Q2 Highlights + SHC’s Statement on Supreme Court’s Admissions Decision

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Newsletter (July 5, 2023)

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You can view all of our archived newsletters here.

Hello,

Last week, the Supreme Court made it unlawful for colleges to take race into consideration as a specific factor in admissions. Students of color are significantly more likely to experience homelessness, and to face compounding barriers to college access and success. Overcoming homelessness through education therefore means relentlessly pursuing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in all aspects of our work. You can read SHC’s full statement here.

As we close out the second quarter of 2023, we wanted to take a moment to share our pride in producing theme-focused e-newsletters. Over the past few months, we have tackled important topics such as chronic absenteeism, mental health awareness (Part 1, 2, and 3), and celebrated Pride and Immigrant Heritage Month. These e-blasts have served as a platform to raise awareness on the intersections with homelessness, provide resources, and promote inclusivity. Finally, in case you missed it, here are the latest news, resources, and updates from the world of education and homelessness from April, May, and June.

Enjoy your summer,
Your SchoolHouse Connection Team

New Resources

Flexing the Flexibility of ARP-HCY Funding Series: Making the Most of Federal Relief Dollars to Help Students Experiencing Homelessness

This series highlights some specific uses of ARP-HCY funds; explains why these uses may be beneficial for students experiencing homelessness; provides strategies to address common concerns; and highlights how some school districts are using ARP-HCY funds for these purposes.

Ensuring Access to Food Resources for Students Experiencing Homelessness

This resource provides information and guidance on ensuring access to food resources for students experiencing homelessness, as well as best practices and strategies at the school district level.

Why We Use the Phrase “Experiencing Homelessness”

Why we’ve made an intentional choice to use “experiencing homelessness” rather than “unhoused,” “houseless, or “housing insecurity” when communicating about homelessness.

Early Childhood

[Quiz Yourself] How Much Do You Know About Early Childhood Homelessness?

PreK-12

New CDC Data Show Higher Health Risks for High School Students Experiencing Homelessness

[Archived Webinar] Homeless Youth at Risk Lessons from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey featuring Jennifer Smith-Grant, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Centers for Disease Control

Higher Education

On Friday, April 14th, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued new policy guidance on financial aid determinations for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness, and unaccompanied youth who are self-supporting and at risk of homelessness. ED’s guidance summarizes new federal financial aid processes that are in effect now, and outlines changes that will go into effect with the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn More.
[Video] Navigating Financial Aid for Homeless Youth: Insights from an Expert
[Archived Webinar] New Federal FAFSA Guidance for Homeless Youth

Upcoming Webinars

Save The Date For Future ARP-HCY Office Hours With ED:

July: Monday, 7/10, 3PM Eastern [Register Now]
August: Monday, 8/14, 2PM Eastern [Register Now]
September: Tuesday, 9/12, 3PM Eastern [Register Now]

Federal & State Policy

What the Debt Ceiling Legislation Means for Child, Youth, and Family Homelessness
State Policy and Youth Homelessness: 2023 Q2 Update
SUNY Partners with SchoolHouse Connection to Support Homeless Students
California Spotlight: Legislative Advances for Homeless Youth in California

You, too, can join our efforts to advocate for change! Click here to join SchoolHouse Connection’s Advocacy Network.

Youth Leadership & Scholarship

The 2023 SchoolHouse Connection Scholarship Application is Live!

Our program is one of the nation’s only national scholarship programs specifically serving youth that have experienced homelessness. The goal of our program is to provide financial assistance and staff and peer support to ensure that you are successful in getting to and through higher education and into the workforce.
Learn More & Spread the Word

Theme-focused E-newsletters

Chronic Absenteeism & Homelessness – Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue that disproportionately affects vulnerable students, particularly those experiencing homelessness. According to recent data, the chronic absence rate among homeless students in the 2020-2021 school year was a staggering 41.9%, which is more than double the rate of housed students (20.3%).
- [Resource] Supporting the Attendance of Students Experiencing Homelessness
- [Video] 10 Ways to Combat Chronic Absenteeism with ARP-HCY funds
Mental Health & Homelessness – Homelessness is caused by traumatic events, and often leads to traumatic events, creating compounding layers of complex trauma that have serious consequences, often having a significant impact on mental health. This three-part newsletter series is dedicated to shining a spotlight on mental health.
Immigrant Heritage Month – At SchoolHouse Connection, we are proud to celebrate the contributions of immigrants to our country. While their contributions to our country are many, immigrant students and their families often experience homelessness. In this newsletter, we highlight some of the strategies for supporting immigrant and migrant students experiencing homelessness.
Pride Month – During Pride month, SchoolHouse Connection urges our network to educate themselves and others about the intersection of youth homelessness and sexual orientation and gender identity. It is essential to take action to create safety and support for these students. We have prepared a special edition of our newsletter with specific strategies, updates, and resources.
- [Video] A message of PRIDE from SchoolHouse Connection
- Prevalence of Homelessness for LGBQ+ Youth
- [Resource] Confronting Anti-LGBTQI+ Harassment in Schools
- [Teen Vogue] LGBTQ Students Face Barriers to Getting Student Loans Without Parents’ Participation” by Teen Vogue
- [Video] Why LGBTQ+ PRIDE matters: A Chat with SHC Scholar Bug