JOHNSON COUNTY

Homelessness exploding in suburban schools

Vic Ryckaert
vic.ryckaert@indystar.com
Danny Murray, 18, left, talks about his experiences at Center Grove Alternative Academy, Tuesday, January 14, 2014, as Director of Center Grove Alternative Academy Beth Bryant listens.  Murray is a homeless student and is set to graduate this year.

More than once during his four years in high school, 19-year-old Danny Murray was certain graduation day would never come for him.

His family moved a lot while he was growing up. He changed schools just about every year, but the low point came last fall at the start of his senior year.

For a few harrowing months, the Center Grove student didn't care about classes or grades. Murray was in need of a human basic — shelter.

His predicament was not unique; homelessness in school districts across Indiana is on the rise.

A record 16,223 students in Indiana schools were homeless in 2012-13 — that's up 121 percent since 2006-07, according to the latest data from the Indiana Department of Education.

The dilemma that urban school districts have faced for decades is growing so fast in area suburban districts that officials are struggling to keep up with the demand. For example, in Johnson County where Murray's Center Grove district is located, schools counted 590 homeless students in 2012-13, a population jump of 276 percent since 2006-07.

The problem is complicated in rural and suburban areas where community services and public transportation often are lacking, said Carmela DeCandia, director of the National Center on Family Homelessness. Her Massachusetts-based think tank released a study in 2010 that found 1 in 45 American children, about 1.6 million kids, are homeless.

"Families and students are doubling up with family and friends," DeCandia said. "They are not showing up in the shelter system but the schools are seeing it."

In Murray's case, a classmate's family came to his aid. So did teachers and staff at Center Grove's Alternative Academy, a program designed to help high school students in need.

"People don't think about Center Grove and think that we've got homeless kids," said Assistant Superintendent William Long. "People think about homeless as you're sleeping under a bridge or in a car, but maybe it's the third house they've lived in."

Living doubled-up

Much of the rapid growth, experts say, stems from the recent recession.

"I think the economy really hit us a lot harder than people thought," Long said. "I think we're still reeling a little bit."

Marion County had the largest population of homeless students in the state with 5,233 in 2013. Marion County's homeless student population grew 69 percent from 2006-07 to 2012-13.

During the same period, Hamilton County's homeless student population more than doubled (65 to 146); Morgan County's nearly tripled (246 to 903); Madison County saw a nearly nine-fold increase (34 to 339); and Hendricks County saw a five-fold increase (40 to 241).

Since 2001, federal law requires schools to provide transportation, free lunch, free books and other assistance to homeless students in exchange for increased funding. Schools have become better at finding those homeless kids, which experts say may account for some of the population growth.

But local school officials say there's no doubt more families are out of work, facing a home foreclosure and simply struggling to pay their bills — even in districts where many students come from affluent backgrounds.

"When the economy took a downturn we saw an increase in the number of homeless students," said Steve Dillon, director of student services for Carmel Clay Schools.

Shelters are sparse in suburbs and many families don't have cars to drive to shelters in Indianapolis. The growing demand also means Carmel, Center Grove and other suburban schools lean heavily on churches, food pantries and township trustees to help their homeless students.

"Our social workers and counselors are excellent at turning over rocks, beg, borrow and stealing to get kids clothes, toiletries and what ever they need," Dillon said.

Murray's story

Murray and three siblings were raised by their single mom, Stasi Marshak. Money was tight. They moved a lot.

He figures he's attended about 20 different schools over his 12 years in public education.

He's been to three different schools just during his four years in high school.

"Always being that new kid, again and again and again," Murray said. "Always having to make new friends and losing those friends, again and again and again."

Upheaval like this, studies show, has a drastic and negative impact on education. A student loses three to six months of academic skill every time he or she changes schools, according to the Indiana Department of Education.

The Indiana Youth Institute finds that homeless students change schools 3.2 times and have lower educational achievement among all grades.

A chaotic home life was not Murray's only setback. At age 16 he broke his leg after crashing an off-road vehicle during a Boy Scout activity. Doctors pieced bones together with plates and screws. Recovery took months and put him further behind in his schooling.

