Districts' and Schools' Role for Homeless Students: Nested-Case Studies in Districts With High and Low Socioeconomic Status

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 7
  In Poster Session: Peers and Family as Context of Development

Abstract

Many U.S. schools are faced with the challenge of supporting homeless students, yet little is known about how the socioeconomic (SES) context of districts and schools affect the practices of identifying and supporting homeless students. This mixed-methods case-study compared two districts, and their four elementary and middle schools, in a Southern California border region. A low–medium SES district and a high SES district participated in this study. Findings show that despite SES differences, both districts were under-identifying and lacking awareness of homeless students. However, districts varied in their poverty awareness and organizational structure, which points to the need for tailored interventions for each district. The findings have implications for understanding school- and district-level contextual factors that affect homeless students.

Authors

• Hadass Moore, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

• Ron Avi Astor, University of California - Los Angeles

• Gordon Capp, California State University - Fullerton