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Child and Youth Homelessness in the United States: Data Profiles

SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions have created searchable data profiles to raise awareness of the scale and impact of homelessness on children and youth and to underscore the need for action to meet their needs.

These profiles make available – for the first time – child and youth homelessness data at the county and Congressional levels. The profiles also include data at the national, state, and school district levels.

Related Data Briefs

1. Seen & Served: How Dedicated Federal Funding Supports the Identification Of Students Experiencing Homelessness

2. The Education of Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Trends, Challenges, and Needs

SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan analyzed publicly-available preK-12 federal education data for the 2020-2021 school year to examine patterns that are correlated with under-identifying and inadequately supporting children and youth experiencing homelessness.

Key Findings

  • The likelihood of under-identification is much higher in schools without dedicated homeless education funding.

  • Rural areas enroll a disproportionate share of children and youth experiencing homelessness, but have the largest share of school districts without dedicated homeless education funding.

  • Charter schools are over-represented among school districts reporting no children and youth experiencing homelessness.

  • In addition to under-identification challenges, many children and youth experiencing homelessness attend schools that receive no dedicated support to meet their unique needs.

  • The number of local educational agencies receiving dedicated homeless education funding more than doubled as a result of a bipartisan amendment to the American Rescue Plan Act.

Policy Recommendations

  • Increase federal funding for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program to at least $800 million.
  • Allow EHCY funds to be used as flexibly as the $800 million provided through the American Rescue Plan Act.
  • Improve federal and state oversight of Title I Part A funding.
  • Allocate state funding to match or expand federal EHCY funds.

 

Poverty Solutions Homelessness Agenda