families then are eligible for the services."

Services offered by the district to homeless students and their families include transportation assistance, waiver of school fees, free breakfast and lunch. They are eligible for Title I services for additional reading and literacy support. The school district also maintains school supply and clothing closets and often provides such items when needed.

The Marshalltown Community School District uses the McKinney-Vento Act when defining homelessness. Students are considered homeless if they:

• Lack a regular, fixed and adequate nighttime residence;

• Share housing or are "doubling up;"

• Live in a shelter, hotel or motel;

• Live in a public or private place not intended for residency;

• Live in cars, parks and camps;

• Are awaiting foster care placement;

• Live in inadequate housing, such as a mobile home without utility hook-ups or a house that has had services cut off due to nonpayment.

Goslinga said there are numerous reasons students might be homeless.

"A chief cause of homelessness is poverty, so I see a lot of situations where families are 'doubled up,' where two or more families live in housing designed to support one family," he said. "I am hearing now that foreclosures are starting to go up, as well. Families share expenses due to the costs of housing and the costs of food. Parental under-employment or unemployment contributes to our homelessness program, as well."

Among high school-age students, Goslinga said conflicts between parents and students can contribute to homelessness.

"These youth are especially at-risk of being exploited or human trafficked due to their vulnerability," he said.

Other reasons Goslinga gave as contributing to homelessness include:

• Health problems and lack of health insurance;

• Addiction disorders;

• Mental health;

• Domestic violence;

• Natural disasters.

The impact of homelessness on students is significant. Goslinga said national research data states those students often suffer from malnutrition. The homeless student population has four times as many respiratory infections, twice as many ear infections, five times more gastrointestinal problems and are four times more likely to have asthma than non-homeless peers.

Goslinga said homeless youth are 87 percent more likely to drop out of school. Additionally, those students have more mental health struggles with rates of depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders and acute stress or trauma disorders all at higher levels than peers.

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.