Gaps in Identification, Support, and Outcomes for Students Experiencing Homelessness and Housing Instability

The federal McKinney-Vento Act requires that schools identify and support students experiencing homelessness. Our mixed methods study draws on data from Detroit to examine the extent to which schools adequately identify students, which students are overlooked and why, and, from the perspective of families, what might explain the gaps in identification. We find that schools fail to identify nearly three-quarters of homeless students, with differences in identification related to student, school, housing, welfare, and educational outcomes characteristics. Our qualitative data suggests that this undercount is related to parents’ trust in schools, lack of awareness of McKinney-Vento services and protections, and, in some cases, a lack of follow-through by schools. We conclude with implications for policy and practice.