Who Counts? Educational Disadvantage among Children Identified as Homeless and Implications for the Systems That Serve Them

The Department of Education's (ED) definition of homelessness includes any child who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, but the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses a narrower definition that excludes doubled-up families. These definitions determine how resources are prioritized for families, yet we know very little about the differences in risks faced by children identified by these departments. We leverage a data linkage between public schools and homeless management information systems in Minnesota to provide novel evidence on the educational risks faced by children identified as homeless by ED and HUD. We find that ED-identified-homeless and HUD-identified-homeless children experience comparable increases in chronic absenteeism and school instability in the year they experience homelessness, challenging the popular conception that doubled-up families face lower educational risks. Using these findings, we discuss strategies to integrate homelessness data better, assess needs, and prioritize resources for children experiencing homelessness.