Fighting the Devastating Impact of Homelessness on Children’s Education

Angela M. Sanchez was a junior in high school when she was evicted from her home in Glendale, California. Her father had lost his job, and a confluence of financial and family challenges led them to months of living in different motels, followed by moving around to a series of shelters. 

The disruption and stress made it hard for Sanchez to keep up with classes, grades, and the after-school magic club that she loved. By senior year, her once sterling grades had dropped and her dream of going to UCLA was hanging in the balance. 

That’s when she found School on Wheels. The Southern California-based nonprofit provides free tutoring for school-age children and teens experiencing homelessness – which includes children living in shelters, vehicles, motels, group homes, or on the streets. School on Wheels matches students with volunteers and offers weekly one-on-one tutoring, school supplies, and assistance entering and navigating school.

In Sanchez’s case, the organization connected her with a tutor who helped with her schoolwork and with finding scholarships to support her education at UCLA where she was, indeed, accepted. 

“Making that connection was the best thing that ever happened to me while being homeless,” says Sanchez, in an interview with Upworthy. 

School on Wheels was founded in 1993 by Agnes Stevens, a retired teacher who worked in Venice and saw firsthand how homelessness disrupted her students’ education. In the 30 years since, the organization has worked with more than 50,000 students across more than 400 sites in the region. 

The statistics are staggering. According to School on Wheels, in California overall, one in 20 children is experiencing homelessness. In L.A. County there are 65,484 students without homes. These children are nine times more likely to repeat a grade and four times more likely to drop out of school entirely. School on Wheels is the only organization in Southern California exclusively dedicated to the educational needs of this fragile population. 

“The statistics highlight a crisis that demands our immediate attention. Every child deserves the stability and support necessary to succeed academically. At School on Wheels, we are committed to providing essential educational support, giving hope and opportunity to the most vulnerable members of our community,” says Charles Evans, executive director. 

For Sinéad Chilton, chief development and marketing officer for the organization, the power of its work lies in the connections it creates between students and positive role models. 

“We spend a lot of time recruiting and training and retaining volunteers,” says Chilton, who started as a volunteer. The students’ lives, she adds, “are so difficult. They might not know where they’re sleeping tonight. They might not know what they’re eating.”

Chilton adds, “It takes so little to help a child. That’s the basic model of School on Wheels. We can’t end homelessness, but we can put the tools in place so a child doesn’t have to repeat that cycle.” 

Evans says including children in the discussion around homeless prevention is a key to breaking that cycle. “It’s crucial that we recognize and address the unique challenges faced by unhoused students to break this cycle and pave the way for a brighter future for all.” 

And that’s exactly what School on Wheels is doing.