Hidden in Plain Sight: Homeless Students in America's Public Schools

Student homelessness is on the rise, with more than 1.3 million homeless students identified during the 2013-14 school year. This is a 7 percent increase from the previous year and more than double the number of homeless students in 2006-07. As high as these numbers seem, they are almost certainly undercounts. Despite increasing numbers, these students--as well as the school liaisons and state coordinators who support them--report that student homelessness remains an invisible and extremely disruptive problem. Students experiencing homelessness struggle to stay in school, to perform well, and to form meaningful connections with peers and adults. Ultimately, they are much more likely to fall off track and eventually drop out of school more often than their non-homeless peers. This study: (1) provides an overview of existing research on homeless students; (2) sheds light on the challenges homeless students face and the supports they say they need to succeed; (3) reports on the challenges adults--local liaisons and state coordinators--face in trying to help homeless students; and (4) recommends changes in policy and practice at the school, community, state and national level to help homeless students get on a path to adult success. Three appendices are included: (1) Paths Forward and ESSA Implementation Comparisons; (2) Major Wins for Homeless Students in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA); and (3) Frequently Used Terms.