UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools

Study’s Purpose:Over 269,000 K–12 students in California experience homelessness, alongside significant numbers in early childhood and higher education. These students face disproportionate barriers to academic success, including higher rates of suspension, absenteeism, and lower graduation and college readiness rates. This study investigates the educational and social supports needed to improve outcomes for students experiencing homelessness, from early learning through college.

Research Methods:The report draws on qualitative data from over 150 stakeholders including students, educators, homeless liaisons, community-based organizations, school districts, and higher education institutions through interviews and focus groups. Quantitative analysis of statewide data from the 2018–2019 school year examines patterns in suspension, absenteeism, graduation, and college readiness rates among students experiencing homelessness.

Key Findings:Findings reveal that current professional capacity to support students experiencing homelessness is inadequate, with liaisons and educators requiring more resources, training, and coordination across agencies. Latine and Black students are disproportionately affected, experiencing higher rates of suspension, absenteeism, and lower graduation and college readiness outcomes. Students reported feeling overlooked and misunderstood in schools, often leading to negative experiences and social isolation. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of trauma-informed care, racially responsive practices, and stronger collaboration between schools, housing agencies, and community organizations. Nonprofits play a critical role in quickly connecting students and families with resources, but fragmented coordination creates barriers. Addressing homelessness effectively requires systemic, cross-sector solutions that include early childhood through higher education.

Conclusion:California’s student homelessness crisis demands an aggressive, coordinated response at the local, state, and federal levels. Expanding professional training, strengthening interagency partnerships, and investing in racially and culturally responsive practices are essential to creating stable educational pathways for students experiencing homelessness. With comprehensive strategies, policymakers and educators can disrupt cycles of poverty and ensure equitable opportunities for all students.

State of Crisis: Dismantling Student Homelessness in California

Structure of the Report

The goal of this report is to explore the types of educational and social supports that 269,000

students experiencing homelessness in California in K-12 may require to be successful in

school and life[1]. We also document the unique needs of children and students experiencing

homelessness in early learning settings for grades 0-5 through college, including 1 in 5

community college, 1 in 10 California State University (CSU) and 1 in 20 University of California

(UC) students. Section I establishes the underlying challenges impacting educational success

for students experiencing homelessness. The parameters for state and federal policies to

address student homelessness in California are summarized in Section II. Section III of the

report captures key findings based on focus groups and interviews with over 150 stakeholders

from across the state including service providers, community-based organizations, Local

Education Agencies (LEAs), and higher education institutions in the state of California (see

Appendix B for research methods). In Section IV, we highlight the perspectives of students

who have experienced homelessness, exploring how homelessness has affected their capacity

to participate and succeed in school. In Section V of the report, we analyze patterns in state

data from the 2018-2019 academic school year for school districts and counties. Specifically, we

analyze key indicators that influence student academic success, including 1) suspension rates,

2) chronic absenteeism rates, 3) graduation rates, and 4) UC/CSU readiness rates. Implications

for lawmakers at all levels of government to address the student homelessness crisis are

presented in Section VI. Lastly, Section VII discusses the connections between our findings in

this report, and some of the practices, policies, and priorities that can improve services for the

growing number of young people living in poverty and experiencing homelessness in the state of California.

Because of the complexity and scale of the challenges facing students experiencing homelessness in California, policymakers and educators need more accurate methods and greater capacity to identify affected students so that they can develop a strategy for deploying resources and implementing effective support systems. Both focus group participants and individual interviewees overwhelmingly called for an aggressive response to address the growing needs of students experiencing homelessness.

INTRO

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated many of the preexisting inequities present for students and families profoundly impacted by poverty and inequality in California.

