Mobility of homeless students impacts and increases absenteeism.
Supporting the Attendance of Students Experiencing Homelessness “Students experiencing homelessness are chronically absent from school at a rate at least twice that of the overall student population, and significantly more often than their housed, low-income peers.[i] The mobility, poverty, and trauma associated with homelessness affects students’ emotional and physical health, hygiene, preparedness for school, transportation options, and other factors that increase absenteeism. ” Read full article
School House Connect offers many resources for dealing with homelessness and absenteeism
- Guest Perspectives
- Using Chronic Absence Data to Identify and Support Students Experiencing Homelessness – By Tori Vohland, Children in Transition High School Liaison, and Jennifer Harris, Program Evaluator, at the Washoe County School District, Nevada.
- Five Questions with Sue Lenahan: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism. By Sue Lenahan, middle school teacher and McKinney-Vento liaison, Big Rapids Public Schools, Michigan.
- Webinars
- Homelessness and Chronic Absenteeism in Rural Communities
- How Chronic Absenteeism Affects Students Experiencing Homelessness
- The Power of Relationship: How Mentorship Can Support Chronically Absent Homeless Students
- Improving School Attendance for Students Experiencing Homelessness: A Model School-Shelter Partnership
- Leveraging Chronic Absenteeism Data to Help Students Experiencing Homelessness
What research says:Students’ ‘Commuting Stress’ Can Worsen Absenteeism
“Missing Bus, Missing School: Establishing the Relationship Between Public Transit Use and Student Absenteeism” Read full article
Address attendance during transition years. “Research and best practices confirm that the transition into kindergarten, whether from a formal preschool program or home, is significant for the child and the parents – and takes time. Research consistently shows positive results when educators address transition with intentionality. The Office of Head Start’s video Transition from a Child’s Perspective underscores the sensitivity and importance of the transition into kindergarten for families.” Read full article