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Housing Is Working Group 2023-2024 Calendar

Join the Housing Is Working Group to discuss special topics related to cross-sector initiatives and programmatic considerations particularly focused on the intersections of housing, health, and education.

This year’s public webinars cover topics such as the mobility asthma project, trauma-informed approaches to housing, resident-focused racial equity work, out-of-school time, and how FCC grantees are supprting voucher holders.

View Calendar
 

Elements of a Successful Partnership

With generous support from the MacArthur Foundation, CLPHA developed an in-depth report on regional housing-education collaborations taking place at housing authorities across the Pacific-Northwest.

Read the Multimedia Report
 
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Report
Community:
Nov 17, 2022
Homelessness is a traumatic experience with long-term consequences, particularly for infants and toddlers in their most critical stages of development. Yet homelessness among young children is hidden. Lack of shelter, fear of having children removed from parental custody, and restrictive eligibility criteria for housing programs mean that most young children experiencing homelessness stay in places that are not easily identified. To this end, SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan analyzed data from twenty states that have formed broad-based coalitions to move prenatal-to-3 priorities forward. This report describes the prevalence of homelessness among infants and toddlers in these twenty states; gaps in access to early learning programs; and recommendations for increasing enrollment and support.

Authored by: School House Connection
Topics: Child welfare, COVID-19, Early childhood, Education, Foster care, Homelessness, Legislation & Policy, Pre-natal, Racial inequalities, Research, Youth
Shared by Sandra Ware on Nov 17, 2022

Infants and Toddlers Experiencing Homelessness: Prevalence and Access to Early Learning in Twenty States

Report
Nov 17, 2022
School House Connection
Homelessness is a traumatic experience with long-term consequences, particularly for infants and toddlers in their most critical stages of development. Yet homelessness among young children is hidden.
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Interactive
Community:
Jun 29, 2022
In 2020 we launched a dedicated effort to learn more about legal issues surrounding unaccompanied minors experiencing homelessness. This project was intended to guide both organizations’ ongoing work and advocacy and develop resources to help the field better prevent and end homelessness among minors. This toolkit includes: • Key issues and challenges for minors experiencing homelessness; • Strategies and lessons learned from advocacy for state minor consent to services laws (including questions to consider); • Legal issues and considerations relevant to host homes for minors; • Working towards equity while serving minors; • Child welfare and youth homelessness; and • Additional legal and policy issues.

Authored by: National Network for Youth
Topics: Advocacy, Child welfare, Community development, Education, Foster care, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Racial inequalities, Research, Supportive housing, Sustainability, Youth
Shared by Karina George on Jun 29, 2022

Toolkit: Overcoming Legal and Policy Barriers to serving minors experiencing homelessness - a collection of resources for youth advocates

Interactive
Jun 29, 2022
National Network for Youth
In 2020 we launched a dedicated effort to learn more about legal issues surrounding unaccompanied minors experiencing homelessness.
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Report
Community:
Jun 29, 2022
Looking largely at the 2020-2021 school year, the report is chock-full of information about how schools apply research-based strategies in a variety of different contexts – from very different school systems across multiple states – to make research translate into positive experiences and outcomes for students and their teachers in three critical areas: • Instructional work, where math or English-language-arts teams, including instructional coaches, special-education teachers, and English learner/multilingual teachers, work to improve the quality of instruction within classrooms. • Early Warning and Response strategies, where grade-level or cross-functional teams work to create more supportive school environments, where young people are connected to adults, each other, and the school community. • Well-Matched Postsecondary initiatives, where school-based teams of counselors, service providers, district and school leaders, teachers, and other staff band together to implement evidence-based strategies and processes that support postsecondary application, enrollment, and persistence. At its heart, improvement is about learning. Each of these networks study their own work, and consistently and strategically make adaptations to increase their effectiveness as the organizational hub supporting schools. And they demonstrate how lessons need not fade away, but when codified, systematized, and shared, they can deepen our collective capacity to accelerate the field’s learning and growth.

Authored by:
Topics: Advocacy, Attendance, Child welfare, CLPHA, Community development, Education, Grade-level proficiency, Housing, Literacy, Low-income, Partnerships, Place-based, Supportive housing, Sustainability, Youth
Shared by Karina George on Jun 29, 2022

Lessons from Networks for School Improvement: School Year 2020-2021

Report
Jun 29, 2022
Looking largely at the 2020-2021 school year, the report is chock-full of information about how schools apply research-based strategies in a variety of different contexts – from very different school systems across multiple states – to make research translate into positive experiences and outcomes f
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Video
Community:
May 18, 2021
After over a year of remote learning, everything is out-of-school time at this point. With unknowns about vaccinations for children, communities should prepare for uneven plans across communities for summer and fall 2021. This discussion session focuses on capacity: how to support virtual and hybrid learning, how to counter learning loss, supporting parent engagement, supporting staff to support parents, providing adult socio-emotional learning, and providing connection to services. Panelists will share examples from on the ground, toolkits, and other resources, while also allowing time for small group discussion to share challenges and troubleshoot solutions.

