What Do We Know About Homeless Students?

Posted by on September 05, 2011

PEC: increase in homeless students

The People’s Emergency Center has published a report comparing data on the education of homeless students in Pennsylvania and the United States that shows that the number of homeless children and teens has increased over the past three years.

The policy brief noted that the US Department of Education reported an 18 percent increase over the three-year period SY 2007-08 to SY 2009-10. Pennsylvania reported 18,201 children and youth as homeless, a 46% increase from the previous year total of 12,438.

Nationally, homeless students are more likely to reside doubled-up in someone else’s residence. The same is now true for Pennsylvania homeless students, after three consecutive years of the education system reporting more students residing in emergency housing.

Across the United States, there is evidence that students who are experiencing homelessness scored higher in standardized reading and mathematics tests than in the previous year. However, in Pennsylvania, homeless students have not shown improvement and continue to score poorly when compared to the general student body.

To view the full report, go here.

http://www.pec-cares.org/clientfolders/pdf/3_yr_comparison_policy_brief_2011_08_12.pdf