The intersection of education and homelessness represents a critical juncture that affects both immediate well-being and long-term life outcomes. For children and youth experiencing homelessness, education can be both disrupted by housing instability and a potential pathway to future stability. Understanding this complex relationship is essential for developing effective interventions that support educational success while addressing housing needs.
The Scale of Student Homelessness
Student homelessness is far more prevalent than many realize:
Public School Identification
- Public schools identified over 1.3 million students experiencing homelessness in the 2018-2019 school year (pre-pandemic)
- This represents a 70% increase in identified homeless students over the past decade
- These numbers are widely considered an undercount due to identification challenges
- The COVID-19 pandemic has further increased student homelessness while making identification more difficult
Age Distribution
- Approximately 14% of identified homeless students are in preschool
- About 35% are in elementary school (grades K-5)
- Roughly 22% are in middle school (grades 6-8)
- Approximately 29% are in high school (grades 9-12)
Living Situations
- The majority (about 75%) of students identified as homeless are "doubled-up" (sharing housing with others due to economic hardship)
- Approximately 12% live in shelters or transitional housing
- About 7% live in hotels or motels
- Around 6% are "unsheltered" (living in cars, parks, campgrounds, or abandoned buildings)
The McKinney-Vento Definition
Schools use the McKinney-Vento Act's broader definition of homelessness, which includes children and youth who "lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence." This includes those sharing housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing, living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative accommodations, or living in emergency or transitional shelters.
Educational Challenges for Students Experiencing Homelessness
Homelessness creates numerous barriers to educational success:
Enrollment and Attendance Barriers
- Documentation requirements: Difficulty providing proof of residency, immunization records, or previous school records
- Transportation challenges: Lack of reliable transportation to and from school
- Frequent moves: Changing schools multiple times during a school year
- Shelter policies: Restrictions that conflict with school schedules
- Caretaking responsibilities: Older students caring for younger siblings
Learning Environment Challenges
- Lack of quiet study space: Limited areas for homework or concentration
- Inadequate sleep: Noisy or uncomfortable sleeping conditions affecting alertness
- Limited access to technology: Difficulty completing digital assignments
- Insufficient school supplies: Lack of basic materials for learning
- Food insecurity: Hunger affecting concentration and cognitive function
Social-Emotional Impacts
- Trauma effects: Stress response affecting learning and behavior
- Social stigma: Embarrassment about housing situation affecting peer relationships
- School connection challenges: Difficulty participating in extracurricular activities
- Identity development: Disruption to sense of belonging and self-concept
- Mental health impacts: Higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other conditions
Educational Outcomes
These challenges affect educational outcomes in significant ways:
Academic Achievement Gaps
- Students experiencing homelessness score lower on standardized tests in reading and math
- They are 9 times more likely to repeat a grade
- Only 29% achieve proficiency in reading, and only 24% achieve proficiency in math
- Achievement gaps persist even when controlling for poverty status
School Mobility and Continuity
- Each school change can set a student back academically by 4-6 months
- Students experiencing homelessness change schools an average of 2-3 times per year
- Curriculum inconsistencies between schools create learning gaps
- Relationship disruptions with teachers and peers affect learning engagement
High School Completion
- Students experiencing homelessness have a graduation rate of approximately 64%, compared to 84% for all students
- They are 87% more likely to drop out of school than their housed peers
- Graduation rates are even lower for unaccompanied homeless youth (those not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian)
- These disparities persist even when controlling for other risk factors
The Long-Term Impact
Educational disruption during homelessness has lifelong consequences. Without a high school diploma, individuals are 4.5 times more likely to experience homelessness as adults. This creates a potential cycle of homelessness across generations that education can help break.
