Homelessness on the rise in schools

The recent NAEHCY survey of 2271 school districts in the U.S. indicated that 876 districts served more homeless students August-February 2010 than they served the entire 2008-09 school year. These numbers are not altogether surprising given the scale of the recession, but they do highlight the importance of well-conceived school and district plans for serving kids who are homeless. Developing ways to immediately enroll and transport students who are homeless should obviously be central elements of these plans–these are often cited as major hold-ups in the process–but attention must also be paid to ongoing professional development for staff. Teachers, counselors, social workers, and administrators all play key roles and need to be informed about research-based best practices. For helpful resources in developing more effective and efficient systems of practice in service of students who are homeless, refer to the NAEHCY and NCHE websites. You might also refer to some of my research papers, which are listed in the research section of this website.