Homelessness Comes To School

This seminal work on homeless students and our responsibility to them provides far-reaching research, effective intervention programs, and guidelines for teaching homeless students.

Outlines effective intervention programs and provides specific guidelines for teaching homeless students.

The seminal work on homeless students and our responsibility to educate them Homelessness Comes to School provides substantial and far-reaching research that describes the plight of homeless children, the legal framework surrounding the issue, and ways to work together toward a solution. The text also outlines effective intervention programs and includes specific guidelines for teaching homeless students. Topics covered include: A history of homelessness, including its demographic patterns, causes, and impact on society The various programs schools have implemented to address the problem How schools, parents, and external community agencies can work together to educate homeless students

Schools are facing increasing numbers of homeless students and school social workers and other related professionals are often at the front line of addressing the negative impact homelessness brings to individual students and the school overall. School social workers and other school-based personnel must contend with a myriad of policies and other factors related to homelessness to help students obtain an education. School-based Practice with Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness is one of the first books to focus on this topic in the context of our social work practice. This book guides practitioners through the conceptualization of homelessness, how experiencing homelessness impacts the children we serve, the policies that govern us, and finally a practice perspective. Written with practitioners in mind, School-based Practice with Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness is loaded with case studies and practice examples and is an accessible handbook to addressing homelessness in our schools.

There are over 1.5 million homeless students in U.S. schools, a number expected to rise as a result of Covid-19. Research on this population has existed since the 1980s, but most teachers are unaware of the unique needs of these highly vulnerable students or the laws that exist to protect them. Although they primarily need housing, students experiencing homelessness also need responsive school environments. In language accessible to busy practitioners, this book presents research on homelessness as it impacts children in school and lays out for teachers what is known, and as yet unknown, about how best to serve these students in K-12 and as they prepare for what comes next. Perfect for courses that aim to provide pre-service teachers with proven strategies for reaching underserved student populations.

“Quint has done a valuable service in describing one effort to make school a good place for kids who live on the dangerous margin of society.” —The Washington Post

Provides much-needed guidance to help educational leaders support students who are homeless and highly mobile students who face significant barriers related to access and academic success. The authors employ several different strategies to help translate complex state and federal policies into effective practices.

Schools and districts are seeing unprecedented numbers of students and families living without residential stability. Although the McKinney-Vento Act has been around for over two decades, many district- and site-level practitioners have a difficult time interpreting and implementing the Act’s mandates within their local contexts. This book provides much-needed guidance to help educational leaders support students who are homeless and highly mobile students who face significant barriers related to access and academic success. The authors employ several different strategies to help translate complex state and federal policies into effective practices. They include policy analysis, examples of successful approaches, tools for training staff, youth experiences, and address the role of school districts in serving marginalized students. Serving Students Who Are Homeless can be used as a professional development tool at the local and district level, and as a textbook in higher education settings that prepare entry-level and advanced-credential administrators, counselors, school psychologists, and curriculum leaders. Book Features: Guidance for understanding and implementing the law and tools for training staff. Case studies that include the voices of students, families, and practitioners. Questions and activities to facilitate professional development discussions. “I have worked in this realm for more than a decade and, sadly, the numbers of homeless families and children continue to rise. The information and strategies identified within the pages of this book will prove to be an invaluable resource to the work of counselors, school personnel, teachers, administrators, and advocates for homeless students.” —Melissa Schoonmaker, Los Angeles County Office of Education “Homelessness brings an array of daunting challenges to students, families, and schools. As more and more communities are experiencing these challenges throughout the US, Dr. Hallett and Dr. Skrla have skillfully developed a critical new resource that can help those in most need. I admire their work!” —Peter Miller, University of Wisconsin–Madison