Oregon’s homeless student population spikes

PORTLAND, Ore. — The number of Oregon students who were homeless during the past school year has jumped.

The state Education Department said Wednesday that 18,902 students were homeless at some point during the 2013-14 academic year, an increase of 737 students from the year before.

Officials say a change in federal reporting requirements has allowed them to compile race and ethnicity data for such students. Although white students are 64 percent of the overall student population, they make up only 55 percent of homeless students.

The homeless classification doesn’t necessarily mean the child is sleeping in a shelter or on the streets. The tag also applies to students who lack a fixed and regular nighttime residence, such as those who live in motels or bounce between the homes of friends and relatives.