Resource Hopping: Examining Barriers Faced and Strategies Used to Establish Partnerships for Students Experiencing Homelessness

• In Event: Natural Disasters, the Environment, and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

Effective implementation of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act requires collaboration within and between agencies. However, this can be difficult for communities with limited resources and majority Black and Latino populations. This manuscript examines a historically divested urban school district’s challenges when establishing community partnerships for supporting homeless students. Using an anti-deficit achievement framework and structural racism lens, interviews with district, local government, and community-based organization personnel illustrate how homeless liaisons overcome structural and political barriers by seeking informal support networks outside their city and partnering with organizations beyond their immediate jurisdiction to better serve students experiencing homelessness.

Author

• Earl J. Edwards, Boston College