Huge Increases In The Number Of Homeless CPS Students

CHICAGO (WBBM/AP)  -- The number of homeless students enrolled in the Chicago Public School system has skyrocketed in the past few years since better reporting and calculation has taken affect.

As WBBM's Nancy Harty reports, officials with the CPS report that 10,500 homeless students were enrolled this year, compared with 3,500 in 2000---marking a 17 percent increase in this year alone.

Better reporting may be part of the reason behind the surge. The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless settled a class-action lawsuit in 2000 against CPS that demanded better reporting and services for homeless families.

Schools have improved methods of registering children as homeless, which gives the children benefits such as the ability to be bused back to their home school when they become homeless. Once they are registed as homeless, the children also get help with tutoring, schools fees, uniforms, and other clothing.

Chicago's homeless numbers top even New York City's and Los Angeles'.

One of the programs designed to help homeless students kicked off a push last week to get donors to help them with school supplies. Anyone interested in donating should go to www.kitsforkidz.com.