Beyond backpacks and bus passes: Next steps for a district homeless student initiative

How policies get translated and enacted by school districts frame how students experience reforms associated with federal law. This qualitative case study of a Northern California school district explores the importance of integrating homeless student initiatives within all aspects of the district functioning. Drawing from the equity framework of Skrla, McKenzie, Scheurich, and Dickerson (2011). Home-town values and high accountability: A Texas recipe for districtwide success in an urban school district. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk (JESPAR), 16, 137–165.10.1080/10824669.2011.559902[Taylor & Francis Online], [Google Scholar]), the authors investigate the roles of the administrative, political, and professional systems as a school district enacts McKinney-Vento mandates. Findings suggest the following: (1) the complexity of HHM student experiences require more than counting students; (2) districts should consider how HHM students and associated programming fit within the district mission; and, (3) the educational needs of HHM students exceed access to school sites. Based upon these findings, states and districts should track HHM student performance in order to more fully understand the needs of this marginalized population as well as to evaluate initiatives designed to serve these students