Homelessness In The Classroom

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.

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

“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

★ “An outstanding, sophisticated introduction to a complex topic, this book encourages readers to prioritize kindness towards and dignity for people experiencing homelessness. Recommended as a first purchase.”—School Library Journal, starred review There are 150 million people experiencing homelessness worldwide, and that number is increasing every year. Homelessness is not a choice, yet it exists in almost every community. But why are people homeless? Who are they? What can you do? In Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community, readers will get answers to these complex questions. They’ll learn about the root causes of homelessness and its effects, and what people and organizations around the world are doing to address the problem. It shares the personal stories of people who live on the street and the adults and kids who work with them. As a former homeless-shelter worker, author Lois Peterson encourages young people to approach the issue with knowledge and compassion. She dispels some of the myths about homelessness and makes the case for why everyone deserves a safe, permanent place to call home.

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • A “vivid and devastating” (The New York Times) portrait of an indomitable girl—from acclaimed journalist Andrea Elliott “From its first indelible pages to its rich and startling conclusion, Invisible Child had me, by turns, stricken, inspired, outraged, illuminated, in tears, and hungering for reimmersion in its Dickensian depths.”—Ayad Akhtar, author of Homeland Elegies ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Atlantic, The New York Times Book Review, Time, NPR, Library Journal In Invisible Child, Pulitzer Prize winner Andrea Elliott follows eight dramatic years in the life of Dasani, a girl whose imagination is as soaring as the skyscrapers near her Brooklyn shelter. In this sweeping narrative, Elliott weaves the story of Dasani’s childhood with the history of her ancestors, tracing their passage from slavery to the Great Migration north. As Dasani comes of age, New York City’s homeless crisis has exploded, deepening the chasm between rich and poor. She must guide her siblings through a world riddled by hunger, violence, racism, drug addiction, and the threat of foster care. Out on the street, Dasani becomes a fierce fighter “to protect those who I love.” When she finally escapes city life to enroll in a boarding school, she faces an impossible question: What if leaving poverty means abandoning your family, and yourself? A work of luminous and riveting prose, Elliott’s Invisible Child reads like a page-turning novel. It is an astonishing story about the power of resilience, the importance of family and the cost of inequality—told through the crucible of one remarkable girl. Winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize • Finalist for the Bernstein Award and the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award

This publication summarizes issues relating to the education of homeless children and youth and reviews programs that are effective in the delivery of educational services to this population. The report is comprised of five sections. The first section, "Introduction," surveys factors contributing to homelessness and indicates the special needs of young people who are homeless. The second section, "Problems in Educating Homeless Children and Youth," examines the following situations: (1) legal barriers, including residency requirements and guardianship requirements; (2) financial constraints, including family-related financial problems and school-related financial problems; (3) institutional impediments, including lack of records, placement in inappropriate programs, lack of coordination, and educational performance problems; and (4) social and psychological concerns, including stress, social acceptance, and self-esteem. The third section, "Federal Legislation for the Homeless," describes provisions of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act for homeless education. The fourth section, "Programs that Work," describes transitional programs in Tacoma (Washington), Salt Lake City (Utah), and San Diego (California), and mainstreamed programs in Venice (California), and New York City. The fifth section, "Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness," restates the need for more innovative educational programs along with economic, domestic, and other changes. A list of 19 references is appended. (AF)

This is one of the first books to focus on child homelessness in the context of school social work and related professional practice. Beginning with ways to think about homelessness, the book guides the reader through the important studies and findings as they relate to school social workers and other related professionals. It provides readers with a detailed and thoughtful description of important policies that shape practice with homeless students and offers guidance on assessing perceived policy implementation.