Giving Compass' Take:

• Here are five ways that school districts can build 'learning homes' for homeless students and prioritize these students' well-being and academic achievement. 

• How can donors help these school districts support homeless students? 

• Learn more about struggles for homeless students during this pandemic. 

Due to the coronavirus crisis, California, like many states, is seeing surging unemployment, the highest in 50 years. Communities of color are prone to suffer higher rates of infection from the virus, and the economic burden disproportionately falls on black and Latinx parents, who are less likely to be able to work from home during the pandemic.

Moreover, data from Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the state, show that 599,000 residents have filed for unemployment, which could result in significant consequences for 558,000 children who live in households that may not be able to pay the rent.

Coupled with social justice uprisings related to the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, students are living through one of the most socially and economically stressful periods in generations. Young people will need the space to be heard and to be understood when school begins in the fall.

Coupled with social justice uprisings related to the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, students are living through one of the most socially and economically stressful periods in generations. Young people will need the space to be heard and to be understood when school begins in the fall.

Here are five ways districts can prepare for expected growth in students experiencing homelessness across California for the fall and prioritize the academic growth and wellbeing of our students, especially Latino and Black students who represent the majority of students experiencing homelessness.

  1. Ask and listen
  2. Universal screening.
  3. Relationships first.
  4. Differentiated & flexible instruction.
  5. Greater coordination.

Read the full article about schools helping kids facing homelessness by Joseph H. Bishop at EdSource.