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Child and Youth Homelessness Data Profiles

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The Pitfalls of HUD’s Point-in-Time Count for Children, Youth, and Families

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Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Homelessness

Prevalence & Access To Early Learning in Twenty States

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SchoolHouse Connection is a national non-profit organization working to overcome homelessness through education. We provide strategic advocacy and practical assistance in partnership with early childhood programs, schools, institutions of higher education, service providers, families, and youth.

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The Pitfalls of HUD’s Point-in-Time Count for Children, Youth, and Families

On December 19, 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released its 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report Part I (AHAR), boasting continuous decreases in both family and youth homelessness. In this brief, we explain why HUD’s data are flawed and misleading, and why other federal data sources provide a more accurate picture of child, youth, and family homelessness.

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Q & A FROM OUR INBOXES

In our district, a youth and parent can complete a form to change both preferred name and gender identity in the student information system/student record. It typically requires a parent signature. A high school student (14) who is identified as an unaccompanied youth has requested to change their preferred name and gender identity in the student information system. This youth’s parent is reachable and in contact with the student; however they don’t live together due to ongoing conflict. The high school wants to know 1) can the student complete the form/change without a parent signature? and 2) does the school need to contact the parent to either attempt to get a signature or notify the parent of the change? The student isn’t identifying this as a barrier to attendance currently. They do want to make the change themselves without including the parent. They haven’t shared specifically, but I think the on-going conflict is related to identity.

Answer: A pivotal issue in this scenario is that the student is saying that not changing their chosen name and gender identity is not a barrier to enrollment (which includes attending classes and participating fully in school activities).  States, school districts,...
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We have a student who became homeless this school year, so School A became her school of origin. The family relocated to another attendance area (School B). In January, the student decided to leave school of origin (School A) per parent request and enroll in the school of her attendance area (School B). The student now wants to return to School A. Is School A still her school of origin? What if the student now has secure housing in School B’s attendance area?

Answer: Our team looked at this from two different perspectives and ultimately concluded that it depends on the interpretation of "the school attended when permanently housed". We looked at school A as the school the student last attended when permanently housed...
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We are working with a family that struggles financially. Mom is dealing with some medical challenges and is needing brain surgery; she currently can’t be left alone. Since mom can’t be alone, our student and her mom are doubled up with grandma three to five days out of the week. The other days they are able to be at their home, because grandma can be there with them. Grandma lives out of our school district and has reached out for help with transportation. We know they are struggling financially, but we can’t decide if the living situation is one that would be eligible under McKinney-Vento.

Answer: You are right to think about the reasons for sharing housing, as the law is clear that it must be “due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason.” 42 U.S.C. §11434a(2) It does seem that in this situation, the family is staying with grandma due...
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Our state has a law that excludes all students in mid-February if they are not up to date with their immunizations. This statewide day is called “Exclusion Day”. McKinney-Vento law states that we must review and revise policies that are a barrier to McKinney-Vento students enrollment and participation, and I believe exclusion day can be a barrier to a student’s attendance. We connect our students to health resources and advocate for students so that we can prevent their exclusion from school. This year, some of my liaison colleagues in neighboring school districts and I have experienced schools excluding students despite our advocacy. I know that federal law supersedes state law, and I’m hoping for a national lens to this practice.

A: You are correct that McKinney-Vento, as a federal law, supersedes state law, and a blanket policy like "Exclusion Day" cannot be applied to McKinney-Vento students. McKinney-Vento requires that districts review and revise policies to “remove barriers to the...
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Our state recently welcomed a large number of immigrant families who were placed in hotels. The families are now moving to shelters in a neighboring city. The school district in the neighboring city has stated that they will transfer the students to their schools rather than support them staying in their schools of origin. We have identified the students under McKinney-Vento, as they are living in hotels and shelters. Do the students have the right to continue in their schools of origin in our community or can the district of residence make them transfer?

Answer: These families meet the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless because they were placed in hotels in your community. If they enrolled in school in your community while in hotels, these schools meet the definition of school of origin and the students have the...
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Early Childhood

Infants are at greater risk of living in homeless shelters than any other age group in the United States. Early childhood programs prevent the harmful life-long effects of homelessness on education, health and well-being.

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PreK-12

In the 2020-21 school year, public schools identified nearly 1.1 million homeless students. Schools provide basic needs, caring adults, stability, normalcy, and the skills to avoid homelessness as adults.

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Higher Education

The majority of well-paying jobs created today require education beyond high school. Post-secondary attainment is increasingly necessary to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness, and live a healthy, productive life.

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Unaccompanied Youth

Unaccompanied homeless youth are young people experiencing homelessness who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness each year.

Homeless Education Directory

Find state and local contact information for State Coordinators, Homeless Liaisons, Head Start Collaboration Offices, and Homeless Higher Education Liaisons.

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