Youth Homeless: How West Virginia helps students affected by homelessness

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — When most people think about the word homeless, they typically think about an adult, but it's a situation that also impacts thousands of children in our region.

"I feel that a lot of people are embarrassed to just say that they're homeless, I feel like everyone deserves basic necessities. Clothes, food, transportation, and yet it takes a lot of courage to stand up and let someone know you need help," Cheyenne said.

Cheyenne is now 21 but said she found herself in a difficult situation her senior year of high school.

"That typical you know household where parents were divorced and everything so I found myself getting kicked out by my mom," she explained, "I didn't know where I was going to stay. I didn't know how I was going to go to school. I lived here in Charleston but went to school in South Charleston."

Cheyenne is far from alone, data from the West Virginia Department of Education shows in 2023 13,530 public school students were homeless, and it isn't getting better. Numbers from last year show 15,346 homeless public school students in the state.

Eyewitness News went to find out how the numbers could jump so much so fast. Christy Day, Director of the WV Department of Education, provided some details into the statistics and how they're tracked.

"I think there's a lot of factors that control that data - one of them being the way we are gathering the data the way we're receiving the paperwork and how we are, a lot of people didn't know about MKV so, now that we're getting more of the word out that the services are here and that they're being offered we're getting more referrals but also we're in a housing crisis right now, there's not a lot of housing to go around," said Stacy Bradley, a case manager for McKenney-Vento (MKV), a law that provides federal funds for youth experiencing homelessness.

"I think one of the biggest challenges that they face is, if you don't know where you're going to sleep at night, how do you come to school the next day and perform well," Kathleen Allen, a homeless facilitator for McKenney-Vento, said.

Stacy Bradley and Kathleen Allen work for the Kanawha County Board of Education under the McKenney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, or what they like to call MKV.

"That law basically makes sure that all students who do not have an adequate place to go home to every night, that's actually consistent and known to be their own, they have the right to attend school," Bradley explained.

Bradley said the same federal law also allows those students to receive clothing, hygiene products and school supplies. It's important to point out the date shows most of those students considered homeless are not on the streets.

"Some things that would consider you as homeless would be staying in a tent, a camper, a homeless shelter or domestic violence shelter. Staying doubled up with family or friends...in hotels - hotels and motels too," said Allen.

In fact, the count by the State Department of Education found more than 86% of students considered homeless to be doubled-up.

"They could be living with a friend or you know doubled up with relatives. Anyone who doesn't have guardianship that would be considered as them being unhoused or homeless under McKenney-Vento," said Bradley

Cheyenne said she's grateful for the connections created by MKV.

"Kathleen herself, she was like a voice for me. She was, 'if you need any clothes, if you need any food, if you need help with transportation, I'm here for you' but I realized I really didn't need any of those things, but more or so her support was what pushed me to you know kind of keep going forward," Cheyenne said.

Cheyenne has a job, an apartment and said she looks towards the future.

"I try to look at things in a more positive way now, after experiencing things like that - cause you know I try to use that as motivation to keep pushing forward," Cheyenne said.