Bridging the Gap: Supporting Children Experiencing Homelessness Through Schools and Social Services

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

Children and families experiencing homelessness face multifaceted barriers in accessing educational stability, support, and success. This panel brings together four papers that examine how schools and service systems identify, support, and engage students and families navigating housing instability—particularly those living in doubled-up situations, the most common but often least visible form of homelessness. From charter school liaisons to psychological barriers in service access, these studies shed light on how policy implementation, staff capacity, institutional practices, and the socio-demographic dynamics of service delivery shape educational access and equity for students experiencing homelessness.

The first paper is a mixed-methods study of charter schools in three states and investigates how McKinney-Vento liaison roles are structured and staffed. Many liaisons hold leadership or operational roles with limited student contact, and the resulting role ambiguity and workload constraints limit their ability to meet federal obligations. However, some schools have adopted team-based strategies to expand capacity and share responsibilities. The second paper examines how school staff in New York City interpret and implement the doubled-up category of homelessness. Through surveys and focus groups, they reveal that ambiguity in definitions, resource constraints, and families’ fears around disclosure complicate identification, with implications for how equity is realized in policy implementation. The third paper explores the psychological dynamics of service access, analyzing how gender and race congruence between staff and clients affects families’ reported needs in homeless service settings. The findings suggest that congruence can shape trust and willingness to disclose, though sometimes in counterintuitive ways, underscoring the complexity of equity-focused service delivery. The final paper focuses on Los Angeles County, drawing on administrative data and interviews with school staff to examine how students experiencing homelessness are identified and supported, with a specific focus on BIPOC middle school students living in doubled-up situations. The study explores variations in district practices and the need for more targeted supports for this large—but often hidden—subgroup of youth experiencing homelessness.

Altogether, the papers bring attention and new evidence around the experiences of students and families, with important implications for researchers, practitioners and policymakers.

Policy Area

• Housing, Community Development, and Urban Policy

Secondary Policy Area

• Education

Chair

• Zachary T. McDermott, Abt Global

Discussants

• Zachary T. McDermott, Abt Global

• Daniel Zavala, Building Changes

Organizer

• Soledad De Gregorio, Abt Global

Individual Presentations

• Who are Serving Students Experiencing Homelessness in Charter Schools? - Presenting Author: Earl James Edwards, Boston College

• Identifying Doubled-Up Homelessness - Presenting Author: Kathryn Bassett Hill, New York University; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Hope Harvey, University of Kentucky; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Zitsi Mirakhur, University of Kentucky

• Psychological Costs of Encounters with Gender and Race Congruence for Families Experiencing Homelessness - Presenting Author: Andrew Alfred Sullivan, University of Central Florida; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Kyungmin Lee

• Examination of Doubled-up Middle School Students in Los Angeles - Presenting Author: Soledad De Gregorio, Abt Global; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Zachary T. McDermott, Abt Global