DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. — An Action News Jax investigation uncovered a dramatic increase in the number of homeless students in Duval County Public Schools.
Five years ago there were 1,189 students. Over the last five years that number has increased 82 percent to 2,171 students last school year.
For 20 years, Bishop Josiah Burden has taken in local families who have fallen on hard times.
A room inside his small Northside church home is been home to hundreds of parents and kids.
“They can stay here for, you know, a short period of time or how much time they need to get it together to move on,” said Burden.
These days "American Idol" star Tyanna Jones is touring the world.
But it wasn't long ago, that she and her family also called that room home.
“We don't want to forget. We don't ever want to forget where we came from and how we overcame,” said Tami Jones, Tyanna’s mother.
Action News Jax sat down with Tyanna and her mother Tami, during a rare trip home this summer.
Despite her busy schedule, the teen took time to visit with kids at Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless.
“I want them to remember becoming greater and to know they can build up what seems down at the time,” Tyanna said.
“I thought I was going to fail,” said Charlona Coleman, a homeless student.
Tyanna's message is working.
- Related Link: Today's Top Stories.
- For Action News on the go, sign up for Action News Mobile & Email alerts.
After months of living at Sulzbacher, 15-year-old Coleman, who is also the mother of a 2-year-old, just learned she passed another grade.
“I don't want to drop out of school. I want to stay in school. I want to go in college,” Coleman said.
“I like to post their grades because this is a great motivator,” said Maxine Engram, a 25-year veteran of the Duval County School System.
Engram now runs the children's program at Sulbacher
“You'd be surprised what happens when they know that people really care and that the resources are there,” Engram said.
But Duval County School Superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti said those resources are sometimes difficult for homeless parents to find.
“Growing up in today's society is already hard and daunting, but add to that homelessness - those problems become so much more challenging,” Vitti said.
This year, Vitti said he added more staff to the district's team that helps homeless students and their parents find food and shelter.
He said that team is working closer than ever with social service groups like Sulzbacher to keep teens like Coleman on track.
“If you don't finish school you won't have a good job,” Coleman said.
This young mother said she's inspired by the help she's received. And like Tyanna Jones, homelessness won't force her to give up on her dreams.
“She didn't let it stop her from succeeding and doing what she wants to do. So I'm not going to let it stop me,” Coleman said.
So how does Duval County compare to the rest of our area. In Clay County schools last year there were 1,074 homeless students. In St Johns there were 814 and 555 in Nassau.