Educational risks for children experiencing homelessness

Educational risks were investigated among 73 children 6 to 11 years old from homeless families staying in a Minneapolis shelter. Families were recruited at the shelter and followed up after they had moved into their own housing. Access to school was not a problem. However, significant school success problems, defined in terms of achievement and classroom behavior, were found among the 59 African American children who were the primary focus of analysis. Moreover, academic and behavioral problems often co-occurred, as did good achievement and good behavior. Results support the feasibility of research with highly mobile families whose children have extremely high risk for educational problems. Implications are discussed for researchers and educators who share the goal of fostering school success among high-risk mobile children. (C) 1997 Society for the Study of School Psychology.