Authored by: CLPHA
Topics: Attendance, Child welfare, Community development, Early childhood, Education, Grade-level proficiency, Out-of-school time, School-readiness, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on May 18, 2021
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Policy Brief
Community: Postsecondary
Nov 1, 2020
Colleges support students with advising, counseling, or coaching in academics and other skills they need to succeed in school. Some colleges enhance those services through reduced adviser caseloads and more comprehensive, frequent guidance, which can improve students’ semester-to-semester retention and average credits earned. This overview describes important lessons on designing and implementing those services. College leaders and administrators committed to designing, building, managing, and continually supporting enhanced advising services can consult this checklist of recommendations as they redesign or enhance these services — as stand-alone services or as part of multifaceted interventions.

Authored by: Andrea Vasquez & Susan Scrivener for MDRC
Topics: Attendance, Child welfare, Community development, Education, Grade-level proficiency, Post-secondary, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 4, 2021
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Report
Community: Youth
Dec 1, 2020
420,000. Based on the new report, "Lost in the Masked Shuffle & Virtual Void: Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness Amidst the Pandemic" from SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, that’s how many fewer children and youth experiencing homelessness have been identified and enrolled by schools so far this school year. According to our data and insights - gathered from educators and homeless liaisons across 49 states - the number of children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness has likely increased due to the economic crisis. Yet, because of COVID-19 challenges in identifying children and youth experiencing homelessness, hundreds of thousands may not be getting the education and support they need - from internet access, to housing, to food, to child care. What’s more, only 18% of respondents indicated that federal coronavirus relief education funding provided by the CARES Act is being used to meet the needs of students experiencing homelessness. To break generational cycles of homelessness, we must take swift action to support the increasing number of children, youth, and families in need. Check out our report to learn more and take action. We have included recommendations for Congressional leaders, state and local educational agencies, homeless, housing, food, and other relief agencies, and philanthropic organizations.

Authored by: Poverty Solutions at THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN & SCHOOLHOUSE CONNECTION
Topics: Attendance, Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Funding, Health, Homelessness, Low-income, Stability, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Dec 1, 2020
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News Article
Community: Youth
Feb 1, 2018
Chicago’s troubling homicide rate could be significantly reduced through a massive increase in state spending for Chicago schools. That's just one of the proposals floated Monday by a prominent University of Chicago economist Jens Ludwig. With a substantial commitment, he says homicides could be reduced by nearly 60 percent. Illinois is dead last when it comes to the percentage of education dollars provided by the state to its cities. Ludwig believes adding $1.7 billion dollars would not only bring Illinois up to the national average, but could substantially reduce gun violence as well. Given the social science evidence on the link between high school graduation and gun violence, that would be about a 30 percent decrease in the homicide rates in the city of Chicago for something that has absolutely nothing to do with the city of Chicago policies.

Authored by: FOX 32 CHICAGO
Topics: Child welfare, Community development, Education, Funding, Legislation & Policy, Preventative care, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Oct 15, 2020
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News Article
Community:
Jun 12, 2019
About half of the student body at one Ohio elementary school has witnessed drug use at home. Educators spend time every day teaching the children how to cope.

Authored by: Dan Levin for The New York Times
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Health, Substance abuse, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 13, 2019
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Report
Community:
May 1, 2019
Community eligibility allows high-poverty schools and school districts to offer free meals to all students, and it eliminates the need for household school meal applications. A key piece of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, community eligibility was phased in a few states at a time before it was made available to schools nationwide in the 2014–2015 school year.

Authored by: Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Food insecurity, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Out-of-school time, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Jun 3, 2019
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Report
Community:
Apr 25, 2019
Access to affordable child care can be a major barrier for low-income parents who want to participate in education and training activities to gain skills or obtain employment. Child care assistance from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), the federal block grant that funds states to provide child care assistance to low-income families, can help alleviate this barrier and make it easier for low-income parents to participate in activities that improve their skills and lead to stable employment with adequate pay. However, the CCDF eligibility requirements and priorities for service are set at the state level, and states make different decisions about how to allocate scarce CCDF resources, so access to and use of CCDF subsidies for parents seeking education and training varies across states.

