A Critical Analysis of the Research on Student Homelessness

Abstract

Since the onset of the economic recession, rates of student homelessness have increased rapidly in urban, suburban, and rural school districts throughout the United States. Despite the widespread urgency of the issue, there is a lack of general coherence in the research about how diverse conditions of homelessness affect students and how schools and communities can best serve them. This literature review attempts to deepen scholars' understandings of such matters by examining (a) homeless students' school experience in comparison to that of other students, (b) federal policy's shaping of homeless students' rights and opportunities, and (c) homeless students' key support mechanisms. The author suggests that these three focus areas provide foundational insights into the nature and extent of students' opportunities to succeed in school. Although homeless students' experiences are noted to be similar to those of residentially stable low-income students, they appeared to be distinguishable based on their high rates of isolation and school mobility. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act was found to have profound formative influences on the wider field of practice, but its full implementation is limited by the disconnected nature of students' diverse support mechanisms. Based on the findings, the author suggests that researchers and practitioners consider the people, places, and policies that affect students in more holistic manners-as networks of practice.

Childhood Homelessness and Adult Employment: The Role of Education, Incarceration, and Welfare Receipt

“…Specifically, we cannot distinguish between childhood homelessness experienced with the family as opposed to run-away and unaccompanied youth homelessness. These experiences are unlikely to be have the same consequences (Duffield 2001, Miller 2011, although they both imply that the child endures a spell of housing instability for reasons that are beyond their control. Unaccompanied homeless youth may resort to leaving the family home if they face family conflict and/or emotional, physical or sexual abuse (Duffield 2001).…”

“…Instead, "a set of stressors common to many children in poverty, rather than housing status, contributed to poor child health and development" (p. S260). Similarly, Miller (2011) argues that it is not that episodes of homelessness do not matter for educational outcomes, but rather that "they matter in conjunction with other poverty-related risk exposures" (p. 317).…”

“…For example, homeless students, compared to low-income housed students, typically experience higher rates of school mobility, more absence, and subsequently, have diminished cognitive outcomes and greater school dropout rates (Buckner et al 2001). Twenty-five years ago, Molnar et al (1990) concluded that "homeless children are not simply at risk; most suffer specific physical, (Obradović et al 2009;Miller 2011). …”

“…To our knowledge, however, we are the first to examine the adult consequences of childhood homelessness in a large, national sample. Our focus on disadvantaged adults is important because childhood homelessness typically occurs in conjunction with other poverty-related risk factors (Miller 2011;Grant et al 2013). Moreover, employment outcomes are fundamental to the social and economic well-being of at-risk individuals (see Lenz-Rashid 2006) making them of particular interest.…”

“…and they often struggle to access adequate health care and keep up with their school work (see Wildeman 2014 for a review). While there is evidence that the economic and social costs of adolescent and adult homelessness can be substantial and persistent (Zuvekas & Hill 2000), the costs of childhood homelessness are likely to be even greater given that key investments during children's formative years are disrupted (see Molnar et al 1990;Duncan et al 2010;Miller 2011). Unfortunately, however, we know very little about the long-term consequences of children experiencing homelessness and, as a result, we risk failing to fully address those social problems which are rooted in children's inability to access adequate housing.…”