According to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, the city’s 2013-14 school year saw more young people enrolled in Chicago public schools who were considered homeless than previous years. 

From Chicago Defender:

The 2013-14 academic school year had 22,144 homeless students, compared to the year before where there were 18,669. The final end of the year count is still pending, but so far, that is an 18.6 percent increase.

Nearly all of the homeless CPS students this past academic year were youth of color, said Anne Bowhay, spokeswoman at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Looking at that group even closer, she said about 85 percent were African American.

Read more at Chicago Defender

Based on CPS methods, homelessness isn’t limited to just living on the streets. The district’s account also includes students who are sleeping on a friend’s couch. Of the 22,144 counted this year, 88 percent were living in a roommate situation. The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless also included 2,508 students who did not reside with either a parent or guardian.

Officials are also seeing a rise in the number of homeless families.

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