Homelessness is a lack of fixed, regular, and adequate housing often resulting from extreme poverty; economic hardship due to job loss, illness, or a similar reason; or devastation following a natural disaster. According to the Urban Institute, the mean income of families experiencing homelessness is less than half the federal poverty line. This…

Over 750,000 U.S. school-age children are homeless. Schools can eliminate attendance and environmental barriers sabotaging these children's education by becoming communities of learning that provide specialized education for children, contextualized education for parents, and linkages to needed services. The Bronx's Brownstone School, Chicago's…

The right of homeless children and youth to enjoy a free, appropriate public education is ensured in Oregon by ORS 339.115 (3). This law establishes that homeless children and youth cannot be denied enrollment simply because they lack a fixed place of residence or because they are not under a parent's or guardian's supervision. State Board of…

This guide suggests strategies to help states, districts, and schools overcome barriers that keep homeless children and youth from getting the education to which they are entitled, presenting approaches for helping them achieve the same high standards expected of all children. The promising practices all come from states and districts that have…