Legal Protections and Rights
Several legal frameworks protect the educational rights of students experiencing homelessness:
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
- School stability: Right to remain in the school of origin if in the student's best interest
- Immediate enrollment: Right to enroll immediately even without typically required documents
- Transportation: Right to transportation to and from the school of origin
- Support services: Right to access services needed for full participation in school
- Dispute resolution: Right to formal processes if rights are denied
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- Strengthened McKinney-Vento protections
- Required improved identification of homeless students
- Mandated reporting of academic outcomes for homeless students
- Expanded access to preschool and special education services
- Required school districts to have designated homeless education liaisons
Implementation Challenges
- Awareness gaps: Many families and youth don't know their rights
- Resource limitations: Insufficient funding for mandated services
- Identification difficulties: Many eligible students not identified as homeless
- Coordination barriers: Challenges connecting education and housing systems
- Enforcement inconsistencies: Varying levels of compliance across districts
Unaccompanied Youth Homelessness
Unaccompanied youth—those experiencing homelessness while not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian—face unique challenges:
Scale and Demographics
- Approximately 700,000 unaccompanied youth experience homelessness each year
- LGBTQ+ youth are significantly overrepresented, comprising 20-40% of homeless youth despite being only about 7% of the general youth population
- Youth of color, particularly Black and Indigenous youth, are also disproportionately affected
- Many have histories of foster care or juvenile justice involvement
Educational Barriers
- Legal guardianship issues: Difficulty enrolling without parent/guardian
- Independent decision-making: Navigating educational choices without adult support
- Basic needs prioritization: Focus on survival over education
- Work requirements: Need to generate income competing with school attendance
- Documentation challenges: Lack of access to birth certificates, Social Security cards, and other records
Support Needs
- Housing options: Safe, youth-appropriate shelter and housing
- Mentorship: Supportive adults to provide guidance
- Flexible educational options: Alternative schedules and credit recovery
- Comprehensive services: Integrated support for multiple needs
- Trauma-informed approaches: Recognition of past experiences
LGBTQ+ Youth Experience
LGBTQ+ youth often become homeless after family rejection based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Once homeless, they face higher rates of victimization, mental health challenges, and educational disruption. Supportive educational environments that affirm their identities can be particularly important protective factors for these youth.
Early Childhood Education and Homelessness
Homelessness during early childhood has profound developmental implications:
Developmental Impacts
- The stress of homelessness can affect brain development during critical early years
- Homeless children under 5 are more likely to experience developmental delays
- Language development, cognitive skills, and social-emotional development may be affected
- These early impacts can have lasting effects on educational trajectory
Access Challenges
- Only about 10% of homeless children under age 5 are enrolled in early childhood education programs
- Transportation barriers limit access to preschool programs
- Documentation requirements create enrollment obstacles
- Limited availability of affordable, quality early childhood programs
Protective Factors
- Quality early childhood education can buffer the effects of homelessness
- Consistent relationships with caring adults support resilience
- Structured routines provide stability amid housing chaos
- Early intervention services can address developmental concerns
Higher Education and Homelessness
Homelessness affects college students and creates barriers to higher education:
College Student Homelessness
- Approximately 14% of college students experience homelessness
- Community college students face higher rates than those at four-year institutions
- First-generation college students are at increased risk
- Many homeless college students were also homeless during K-12 education
Barriers to College Access and Completion
- Financial aid challenges: Difficulty documenting independent status
- Housing insecurity: Limited affordable housing near campuses
- Year-round housing needs: Nowhere to go during breaks
- Food insecurity: Limited access to adequate nutrition
- Work-study balance: Need to work full-time while attending classes
Promising Approaches
- Campus support programs: Dedicated services for students experiencing homelessness
- Single points of contact: Designated staff to coordinate support
- Emergency housing options: Short-term accommodations during crises
- Year-round housing: Residence halls that remain open during breaks
- Basic needs hubs: Integrated services addressing food, housing, and other essentials
Education as Prevention and Intervention
Education plays a critical role in both preventing and addressing homelessness:
Preventive Role of Education
- Economic opportunity: Higher educational attainment increases earning potential
- Stability factor: Educational success correlates with reduced housing instability
- Support network: School connections provide social capital
- Early identification: Schools can recognize warning signs of housing instability
Schools as Service Hubs
- Community schools model: Integrated services located at school sites
- Family resource centers: Support for parents and caregivers
- School-based health services: Access to physical and mental healthcare
- Basic needs provision: Food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and other essentials
Educational Strategies for Homeless Students
- Trauma-informed practices: Approaches that recognize and address trauma impacts
- Credit accrual policies: Partial credits and alternative assessments
- Relationship-based support: Consistent connections with caring adults
- Strength-based approaches: Focus on resilience and capabilities
- Flexible learning options: Online, blended, and alternative scheduling
The School Stability Advantage
Research shows that students who remain in their school of origin despite housing instability have better academic outcomes than those who change schools. School stability provides continuity of instruction, maintained relationships, and a sense of belonging that can buffer the negative effects of housing instability.
