“Draining the School-to-Prison Pipeline” is a monthly publication addressing issues of community school reintegration, sharing practical recommendations to support returning students, tracking relevant public policy and legislation, and addressing racial and other inequities in Pennsylvania’s educational system.
Youth Homelessness and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
On any given night in the United States, an estimated 41,000unaccompanied youth will experience homelessness (1). An “unaccompanied youth” is a young person aged 13-25 who has no designated family group or no direct connection to a parent or guardian (1). Earning a high school diploma is a key intervention for the long-term stability of these young people.
Unfortunately, students who experience homelessness are more likely to be pushed out of school than their peers. These students find themselves more exposed to punitive discipline practices in school, which contribute to further isolation from the school community and may lead to increased involvement in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems (2). In some states, youth experiencing homelessness are suspended from school at twice the rate of their housing-stable friends (2). These suspensions often stem from minor school infractions related to their housing status such as: being out of uniform, being late or truant from school, displaying defiant behavior, or fighting as a result of bullying or pent-up aggression (2).
As a result of these disproportionate disciplinary practices as well as other barriers related to instability in housing that hinder a student’s academic performance, youth who experience homelessness have poor long-term educational outcomes (3). Research indicates that youth who experience homelessness are 87% more likely to drop out of school (3). Without a high school diploma, youth are 4.5 times more likely to experience homelessness in adulthood, creating a self-perpetuating cycle (3).
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is the primary federal law addressing educational rights and protections for youth experiencing homelessness in the United States (4). The Act, along with other federal and state legislation, provides youth and families experiencing homelessness with the right to interventions and supports to increase stability in school, such as allowing youth to remain at their school of origin, transportation to and from school, and immediate enrollment if they must enroll in a new school (4). In Pennsylvania, the Act’s requirements are largely carried out through the Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) Program.
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References:
1) Sarah Scherer, S. S. (n.d.). Youth Homelessness Overview. Youth homelessness overview. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from https://www.ncsl.org/research/human-services/homeless-and-runaway-youth.aspx#:~:text=contact,-Children%20and%20Families&text=Each%20year%2C%20an%20estimated%204.2,ages%2013%2D25%20experience%20homelessness.
2) Herr, E., Bielz, S., & Hyatt, S. (2018, September). Pushing back against school pushout: Student homelessness … library.ca.gov. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from https://www.library.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/PushingBackAgainstSchoolPushout.pdf
3)Cai Jinghong Cai Senior Research Analyst, J. (2021, July 27). Homeless students in public schools across America: Down but not out. Home. Retrieved April 19, 2022, fromhttps://www.nsba.org/Perspectives/2021/homeless-students#:~:text=Some%20research%20shows%20that%20only,than%20their%20stably%20housed%20peers.
4) 42 USC CHAPTER 119, SUBCHAPTER VI, Part B: Education for Homeless Children and Youths