The high rate of homeless children in states with both a struggling economy and a serious housing cr

(7 Mar 2012) HEADLINE: Rise in homeless students stifles Florida town CAPTION: High rates of children who are homeless in states with both a struggling economy and a serious housing crisis have stifled one Florida town. AP's Suzette Laboy takes us to Clermont, a quiet town in central Florida, where the number of homeless students has seen a drastic increase. [Location: CLERMONT, Florida - Jan. 24, 2011] [Source: AP] [VO: shots of Clermont, school bus stop] IN THIS CENTRAL FLORIDA TOWN NEAR ORLANDO, THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS STUDENTS HAS SKYROCKETED MORE THAN 20-FOLD. SCHOOL BUSES DROP OFF CHILDREN NEAR THE MOTEL WHERE THEY LIVE WITH THEIR FAMILY. ZACH MONTGOMERY IS AMONG THEM. [SOT: Zach Montgomery, no super required] ["I'm not really embarrassed. It's just such a small room, can't really do anything except for just sit."] [VOICE-OVER] HE AND HIS FAMILY LIVE IN THIS MOTEL ALONG THE SIDE OF INTERSTATE 27. [NAT/SOT: Zach opening drawer with his clothes] [VOICE-OVER] CLOTHES ARE STUFFED INTO DRAWERS. DIRTY LAUNDRY IS PACKED HIGH. DISHES ARE CLEANED IN THE BATHROOM SINK. [NAT: sizzling skillet] [VO: cooking] THEIR MEAL IS COOKED IN A SIZZLING SKILLET - A FEW FEET FROM THE BATHROOM. [VOICE-OVER] IT'S HARD FOR ZACH TO CONCENTRATE ON SCHOOL WORK HERE. SUCH CLOSE QUARTERS TAKES SOME GETTING USED TO. [VO: family living in motel room] [SOT: Ronald Montgomery, no super] [.... "Not being able to do our laundry on a regular basis. The cooking situation. Waiting in line for showers. Pushing somebody out of the mirror so I could shave. (laughs) There's a lot of things but you work around it."] [VOICE-OVER] THIS QUIET, RURAL TOWN OF ROLLING HILLS IN LAKE COUNTY WAS HIT ESPECIALLY HARD BY THE ECONOMIC RECESSION. FOR SALE SIGNS OVERSHADOW ABANDONED RESTAURANTS. JOBS AND HOUSING ARE SCARCE HERE IN CLERMONT. EDUCATION EXPERTS SAY THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE HIGH RATES OF CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS IN STATES WITH BOTH A STRUGGLING ECONOMY AND A SERIOUS HOUSING CRISIS SUCH AS FLORIDA. [Location: Washington] [SOT: Barbara Duffield, Policy Director for NAEHCY] The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth ["What we are seeing in public schools across the country is an unprecedented increase in the number of children who are homeless. We've seen since the 2006-2007 school year a 38% increase in the number of children public schools are identifying and serving as homeless. So really we are looking at unprecedented growth and severity of homelessness among children and youth in our country."] [VOICE-OVER] LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER SHERI HEVENER SAYS SUCH LIVING CONDITIONS CAN DISRUPT A CHILD'S EDUCATION. [SOT: Sheri Hevener, teacher] ["They come into a classroom and they're lethargic, then I know that they didn't sleep that night...that something is going on. If they're hungry, it's going to show in the way they respond to me in class as well on their tests."] [VOICE-OVER] SO HEVENER'S STUDENTS STARTED A PANTRY. EACH HOMELESS STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL IS GIVEN A BACKPACK PACKED WITH DONATED SHAMPOO BOTTLES AND SOAPS...TOOTHBRUSHES AND TOOTHPASTE. THERE'S ALSO CANNED FOOD _ SO THE STUDENTS WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL WILL COME FROM. AND A MAKESHIFT STORE -- WHERE EVERYTHING IS FREE -- HAS RACKS OF CLOTHES AND SHOES FOR THE STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM WORKS AS SORT OF A SECRET BACKPACK SOCIETY. ZACH WAS SUPPOSED TO PICK UP HIS BAG TODAY, BUT HE DIDN'T SHOW UP TO SCHOOL. TURNS OUT HE HASN'T GONE FOR A WHILE -- NOT ENOUGH GAS MONEY TO GET HIM THERE. [SOT: Zachary Montgomery, no super required] ["I just worry about my family more..."] Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...