The Crisis Facing Students Experiencing Homelessness
In Allegheny County:
- 3,496 students were identified as experiencing homelessness in the last academic year—affecting every public school district in the region.
- These students are 2x more likely to drop out and 3x more likely to repeat a grade.
- On average, students move three times per school year, with each move causing up to six months of academic regression.
- Just 13% of high school students experiencing homelessness read at grade level; only 11% perform at grade level in math.
Statewide in Pennsylvania:
- Nearly 47,000 students across Pennsylvania are identified as homeless each year.
- 42% of these students change schools at least once annually, disrupting both learning and critical peer and adult relationships.
The Long-Term Impact:
- After just one episode of homelessness, a student is 87% more likely to drop out of high school.
- Youth without a high school diploma or GED are 346% more likely to experience homelessness as young adults.
National Perspective:
- More than 1.2 million students across the U.S. are identified as homeless annually.
- 78% live in unstable situations: motels, shelters, doubled-up housing, or unsheltered.
- Only 64% graduate high school on time, compared to 86% of their housed peers.
- Students of color and those with disabilities are disproportionately affected by housing instability and education gaps.