Services for Homeless Students: Cracks and Gaping Holes

This research examines the extent and nature of student homelessness.  Focusing on a medium-sized city, Spokane, WA, and relying on data from Washington's Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Healthy Youth Survey, and in-depth qualitative interviews with parents of homeless students (n=20) and leaders from area service agencies (n=33), the researchers explore relationships between student and family housing instability, and educational and other social and emotional outcomes.  The researchers also uncover several unmet service needs facing homeless students and their families. 

Nearly 5% of students in Spokane County (WA) public schools are considered homeless (per the Department of Education definition of homelessness). These students are more than five times as likely to repeat a grade and graduation rates among homeless students in this area are just over 50%, far lower than the area average. Of the more than 3,000 students identified as homeless during the 2013-2014 school year, nearly 80% are living in families that are doubled-up with extended family members or friends.  Qualitative data suggest these families typically live in extreme poverty and that their housing arrangements are very unstable, however, they are often ineligible for housing services or other forms of emergency assistance.  (The majority of these families are not considered homeless her the Department of Housing and Urban Development definition and are ineligible for housing assistance from the local homelessness services continuum of care.)

Healthy Youth Survey and qualitative data also reveal that many homeless students experience substantial anxiety, stress and depression that are directly related to their families' homelessness.  Relatively few of these students receive regular mental health counseling, however.  Several parents explained that after consultations with mental health practitioners they concluded that treatment for their children would not likely be covered by Medicaid because they did not have chronic, diagnosible conditions.

The researchers present two main recommendations based on an extensive search of national evidence-based practice models.  The first is for the creation of homelessness prevention services for families with children in public schools.  The second involves school-based tutoring, mentoring, and counseling services for students experiencing homelessness.  Both of these sets of services would help close major service gaps for homeless students and their families while also greatly reducing public costs associated with homelessness (shelters, transitional housing, and supportive housing), and education (transportation and costs associated with grade repeats).