Parents send their children to school to learn, but school leaders say some students aren’t learning due to obstacles overshadowing them in the classroom.
Dr. Alma Garcia is the Executive Director of Federal Programs. She said the district understands that economic uncertainty plays a big role in students’ lives.
Over the years, the district has seen students and their families struggle with having basic needs. These struggles often lead to students missing school and valuable lessons.
“We don’t want there to be any reason for the student not to be academically successful," Dr. Garcia said. "And if we can prevent some of these barriers and intervene with some of these students. To make sure they feel safe and are at school – that is our goal. We want all of our students to do well in school and to go beyond high school.”
Thanks to federal grants and community support, students are getting help outside the classroom.
Grants such as the Texas Education Homeless and Children and Youth experiencing homelessness and a sizeable donation from one of the local Whataburger funded the Coyote Corner and Coyote Food Pantry, where students are provided everything from new clothes, food, hygiene products and more to students in need.
There are roughly 4,440 enrolled at Alice Independent School District. According to Garcia, nearly 150 of those students fall under the McKinney-Vieto program’s federal homeless category.
“The definition for homelessness in our community is a student or a family that doesn’t have a permanent home,” Dr. Garcia said.
These students stay in local motels or live with other families.
David Canales is the district’s family support liaison and an alumnus. He said when he was in school, he didn’t realize the need.
Now, as an employee and an adult, he realizes that every family has financial difficulties that students will carry into the classroom.
Canales said the resources ease the students’ burdens.
“Everyone deserves a lot of dignity. Plus, these are kids, and they deserve to live a normal kid life. That includes going to school," Canales said. "We can provide. And then they get to campus, and they can just be themselves. Be regular students and focus on their studies.”
School leaders said information about who uses Coyote Corner and the district’s food pantry are confidential.
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