Under Construction: Homeless and Highly Mobile Students and Institutional Support Services in Higher Education

• In Event: The Postsecondary Education of Homeless and Highly Mobile Youth

Abstract

Although homeless students are entering higher and postsecondary education, there is a lack of research on the specific types of supports higher and postsecondary institutions provide to homeless students. The purpose of the proposed paper is to explore the various forms of support services in higher education for homeless students to improve access, persistence, and student success. Further, the paper examines how those services might be linked to existing K-12 services for homeless students. The objectives of the proposed paper are threefold. First, the paper provides an understanding of the landscape of support in Minnesota’s postsecondary institutions for homeless youth enrolled in college. Second, this study provides clarity and context to the situation of homeless youth and the college selection process. Third, the study adds to the scholarly conversation about the institutional barriers and facilitators to access and success low-income students experience in higher and postsecondary education. This paper adds depth to the conversation within the study of higher education related to low-income students, college access, and institutional responsibility to promote success for marginalized students. To better understand the role of institutional support in improving access to college for homeless students we employed Perna’s (2006) framework on college choice. This conceptual framework is informed by economic and sociological theories and allows for understanding of the “differences of culture and circumstances of particular groups” (Perna, 2006, p. 115), which is especially helpful when working with a specialized subgroup of students.

Based on a preliminary review of the findings, five themes have emerged from the data. First, higher and postsecondary education institutions are not tracking the enrollment of this subset of students. While students must self-identify through FAFSA, ISIR or other student support service interactions, not all institutions use this information to track enrollment of homeless students. The second finding is that housing vulnerable students and their needs are largely invisible to the institution. As the student bears the burden to disclose their situation, the institution has no way of knowing who is homeless within the student community. This type of invisibility makes it difficult to build trusting and supportive relationships for homeless youth. The third finding is that while some services do exist they are not well coordinated. Many college campuses do not have a designated staff member to work with homeless students. The fourth finding is that most institutions are not providing services that according to the literature would benefit students who are housing vulnerable (i.e. year round housing, housing between terms, short term loans, etc.). The final theme that emerged from our data is higher and postsecondary institutions have no contact with K-12 personnel or social service providers that work with homeless students. The challenge for higher and postsecondary institutions is to figure out how to link services across sectors to support this group of students.

Authors

• Jennifer Trost, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Jarrett Gupton, University of Minnesota