Authored by: Semhar Gebrekristos and Gina Adams for The Urban Institute
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Legislation & Policy, Post-secondary, Research, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on May 30, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Mar 18, 2019
It’s a prescription guaranteed to develop healthy brains, refine motor skills and prepare kids for school, doctors say. But few parents expect a physician to hand their children a book at their first wellness checkup at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

Authored by: Alissa Widman Neese for The Columbus Dispatch
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Health, Literacy, Low-income, Partnerships
Shared by Housing Is on May 30, 2019

Children's books handed out in medical offices to introduce kids to reading

News Article
Mar 18, 2019
Alissa Widman Neese for The Columbus Dispatch
It’s a prescription guaranteed to develop healthy brains, refine motor skills and prepare kids for school, doctors say. But few parents expect a physician to hand their children a book at their first wellness checkup at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
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Publication
Community:
May 14, 2019
For many students experiencing homelessness, school is the only place of stability in their lives. Teachers play a crucial role in creating a classroom environment that is safe and supportive for all students, especially those who are highly mobile and have experienced the trauma that often accompanies homelessness. Here, we provide information and strategies that teachers and support staff can use to support the educational success of students experiencing homelessness.

Authored by: SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Homelessness, Housing
Shared by Housing Is on May 15, 2019
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Report
Community:
Recent research has begun to focus on the impact of housing instability, in its many forms, on child health and development. It is hypothesized that young children are at greater risk of adverse effects of living environments, as this time period serves as a critical window for establishing socialization and learning habits. Additionally, the effects of housing instability may be compounded when combined with other challenges faced by low-income families, such as lack of resources. Previous studies have found that housing instability is associated with deficits in overall academic achievement, emotional regulation, and verbal abilities.

Authored by: International Public Health Journal
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Research
Shared by Housing Is on May 9, 2019
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Publication
Community:
Housing and land use policies have a significant effect on schools, and since these policies are usually decided at the state and local level, educators and education advocates have the opportunity to play a significant role. Housing and land use policies can affect enrollment trends, concentrations of poverty and school diversity, school funding, stability of enrollment vs. “churning” of students, and ability of students to complete their homework and focus during the school day.

Authored by: National Education Association and the Poverty and Race Research Action Council
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Housing, Legislation & Policy
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Apr 18, 2019

Housing and Schools: The Importance of Engagement for Educators and Education Advocates

Publication
National Education Association and the Poverty and Race Research Action Council
Housing and land use policies have a significant effect on schools, and since these policies are usually decided at the state and local level, educators and education advocates have the opportunity to play a significant role.
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News Article
Community:
Apr 4, 2019
The nonprofit LIFT Orlando and AdventHealth have started construction on a “first of its kind” early learning center in the long-neglected West Lakes neighborhood south of Camping World Stadium, with an opening expected by August. The center will provide basic education as well as health and wellness programs, an on-site doctor or advanced nurse practitioner, mental health counseling and other services beyond the classroom. It can enroll up to 220 children from age 6 weeks to 5 years, with half of the openings reserved for kids from the West Lakes area, who will be accepted regardless of their families’ ability to pay.

Authored by: Kate Santich for Orland Sentinel
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Health, Low-income, Partnerships, Place-based
Shared by Housing Is on Apr 4, 2019
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Publication
Community:
Mar 21, 2019
School districts, teachers, and students across the country are beginning to prepare for spring break even though snow still blankets the ground in many states. While many students welcome the break from classes, for many others spring break also means a break from the nutritious school meals and afterschool suppers and snacks they rely on to remain engaged, active, and healthy.

Authored by: Clarissa Hayes for Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Food insecurity, Low-income, Nutrition
Shared by Housing Is on Apr 2, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Mar 18, 2019
The Department of Education reports more than 29,000 kids in North Carolina were considered homeless in the 2016-2017 school year. About three-quarters of those are living with other families because it’s too expensive to live on their own. According to Shantiqua Neely, it’s not necessarily because people don’t have jobs. She’s the executive director at A Child’s Place, the organization helps homeless CMS students and families. She said it’s because rent is too expensive.

Authored by: Alex Olgin for WFAE 90.7
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Mar 26, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Mar 13, 2019
Universal meals allow schools to build the program into their overall curriculum, "creating a learning lab for healthy eating and a mealtime experience where every kid is equal and enjoys their meals together," according to Hunger Free Vermont, which says nearly a quarter of schools in the state offer them and studies show that the programs "increase participation, leading to better student health and learning, and a strong school meals business. When participation is up, school meal programs have more resources to invest in even higher quality food, including many local foods."

