Addressing the Needs of Students Experiencing Homelessness

Educators have long sought to discover factors which impact students’ academic performance, motivation, and engagement. Of those factors, home stability plays a pivotal role. An increasing number of children lack permanent housing, which in turn jeopardizes their long-term academic success (Larson & Meehan, 2011). The circumstances facing homeless youth creates a variety of barriers and obstacles to access education and achieve success in school (Powers-Costello & Swick, 2011). Additionally, the stigma associated with being homeless may impact students socially, emotionally and behaviorally, and may also result in frequent absences. Many of these factors are essential in enabling students to thrive within the educational environment. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001 is a federal law that provides protections and guidance regarding the education for homeless children and youths. The purpose of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act is to ensure that students identified as homeless have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education as students with stable housing.