Housing instability associated with lower graduation rates for students in San Mateo County
In partnership with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and 22 San Mateo County school districts, the Gardner Center studied the ways in which local students experience housing instability, the relationships between housing instability and students' educational achievement and attainment, and how cross-sector strategies can do a better job of identifying and serving these students.
The challenge
San Mateo County is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation but has long struggled with income inequality and high housing costs, which have created high rates of housing instability.
Meanwhile, local leaders have not had a clear or shared understanding of how housing instability relates to academic outcomes for area youth, which has been a central barrier to creating an effective policy response.
The solution
The Gardner Center pulled together a rich set of school administrative data to create a picture of youth based on their dwelling status, free or reduced-price meal participation, and demographic characteristics. Researchers were then able to examine the relationship between student dwelling status and educational outcomes, as well as develop recommendations for local and state agencies.
Key takeaways
Gardner Center researchers painted a picture that showed:
Over 2,600 adolescents in San Mateo County experienced housing instability over the three school years before the pandemic
Students experiencing housing instability were disproportionately Latinx, Black, and/or English language learners
Youth identified as literally homeless have high school noncompletion rates nearly four times higher than housing and income stable peers
Recommendations for state and local leaders include:
Creation of a statewide, cross-sector system for collecting and reporting accurate data about youth dwelling status
Coordinated and comprehensive support — both in and outside the school setting — for students experiencing housing instability
Discreet opportunities and incentives for students and/or their families to disclose housing instability
Photo: CHUTTERSNAP/Unsplash
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