Homeless Education Case Study: The Continuing Importance of Supporting and Educating Teachers

• In Event: Promoting Positive Adaptation Among Homeless and Highly Mobile Students

Abstract

In 2013, over 1.3 million homeless students were enrolled in school in the United States (National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, 2016). While schools have been federally mandated to serve this vulnerable population since the 1987 McKinney-Vento legislation, many districts, often where the problem is quite significant, still struggle to do so. This paper provides a case study of one high-poverty city in the deep South, identifying issues facing educators in trying to meet the needs of homeless students there.
Homelessness creates challenges for young people in and outside of school. Compared to their stably housed peers, students with housing instability perform worse on standardized assessments (Herbers, et al., 2012; Masten, et al., 1997; Miller, 2011); are more likely to demonstrate worse classroom engagement and social skills (Fantuzzo, LeBoeuf, Brumley, & Perlman, 2013; Fantuzzo, Perlman, & Dobbins, 2010); and are more likely to be absent from school and to be suspended or expelled (Dworsky, 2008; Fantuzzo, Perlman, & Dobbins, 2010). Although a series of increasingly sophisticated studies have identified nuanced patterns of challenge and resilience in homeless and highly-mobile students (e.g., Obradovic et al., 2009), making targeted interventions possible, many districts lack basic resources to improve the educational outlook for these students.
This mixed-method case study employed three main strategies to paint a detailed picture of homeless education service provision in the city. Results of an electronic survey about teachers’ knowledge of the McKinney-Vento law, specific training or professional development about homeless students, and other related issues provide a contextual backdrop. Second, ten in-depth interviews conducted in a variety of school settings across the city explore teachers’ experiences with and perceptions of elementary homeless students and their families. Finally, interviews with city and state homeless liaisons reveal the challenges they face.
Given the financial situation in this city and state, liaisons somewhat predictably identified funding as a major barrier. Consistent with previous research on this topic, too, they noted that identifying students and providing transportation can be difficult. They also identified that natural disasters common to the region can swell the rolls of homeless students, creating chaos and additional challenge. Most teachers surveyed indicated they had not received any training specific to homeless students, and did not generally employ any special strategies to support these students in the classroom. Interviews with teachers uncovered many themes, and though many lacked specific knowledge of students’ housing-related struggles, some nonetheless described creative, strengths-based interventions they use to support students.
Although research on resilience and supporting homeless students has made great strides in recent years, many districts still struggle to provide basic services. This study suggests that educating teachers on the best ways to support homeless students in the classroom remains a vital means of promoting homeless student adaptation and success. This paper suggests that teachers are interested in meeting the needs of all their students, so interventions to provide them with specific strategies have the potential to be quite effective if offered in an accessible manner.

Authors

• Kerri Tobin, Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge

• Matthew John Moulton, University of Georgia - Athens