Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected students' academic performance and overall well-being, creating a rise in mental health needs. In response to this, there has been an increase in hiring school-based social workers. However, there is a lack of clarity on…

The COVID-19 pandemic and related school closures led to unprecedented academic setbacks for all American students. In this third State of the American Student report, attention is turned to how the pandemic impacted--and continues to impact--special or unique populations of students, such as those with learning differences, English language…

Although the transition to adulthood after graduation can be difficult for any student, additional challenges remain for independent students. The authors define independent students as undergraduates between the ages of 18 and 24 who have no dependency on a parent or guardian, such as foster care alumni. It is important that higher education…

The purpose of this study was to explore reasons why adolescent youth from foster care and in special education, including those who are newly emancipated from the foster care system, have difficulty transitioning into independent living. The study was guided by one research question: What difficulties do students who receive special education…

Social determinants of health (SDOH)--conditions in which children live, learn, and play--affect child health and well-being. Publicly funded services in education and child welfare systems are important resources to support child well-being, but cross-system coordination is rare. Leveraging integrated administrative data from 60,287 6th graders…

The number of students experiencing homelessness in Massachusetts has grown substantially over the last few years. More than 31,000 Massachusetts students experienced homelessness during the 2023-2024 school year, a 20 percent increase from the previous year. We know homelessness puts an immense strain on child development and that experiencing…

This report, commissioned by the Bay Area Geographic Leads Consortium, explores how five county offices of education and local school districts pivoted to reach, teach, and support the holistic needs of students experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report documents the rising number of students experiencing homelessness as…

LankellyChase Foundation works to bring about change that will transform the quality of life of people who face severe and multiple disadvantage. It set up the 'Promoting Change Network' (PCN) to foster learning, and to support 40 or so organisations which receive funding from the Foundation. This was in recognition of the challenges they face in…

Approximately 1.3 million K-12 public school students across the United States were identified as experiencing homelessness in 2019-20. In all cases, the stress, instability, trauma, and school mobility created by homelessness increase risks to physical, social, and emotional health and to educational engagement and achievement. Districts play an…

The coronavirus pandemic will have a profound, lasting impact on students, particularly those who are already marginalized. This includes students in foster care, those in juvenile detention facilities, or those experiencing homelessness. Schools, districts, nonprofit organizations, and other partners play a critical role in ensuring that systems…

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting school closures have further exacerbated the unique challenges that youth in foster care faced long before the pandemic and now put them at even greater risk of falling behind in school. Students in foster care are disproportionately impacted by school closures, since they often lack access to the technology and…

Entering the fall 2020 term, higher education was reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. Enrollment was down--particularly among students most at risk of basic needs insecurity; fewer students had completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and college retention rates had dropped. Students and faculty were stressed and anxious.…

Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) faces increasing teacher attrition and unsustainable levels of stress among teachers. Citywide pressures, such gentrification and lack of transportation, impact schools and teachers. OUSD currently has wellness programs both district provided (the Office of Health and Wellness) and through district…

In this study, we used a mixed methods approach to explore the determinants of relationship patterns and risky sex among homeless men living in downtown Los Angeles. This involved analysis of qualitative interviews focused on gender ideology and sexual events ("n" = 30) as well as structured interviews ("n" = 305) focused on…

In conjunction with its fall quarterly meeting, NCD convened a stakeholder forum in Atlanta in October 2014 to receive testimony on the role of special education in the School-to-Prison Pipeline. The findings and recommendations in this report are based upon the culmination of that testimony, interviews with experts, and review of available…