New Guidelines Look to Help Homeless Students

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The U.S. Department of Education recently announced new federal guidelines for states and school districts across the country to better serve students that do not have a permanent home. The new guidelines were mandated by federal legislation and will become effective on October 1.

According to federal data gathered during the 2013-2014 school year, there are 1.3 million homeless students in the U.S. This population is also among the country’s most vulnerable.

“Struggling to survive was a constant battle, but having your entire support system, your entire family, stripped from you so quickly and completely – it’s an experience I will never be able to fully and accurately articulate,” said Levi Bohanan, special projects manager in the Office of the Secretary of Education and formerly a homeless student.

According to the National Council for the Homeless, 11% of the overall homeless population are Latino. Veterans make up approximately one-third of the male homeless population. Among this population 56% are African American or Latino.

“As a person who experienced homelessness when I was a kid, these efforts in particular strike a chord because they’re efforts that would’ve impacted me while I was in school,” Bohanan said. “These supports and many more would’ve eased some of the burdens I experienced, as I know they’ll ease some of the burdens homeless students experience now.”

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The new guidelines include prioritizing the identification of homeless students, designating and training a “school liaison” within each school district. This position will provide support for students by providing assistance with professional development and college readiness. The guidelines will also help ensure coordination with groups such as law enforcement, juvenile and family courts, mental health groups, and public housing agencies.

“As a kid, home was a scary and unpredictable place for me and I moved around a lot after my parents passed away,” said Secretary of Education John B. King, Jr. said. “I know from my own experience and from my conversations with homeless students that school can save lives.”

Homeless students experience significant academic, social, and socio-emotional challenges, according to the Dept. of Education. They also experience lower school achievement and increased risk of dropping out of school. Also, students who experience high mobility and attend multiple schools over the course of the educational career often suffer slippages in their academic performance with each move.