'Bad things happen to good people': Central Florida schools report increase in homeless students

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - An increasing number of Central Florida students leave school uncertain of where they’ll spend the night.

FOX 35 asked local school districts for the number of homeless students, an umbrella term for students facing housing insecurity, and found the number across the region is in the thousands.

Most of our local school districts report the number of homeless students has gone up since 2021. Lake County reports a 28% increase in that time frame, Orange County Public Schools reports a 61% increase and Seminole County reports at 93% increase.

Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS) counts 1,941 students as homeless through October 2023. At the same time in 2021, SCPS reported 1,003 students as homeless. The count increases throughout the school year.

SCPS offers students and families help through its Families in Need program. The district helps with school supplies, food, clothes and, in some cases, emergency funds.

"We’re doing what we can with the resources that are available, but the rising number of students is alarming," Orleman said.

SCPS first tracked homeless students in 2002. The district counted 3 students that year. At the end of the last school year, the number was 2,706.

Orleman said the district's Families in Need program is easy to join.

"We want to make sure that the student can have access to school–no questions asked," Orleman said.

One of the families part of the program was the Martinez family.

"Bad things happen to good people sometimes," Luis Martinez said.

Luis is the father of three children that are all in grade school. He and his wife were homeless for the first time this summer.

Martinez said a work injury led to one bad month that spiraled into their eviction. They found shelter at Rescue Outreach Mission in Sanford.

"It’s been rough," Martinez said. "I’m not going to lie to you. It’s been rough for them. It’s been rough for me. They’ve never had to share their privacy with a stranger before."

Recent investments like a computer lab combined with Seminole County's program combine to give the kids resources necessary for school. 

Orleman said homeless students typically have lower morale, lower attendance and lower grades and test scores. Martinez said his children have done fairly well in school.

"So far they’re doing good," Martinez said. "It hasn’t been affecting them at all. So far, they’re keeping their good grades."

The Martinez family is not alone at the shelter. There were 13 others accounting for another 37 children when FOX 35 visited Oct. 10.

Chris Ham, the shelter's executive director, said he even converted his old office into shelter space to fit more families.

"We had so many families on a waitlist, and it broke my heart," Ham said. "So, what we did was we took this office, took the desk out, and now this is where we put some cots for some families."

Ham predicts his shelter will need more room until there are more affordable housing options across Central Florida.

Rent.com lists the median rent for the Orlando metro area at $2,200 per month. That's a 14% increase since 2021.

Martinez found a job shortly after moving to the shelter. It took him four months to save enough money to move out of the shelter and into a new home. The family moved into an apartment in Winter Springs.

Martinez said it's empty, but it's theirs.

"I got my wife, I got my kids, and I have a roof," Martinez said. "It’s been feeling like home from the moment we walked in here from the moment we left the shelter and we walked in here. It’s freedom and happiness and excitement, so we're back home, literally."

Luis Martinez hopes this apartment is a stepping stone for something bigger and better.

Rescue Outreach Mission is looking toward expansion to match the growing need for emergency shelter.

Seminole County’s Families in Need program got a boost from the federal government to the tune of $700,000 over the past 3 years. That funding runs out this school year.