In the 2021-22 school year, public schools identified roughly 1.2 million students experiencing homelessness, according to recent U.S. Department of Education data (NCHE, 2023). The high mobility that may occur because of homelessness creates challenges that impact students academically. Addressing these challenges requires cross-sector…

According to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), a State wanting to receive Federal funds must submit a plan indicating which of nine programs it wants to receive funds for. This is the final report on the results of the audit of the U.S. Department of Education's processes for reviewing and approving State plans…

This document records testimony from a hearing before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education that was held to discuss strengthening connections with students experiencing homelessness and children in foster care. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Chairman,…

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) works to promote efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity in the programs and operations of the U.S. Department of Education (Department). Through OIG's audits, inspections, investigations, and other reviews, they continue to identify areas of concern within the Department's programs and operations and…

Approximately 1.3 million public school students in the United States were identified as experiencing some form of homelessness in 2019-20. Due to their unstable living situations, students experiencing homelessness often have additional educational, social, emotional, and material needs compared to their stably housed peers. Housing instability…

As state and district leaders evaluate characteristics of their student populations, many will find one number particularly startling: The number of homeless students has doubled in less than a decade. States can take several actions to serve these students better, some of which are incorporated in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Some of…

Homelessness is a reality for many families with young children in the United States. Homeless children and youths lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. In 2017, about a third of all people who stayed in a shelter were families with children, and nearly half of children served by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban…

This document reflects work that began prior to the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. In 2015 the Arkansas Department of Education began engaging with stakeholders to determine how the Department could better support students, educators, school and district leaders, and communities in their efforts to improve student outcomes. The…

Homelessness is a reality for many families with young children in the United States. In 2016, about a third of all people who stayed in a shelter were families with children, and nearly half of children served by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-funded emergency and transitional housing providers were age five or younger…

Homelessness is a reality for many families with young children in the United States. In 2017, about a third of all people who stayed in a shelter were families with children, and nearly half of children served by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-funded emergency and transitional housing providers were age five or younger…

This monograph explores how homelessness intersects most social issues that marginalize individuals and negatively influence postsecondary completion, including poverty, foster care, and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer/questioning, and others) discrimination. As becomes evident, students experiencing homelessness should be considered…

Children and youth who experience homelessness face many barriers to education, yet school can be a source of stability, affirmation, and hope during a time of chaos and trauma when a young person loses his or her housing. Community service providers play a key role in linking homeless children and youth to schools and providing wraparound…

This guide aims to help states look beyond the major sources of child care and early education funding and consider alternative federal financing sources to bring comprehensive services into early childhood settings. Why? Because the sources of child care funding historically available to states have limited supply and allowable uses, and…

This report examines state and school district implementation of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program, based on surveys of state EHCY coordinators and district homeless liaisons and analysis of extant data. The study included state and school district surveys to examine program implementation during the 2010-11 school year;…

Homelessness has long been a concern throughout the United States. In the Department of Housing and Urban Development's 2012 Point in Time Estimate of Homelessness, on a given night in 2012, there were 633,782 homeless people in the United States. During the 2011-2012 school year, the U.S. Department of Education (National Center for Homeless…