What are the homelessness impacts of students attendance and how can we help?
Our research is going to answer what are the homelessness impacts of students attendance and how can we help. Homelessness is defined by The McKinney-Vento Act as children and youth who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. Wharton University of Pennsylvania defines social impact as an organizations actions that have on the wellbeing of the community. Research from Allison Howland’s article: Exploring socio-demographics, mobility, and living arrangement as risk factors for academic performance among children experiencing homelessness showing homeless students are more likely to be held back from grade to grade, be chronically absent, fail courses, have more disciplinary issues, and drop out of high school than their non-homeless peers. What we can do as educators include targeted interventions, increased interactions with family members, collaboration with supportive district, community-based program, ensuring emotional safety of students, and create support, structure and opportunity. Another avenue of help is a district wide homelessness liaison. We can connect the effected youth and family with this liaison who can connect them to a variety of programs such as housing, health care and shelters. To ensure the attendance of these youth in crisis, we can learn about the homeless student stability program implemented in Washington for a preventative measure and can also teach value to oneself and take the focus off the economic culture.
EDUC 330, Child Development
Brian Kaelin
L203, poster #9
10 AM – Noon