Murray began to rebel. He grew his hair long. He was quick-tempered and prone to irrational rage.

"I was a nuisance," Murray said. "I just didn't want to listen."

Midway through his junior year, Murray enrolled at Center Grove and was placed in the Alternative Academy. The program can be a last chance for students who are on the verge of dropping out.

Academy students receive one-on-one instruction and work at their own pace. Lessons and tests are on the computer, but teachers are nearby when students need help.

Murray got off to a rough start.

"He was very disrespectful," Academy Director Beth Bryant said. "When I'd bring him into the office, he didn't want to hear it."

At home, Murray's life was becoming more tumultuous, more uncertain.

Most kids are eager to turn 18 and celebrate the freedom of adulthood, but Murray said he dreaded his birthday, Feb. 23, 2013. He just knew that he would not be living with his mother much longer.

After his birthday, Murray's mother moved from Greenwood to Perry Township to live with her boyfriend. Murray said there was no room in that home for him.

His mother disagreed. Marshak said Murray chose to stay in Center Grove so he could finish school at the Academy.

The family was not aware that Murray could have lived with his mom and continued his education, since they were "doubled-up" in her boyfriend's home. Federal law requires schools to keep homeless students in their classes and provide school buses for those who move out of district.

Officials say they see students like Murray every year who turn 18 and leave their homes. Some are thrown out, others just leave. They are still homeless.

"Bad things happen to people sometimes and kids should not have to suffer academically," Carmel's Dillon said. "When these bad circumstances happen to a family, the schools step up to make sure there is no break in the child's education."

For most of his life, Murray had no contact with his father. But last year they connected via Facebook.

His father invited him to move to Michigan. Desperate for a home, he took him up on the offer.

He hoped to find stability in Michigan, but things didn't go well. His father, he discovered, was a stranger with a new family. Murray found no home in Michigan but he did keep up with his Academy classwork online completing his junior year.

Those classes became his lifeline.

18 and homeless

By summer's end, Murray returned to Indiana with no place to live.

Classes at the Alternative Academy began without him. He bounced from place to place searching for somewhere, anywhere, to live. Several weeks into the fall semester, the parents of his friend, Dustin Martin, let him stay with them.

Murray settled in with the Martins, cut his long hair and landed a job cleaning dishes at a pizza place.

He also returned to school to beg they take him back. Bryant, the Academy director, let Murray grovel a bit before re-enrolling him.

"He just needed to grow up a bit," Bryant said. "He also needed stability. He needed to know that he was going to be in a safe environment and that he didn't have to worry about 'where am I going to be staying tomorrow night.'"

Finding help for a student Murray's age is a challenge, Bryant said.

"The resources are so limited for students, especially his age," Bryant said. "He's homeless, but you can't call CPS, you can't put him in foster care."

The Academy often purchases school supplies for students who can't afford them. In Murray's case, Bryant said she gave him shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

"I knew it would help him," she said. "That was his school supply."

Finding stability

A few weeks ago, Murray's mother split with her boyfriend and moved back to Greenwood. She called Murray and asked him to come home.

He did. Murray's living with his mother and his younger brother. He is working at Bob Evans in Greenwood.

Mother and son say they are working on improving their fractured relationship.

"There's been a lot of things that have happened in our family, a lot of trauma," Marshak said.

Last month, Murray accepted his well-earned diploma during a ceremony at Center Grove High School's auditorium.

"I'm so happy," he said, shortly after the ceremony. "I can't smile wide enough to show how happy I am."

Graduation, Murray said, is a chance to break from his past and start fresh. He hopes to land an apprenticeship and become an electrician.

Marshak delighted in her son's success.

"I am very proud... He's had to overcome a lot."

Murray completed his school work and earned a Core 40 diploma, which has tougher standards than a general diploma. He credits the help he received from many people, including Bryant, teachers and staff at the Alternative Academy and the Martins.

"I'm proud of myself," he said, "because I came a long way from who I was and where I was."

Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.