What Evidence-Based Practices Can Schools and Districts Implement to Identify and Support Students Experiencing Homelessness?
By Alexandra Pavlakis, J. Kessa Roberts, Meredith Richards, Kathryn Hill, and Zitsi Mirakhur (November 2023)
The Research Alliance partnered with EdResearch for Action, as well as scholars from Southern Methodist University, Utah State University, and University of Kentucky, to develop this brief for schools and districts. The brief outlines evidence-based practices for supporting homeless students, including:
- Training school staff on students’ legal and educational rights and helping them recognize signs of homelessness.
- Ongoing staff training in trauma-informed practices and anti-racist pedagogy to create a more supportive environment where students and families are more likely to self-identify as experiencing homelessness.
- Carefully designed and intentional collaborations and data sharing between schools and community providers to improve access to resources for families.
- Regular communication with student-identified trusted adults to meet individual student needs and improve outcomes.
- Ensuring equitable access to technology-based service delivery.
Read the full brief on the EdResearch for Action website.
Related Publications
Identifying and Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness
This brief is one in a series aimed at providing K-12 education decision makers and advocates with an evidence base to ground discussions about how to best serve students during and following the novel coronavirus pandemic. In this brief, we examine what schools can do to best support students experiencing homelessness amid the added vulnerability they have faced due to the pandemic. (2020)
Homelessness in NYC Elementary Schools
Our study examines the experiences of homeless elementary students in New York City, and illuminates important findings about this vulnerable group of children. We also highlight educator perspectives on the challenges associated with serving large numbers of homeless students, as well as practices to improve students’ educational experiences.
Where Are NYC Schools Serving the Highest Concentrations of Homeless Students?
Students experiencing homelessness are not evenly distributed across the system. Although most elementary schools in the City serve some homeless students, the percentages ranged from less than 1 percent to 40 percent (or more) of the student population.
How Do Elementary-Aged Students in New York City Experience Homelessness?
This post examines the proportion of homeless students—during the 2012-2013 and 2016-2017 school years—who experienced different types of homelessness (in shelter, doubled up, or other).