Dance as an artform touches the biopsychosocial dimensions of people and as such is increasingly used as a vehicle to improve the quality of life of diverse populations in the community. Yet little is known about how dance classes are experienced by marginalized populations. The purpose of this action research was to explore the potential of dance…

Homeless families are a vulnerable population not often engaged with directly by science centers. In 2019, the Museum of Life and Science formalized and strengthened a partnership with Families Moving Forward, the largest temporary homeless shelter serving families in Durham County, North Carolina. This partnership aimed to engage families in a…

The purpose of this pilot study was to measure the effects of experiential learning on graduate students' use of facilitative language techniques (FLTs) to support language development in young children from a high poverty population. Seven CSD graduate students who participated in a language seminar received direct instruction in and experiential…

Each year, over 1.2 million children and youth identified as homeless in the nation's schools experience educational disruption caused by not having a safe and stable place to live. Many students who have disabilities and are experiencing homelessness face additional challenges for educational progress that require close coordination between…

The McKinney-Vento Act Homeless Assistance Act, including revisions made during the reauthorization in Title IX, Part A, of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015) and its implications are not as widely known as they should be among educators and administrators. The McKinney-Vento Act defines homelessness as any student without "a fixed,…

Participatory research--the inclusion in research of members of a group being studied--is based on the idea that advanced degrees are not a requirement for conducting research, and that the people closest to a problem have knowledge that can lead to better, more accurate results. MDRC researchers worked with a group of youth fellows in Learn and…

This chapter explores the importance of developing spaces on campus that serve students experiencing homelessness. The authors recommend identifying a single point of contact in order to facilitate access to services.

Many educators in California are unaware of just how harmful out of school suspensions can be. When suspended students are barred from attending school, more often than not, the rule broken was some form of minor misconduct. This update of "Lost Instruction Time in California Schools" demonstrates that despite the important efforts by…

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Houston area, causing the homelessness of nearly 24,000 students in the Houston Independent School District (Houston ISD) alone. Additionally, nearly all Houston ISD schools sustained damage of some kind, resulting in school closures, campus relocations, and even the delaying of the start of classes for…

Created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shelter Project brought together a denominational seminary, a leading state research university, a community arts organization, and a housing non-profit serving unhoused and vulnerable neighbors. As the pandemic revealed and intensified the ongoing crisis of houselessness in central New…

Minority stress is a cause of health challenges for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth experiencing homelessness. However, in over-focusing on family rejection, the research on LGBTQ youth homelessness often misses how minority stress itself can shape the youth's perceived pathways into and experiences of homelessness. A…

Applications to local authorities for homelessness assistance per head are significantly higher in university towns and cities in England compared with areas without a university (1,428 per 100,000, compared with 1,007). Rates of households living in temporary accommodation are more than twice as high (475 per 100,000, compared with 218). The…

With an increase in students arriving to the U.S. from other countries, many local educational agency (LEA) homeless liaisons have questions about eligibility for services under the McKinney-Vento Act, as well as strategies for best serving these students. This resource provides an overview of the rights of immigrant, migrant, and undocumented…

School districts and other service providers are increasingly aware of the substantial mental health needs of students experiencing family homelessness. Past findings are mixed regarding whether homelessness conveys unique risk beyond the risks associated with extreme poverty. With prospective longitudinal data on homelessness experiences across…

People experiencing homelessness or other life crises often seek respite, information, and assistance in libraries. Librarians, like social workers, are helping professionals and have historically been advocates for and supporters of low-income groups. However, librarians may lack the knowledge, skills, and capacity to provide adequate support. As…