Authored by: Chris Mays for Brattleboro Reformer
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Food insecurity, Funding, Health, Nutrition
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 19, 2019

A push for universal meals

News Article
Mar 13, 2019
Chris Mays for Brattleboro Reformer
Universal meals allow schools to build the program into their overall curriculum, "creating a learning lab for healthy eating and a mealtime experience where every kid is equal and enjoys their meals together," according to Hunger Free Vermont, which says nearly a quarter of schools in the
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Publication
Community:
Feb 28, 2019
This brief presents a new approach to support the development of early math skills in young children. The approach synthesizes the influence of parents, home environment, and children’s health care providers. The brief draws on research to explain (1) why it is important to support early math development, (2) what early math is (and isn’t), (3) how early math and literacy development intertwine, and (4) the important role parents play in their child’s development. The brief ends with a description of a promising approach to support early childhood math development that leverages communication between parents and health care providers and book sharing during well-child primary care visits.

Authored by: Mathematica Policy Research
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Health, Literacy, Partnerships
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 18, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Feb 28, 2019
Child poverty in the U.S. could be cut in half over the next 10 years with a few simple steps, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The cost would be high — at least $90 billion a year. But the National Academies report warns that the price of not doing anything would be far greater.

Authored by: Pam Fessler for NPR
Topics: Child welfare, Criminal justice, Early childhood, Education, Food insecurity, Funding, Health, Immigrants, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Racial inequalities
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 12, 2019
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News Article
Community:
Oct 1, 2018
When children get sick from poor living conditions inside their rundown apartments, they miss school. And when 95 percent of students of one school live in the same apartment complex—where evictions are routine and black mold is rampant—classrooms are often left empty.

Authored by: Jamie Hwang for the American Bar Association Journal
Topics: Attendance, Child welfare, Education, Health, Housing, Low-income, Partnerships, Place-based, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 11, 2019

Atlanta pro bono proram expands to resolve elementary school students' housing issues

News Article
Oct 1, 2018
Jamie Hwang for the American Bar Association Journal
When children get sick from poor living conditions inside their rundown apartments, they miss school. And when 95 percent of students of one school live in the same apartment complex—where evictions are routine and black mold is rampant—classrooms are often left empty.
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Publication
Community:
Education Leads Home’s State Partnerships on Student Homelessness Project brings together policymakers and practitioners from with the goal of overcoming child and youth homelessness through education. Through the partnership, each state is committed to researching and implementing replicable best practices that address the most urgent needs of their unique homeless student populations. The State Partnerships on Student Homelessness Project is a nonpartisan effort to develop best practices that can be replicated by communities and states nationwide. In its inaugural year of the project, Education Leads Home (ELH) awarded six states – California, Kentucky, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington – small grants through a competitive process. ELH will provide ongoing technical assistance.

Authored by: Education Leads Home
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Funding, Homelessness, Housing, Low-income, Partnerships, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 5, 2019
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Report
Community:
Feb 1, 2019
This annual report analyzes participation in the School Breakfast Program among low-income children nationally and in each state and the District of Columbia for the 2017–2018 school year. The report features best practices for increasing participation in the program, including breakfast after the bell models and community eligibility.

Authored by: Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Food insecurity, Metrics, Nutrition, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 1, 2019
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Report
Community:
Feb 1, 2019
This report looks at school breakfast participation and policies in 76 large school districts across the country to evaluate successful practices in reaching more low-income children with school breakfast. This is a companion report to the School Breakfast Scorecard. Also check out our interactive school breakfast participation map.

Authored by: Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
Topics: Child welfare, Early childhood, Education, Food insecurity, Low-income, Nutrition
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 1, 2019

School Breakfast: Making it Work in Large School Districts, 2017-2018 School Year

Report
Feb 1, 2019
Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
This report looks at school breakfast participation and policies in 76 large school districts across the country to evaluate successful practices in reaching more low-income children with school breakfast. This is a companion report to the School Breakfast Scorecard.
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Publication
Community:
Feb 25, 2019
The 2019 state legislative season is in full swing, and SchoolHouse Connection is hard at work on 12 bills in 7 states (IN, KY, ME, NV, TN, TX, UT). We’re also supporting legislative advocates in 4 additional states (AZ, CA, MD, WA), and anticipate additional bills to be filed in LA, MO, NJ, and NC.

Authored by: SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Funding, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 28, 2019

A Dozen Bills and Counting to Help Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Publication
Feb 25, 2019
SchoolHouse Connection
The 2019 state legislative season is in full swing, and SchoolHouse Connection is hard at work on 12 bills in 7 states (IN, KY, ME, NV, TN, TX, UT). We’re also supporting legislative advocates in 4 additional states (AZ, CA, MD, WA), and anticipate additional bills to be filed in LA, MO, NJ, and NC.