This includes over 4 million students in the Golden State who are economically disadvantaged, over 269,000 young people in K-12 systems experiencing homelessness, 1 in 5 community college students, 1 in 10 California State University (CSU) students, and 1 in 20 University of California (UC) students. The number of students experiencing homelessness in California K-12

settings has increased by over 48 percent in the past decade. Students experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity tend to be disproportionately Latinx and Black with

poor academic outcomes compared to their peers. The goal of this report is to explore the

types of education and social supports that students experiencing homelessness need to

succeed academically. Our analysis is based on the perspectives of over 150 stakeholders

from across the state, including students, educators, homeless liaisons, community-based organizations, school districts, county offices of education, early childhood agencies

and higher education institutions. Given the complexity and scale of the challenges that students experiencing homelessness face in California, greater capacity and dedicated funding is needed to identify students experiencing homelessness to ensure they receive necessary educational supports. An aggressive response to the issues experienced by students experiencing homelessness should include policy actions at the local, state and federal level to address the student homelessness crisis. We hope that by drawing attention to the perspectives of educators, homeless liaisons and by elevating the perspectives of students who experience

homelessness, this report can serve as a catalyst for sustained and strategic action to

ameliorate this growing problem.

Key Findings

From Stakeholders in the Field of Early Childhood Education, K-12 & Higher Education1. Current professional capacity to support students experiencing homelessness is inadequate: comprehensive, targeted and coordinated training is needed.

Additional training on common strategies that incorporate student supports such as: trauma-informed care, restorative practices, and efforts that promote positive social and emotional development are essential for schools serving students experiencing homelessness. This is especially true for educators working directly with LGBTQ students who experience high rates of homelessness and housing insecurity often due to family rejection on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Homeless liaisons are struggling to effectively respond to growing needs in their community, requiring more resources and staffing.

Student homelessness has increased by 48 percent over the last decade. The federal McKinney Vento Act (MVA) mandates that all school districts designate a homeless liaison who can serve as an advocate for students experiencing homelessness. Homeless liaisons are among the few staff who shoulder the major responsibilities for the academic success and well-being of young people experiencing homelessness, including the initial identification of students experiencing homelessness and managing whole support efforts to ensure student academic success.

The prevalence of Latinx and Black students experiencing homelessness requires more racially and culturally responsive strategies in education practice and policy.

Analysis of statewide statistics shows that Latinx (70%) and Black (9%) students who are experiencing homelessness are almost twice as likely to be suspended or miss an extended period of school to absenteeism, experience lower graduation rates, and to be less ready for college than their nonhomeless peers. Addressing these patterns will require educators and policymakers to challenge the customary discourses related to homelessness, and the role race plays in determining the educational success of students.

Students experiencing homelessness are often overlooked or misunderstood in school settings, which can result in negative educational experiences.

A lack of understanding of student experiences can reinforce educator stereotypes about homelessness and heighten student feelings of isolation. Prioritizing consistent and caring school environments can help foster quality relationships between teachers and students, and help educators to identify and address underlying issues that can make students particularly vulnerable in school.5. Better coordination is needed between child welfare, housing and education stakeholders to alleviate barriers for students and families.

To improve outcomes for students experiencing homelessness, a greater focus must be placed on the coordination of efforts to address homelessness between schools, community-based organizations, housing, and county and state agencies. Doing so would make it possible to create an integrated, family-centered response aimed at disrupting cyclical patterns of homelessness. Greater coordination also acknowledges that no one public system (i.e. schools) can adequately respond to all the needs of young people and families.

Community-based organizations and nonprofits provide a critical function as part of an ecosystem of support for students and can get out resources to families quickly.

Nonprofit organizations provide services to students experiencing homelessness and families outside of the regular school day hours and on weekends. Fragmented coordination between schools, districts, homeless liaisons, and nonprofits or community-based organizations can create unnecessary obstacles for young people and families seeking support. There are

emerging examples of school systems, community-based organizations, faith-based groups, counties, and governments who have been able to align services in communities for the benefit of students and families experiencing homelessness.

The bookends of education, early education and higher education are an essential part of a coordinated response to student homelessness, from cradle to college.

The nature of the challenges facing students experiencing homelessness varies considerably

depending on their age and the type of educational institution in which they are enrolled. Distinct

responses, coupled with more seamless educational pathways can help students experiencing

homelessness encounter minimal disruption to their educational pursuits. Early interventions and continuous investments in quality school experiences can change mobility patterns across generations and break cycles of poverty. The California Community College (CCC), California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems are responding proactively through efforts like the California Higher Education Basic Needs Alliance (CHEBNA) to ensure

that growing populations of students experiencing food insecurity, homelessness or other related challenges, are able to make academic progress and ultimately graduate.