Homeless Students

Trends in Homelessness

Due to the challenges involved in tracking families living in nontraditional places, estimations of homelessness can be misleading. Homelessness is counted by identifying people who are homeless on a given day or counting people who experience homelessness over a given period of time. However, these methods may not account for people who reside in inaccessible areas (e.g., cars, tents). The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty estimates that 3.5 million people, including 1.35 million children, experience homelessness in a given year. Homeless families with children have been the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in the last decade. Homelessness is commonly linked to poverty and often considered the latest predicament in a long series of family crises. Several factors are known to contribute to homelessness, including drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, domestic violence, prolonged unemployment, shortage of affordable housing, and the limited availability of public assistance.

Physical and Mental Health Challenges

Similar to other populations of at-risk youth, such as foster care youth, juvenile justice youth, and youth with disabilities, homeless students face physical and mental health challenges. Due to the congregate environments in which they reside, homeless students are more likely to be exposed to health risks than their peers. Common ailments among homeless students include upper respiratory infections, asthma, ear disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and skin problems. They are also at a greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases. Over half of homeless adolescent females have reported at least one pregnancy and over 25% have had two or more pregnancies. In addition, malnutrition is common among homeless students since they may go without food for extended periods of time and typically depend on low-cost food lacking essential nutrients. Typically, access to quality health care and sufficient health insurance is limited.

Homeless students experience emotional and behavioral challenges at a rate more than twice that of their peers. Negative self-concept and depression are pervasive among this population. They experience a sense of hopelessness and of a lack of control, as well as a desire to withdraw from others. For some youth, depression may translate to hyperactivity in the form of aggressive and hostile behavior. Homeless students who live on their own may also become vulnerable to deviant street life, as well as sexual exploitation and prostitution.

Impact of Homelessness on Education

The federal government began to address the educational rights of homeless students through the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987. After several amendments and its reauthorization in 2002, this legislation required states to identify a homeless education coordinator for students, expedite enrollment, maintain students in their school of origin, facilitate transportation, and develop policies to eliminate barriers. However, barriers to enrollment, attendance, and success persist.

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