Listening to formerly homeless youth

Abstract

More than 1.5 million students experienced homelessness in the 2017-18 school year, but teachers receive little guidance on how to support them. Earl Edwards provides K-12 (particularly high school) teachers with an overview of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and concrete recommendations for how to better support youth experiencing homelessness in their pursuit to graduate high school. The recommendations are derived from a study that analyzed the experiences of 10 youth who experienced homelessness as high school students in Los Angeles County.

America’s inescapable crisis: Student homelessness

“…However, teachers, administrators, and other support staff also have a role to play. In the December 2020 Kappan , Earl Edwards laid out a powerful vision of what high school educators can do to help students experiencing homelessness graduate. To provide these supports, faculty need training in key strategies such as trauma-informed care, restorative practices, and efforts that promote positive social and emotional development.…”