UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools

This research brief examines district-level educational outcomes for students experiencing homelessness in California, extending the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools’ 2020 statewide analysis by investigating patterns across 10 geographically and demographically diverse school districts. Using publicly available 2018–2019 California Department of Education DataQuest datasets, the study compares students experiencing homelessness with their non-homeless peers on key indicators, including enrollment, California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores, graduation rates, UC/CSU eligibility, suspension rates, and chronic absenteeism. Findings reveal persistent and substantial disparities across all districts: students experiencing homelessness consistently demonstrated lower academic achievement, lower graduation and college readiness rates, and higher rates of suspension and chronic absenteeism than housed students. The analysis also highlights the disproportionate impact of homelessness on Black, Latinx, and Pacific Islander students and emphasizes that COVID-19 further complicated student identification and data collection while exacerbating existing educational inequities. The findings underscore the importance of accurate student identification, localized data analysis, and cross-sector collaboration to guide targeted interventions. Strengthening data systems, investing in wraparound supports, and strategically allocating federal and state resources are critical to improving educational outcomes and advancing equity for students experiencing homelessness across California.