At the heart of every community is a school.

Schools have long been on the frontlines of ensuring the basic needs of every student are met. We must ensure schools are equipped to meet the growing number of students in need without adding to the workloads of individual teachers.

By supporting and amplifying school efforts to meet basic needs, via “Teen Centers,” we can help our most vulnerable students graduate and prepare them to succeed as adults.

THE PROBLEM

UTAH STUDENTS ARE CLASSIFIED AS HOMELESS AND LACK A FIXED, REGULAR, & ADEQUATE NIGHTTIME RESIDENCE.

15,499

UTAH STUDENTS ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH.

1 in 3

INCREASE IN UTAH STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SINCE 2020.

34%

A student who is hungry, who doesn’t have access to clean clothes, or is without a place to shower is not equipped to succeed in the classroom and is less likely to graduate from high school than their peers.

An increasing number of Utah K-12 students are struggling to meet their basic needs due to circumstances beyond their control: a significant drop in affordable housing, rapid inflation, wage stagnation, as well as job insecurity and mental health challenges experienced by the adults caring for them.

Utah high schools can build or improve services such as food pantries, laundry facilities, and showers to meet the basic needs of our students through a public-private partnership between the Utah Legislature and private donors.

These “Teen Centers” can be created by repurposing existing, underutilized space within high schools and by dedicating space for these services within newly built high schools.

Because every Utah community is unique, the Teen Center solution is adaptable to fit local needs, as determined by local leaders.

AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION:
THE TEEN CENTER PROJECT

STATE-WIDE EXPANSION AND FUNDING

Thanks to the advocacy of The Policy Project and Utah community members, $15,000,000 has been appropriated by the Utah Legislature for Utah schools to build Teen Centers. Private donors have committed an additional $3,000,000, for a total of $18,000,000 to be invested in Utah schools to support teens in need. These funds will be distributed in partnership with the Utah State Board of Education in the coming months to begin the state-wide expansion of Teen Centers.

WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM A TEEN CENTER?

One student needs a place to take a shower after leaving her abusive home. She sleeps in her car when she can’t find a friend’s couch to sleep on.

One student needs a bag of groceries to take home after his mother was laid off and is struggling to put dinner on the table.

One student needs a place to wash her clothes after her family was unable to pay rent. They’ve been bouncing between shelters and hotels this month.

POSITIVE OUTCOMES

WINTER 2024 IMPACT SNAPSHOT

Map of schools that received Teen Center funding

FAQs

  • If your school is interested in applying for Teen Center funding in an upcoming round of grants, reach out to Janiece Seegmiller at Utah State Board of Education (janiece.seegmiller@schools.utah.gov) for more information.

  • The ten counties in Utah with the highest percentage of economically disadvantaged students are rural counties: Carbon (45%), Duchesne (41%), Emery (51%), Grand (43%), Millard (47%), Piute (58%), San Jaun (99.6%), Sanpete (47%), Sevier (45%), and Wayne (42%).

    The school districts with the highest number of students experiencing homelessness in Utah are Canyons (2,888), Jordan (2,257), and Davis (1,807).

  • Nearly every school district has reported that they have students that lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (McKinney Vento students).

  • East High School, high schools in Davis School District and several others throughout Utah have created Teen Centers that offer access to laundry, showers, food and access to community resources. They report tremendous impact in the lives and education success of their at-risk students. Based on these successful models, in 2022 the Utah Legislature created a $3.5M grant to lay the foundation for state-wide expansion of Teen Centers.

  • While various public and private organizations exist to serve individuals experiencing homelessness or poverty, these services are often difficult for children and teens to navigate and require transportation to access. Teen Centers can also serve as a place where trusted adults can connect students with outside community resources. Teen Centers offer a safe way for students to access help at the place we most want them to be—school.

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Together we can change the lives for countless students across Utah.