Cross-System Collaboration
Addressing educational needs of students experiencing homelessness requires coordination across systems:
Education-Housing Partnerships
- Data sharing: Coordinated information systems with appropriate privacy protections
- Co-location: Educational support at housing programs
- Joint planning: Collaborative approaches to student support
- Housing prioritization: Consideration of educational needs in housing placement
Multi-System Approaches
- Education-child welfare coordination: Supporting students in foster care
- Juvenile justice connections: Educational continuity during and after detention
- Healthcare integration: School-based health services
- Early childhood systems: Connections between early intervention and K-12
Community Partnerships
- Nonprofit collaborations: Coordinated service delivery
- Business engagement: Internships, mentoring, and resource support
- Higher education connections: Bridge programs and transition support
- Faith community partnerships: Volunteer engagement and resource provision
Policy Implications
Addressing the education-homelessness intersection requires policy changes:
Education Policy Reforms
- Adequate funding: Sufficient resources for McKinney-Vento implementation
- Accountability measures: Monitoring educational outcomes for homeless students
- Teacher preparation: Training on supporting students experiencing homelessness
- Flexible attendance policies: Accommodations for housing-related absences
Housing Policy Considerations
- School-centered housing: Stability in school attendance zones
- Family-appropriate units: Housing that accommodates children's needs
- Education access: Transportation connections to schools
- Study spaces: Design features supporting learning
Cross-System Policies
- Coordinated funding: Braided resources across education and housing
- Shared outcomes: Joint accountability for educational and housing stability
- Data integration: Privacy-protected information sharing
- Whole-family approaches: Addressing needs of children and parents together
Conclusion
The intersection of education and homelessness represents both challenges and opportunities. While homelessness creates significant barriers to educational success, education can also be a powerful tool for preventing and addressing homelessness. Schools often serve as critical points of stability, support, and opportunity for children and youth experiencing housing instability.
Addressing this intersection effectively requires recognizing the bidirectional relationship between educational success and housing stability. It means developing approaches that simultaneously support educational achievement while addressing housing needs, rather than treating these as separate issues.
By strengthening educational supports for students experiencing homelessness and better coordinating education and housing systems, we can help break intergenerational cycles of homelessness and create pathways to long-term stability. Education alone cannot solve homelessness, but it represents a critical component of comprehensive solutions that address both immediate needs and long-term opportunities.
Key Takeaway
Education and homelessness are deeply interconnected: housing instability disrupts education, while educational achievement can help prevent future homelessness. Effective approaches recognize schools as both critical support systems for students currently experiencing homelessness and important prevention points for reducing future homelessness.
References & Further Reading
- National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE). "Federal Data Summary: School Years 2016-17 Through 2018-19." NCHE, 2021. https://nche.ed.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Federal-Data-Summary-SY-16.17-to-18.19-Published-4.2021.pdf
- U.S. Department of Education. "Education for Homeless Children and Youths Program: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, Title VII-B." U.S. Department of Education, 2016. https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/160240ehcyfactsheet072716.pdf
- Cutuli, J.J., et al. "Academic Achievement Trajectories of Homeless and Highly Mobile Students." Elementary School Journal, vol. 113, no. 2, 2013, pp. 171-199. https://doi.org/10.1086/667726
- Morton, M.H., et al. "Prevalence and Correlates of Youth Homelessness in the United States." Journal of Adolescent Health, vol. 62, no. 1, 2018, pp. 14-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.10.006
- Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. "Voices of Youth Count: Comprehensive National Estimates of Youth Homelessness." Chapin Hall, 2017. https://www.chapinhall.org/research/voices-of-youth-count/
- Durso, L.E. and Gates, G.J. "Serving Our Youth: Findings from a National Survey of Service Providers Working with LGBT Youth Who Are Homeless or At Risk of Becoming Homeless." The Williams Institute, 2012. https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/serving-our-youth-lgbtq/
- Goldrick-Rab, S., et al. "College and University Basic Needs Insecurity: A National #RealCollege Survey Report." The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, 2019. https://hope.temple.edu/research/hope-center-basic-needs-survey
- National Center for Homeless Education. "Supporting the Education of Unaccompanied Students Experiencing Homelessness." NCHE, 2022. https://nche.ed.gov/unaccompanied-youth/
- Bassuk, E.L., et al. "Child Health and Homelessness." Pediatrics, vol. 145, no. 6, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-0212
- Rumberger, R.W. "Student Mobility: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions." National Education Policy Center, 2015. https://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/student-mobility