HOUSING

This indicator reports the number of insecurely housed students identified by school districts as homeless, meaning they are living in motels, shelters, parks and doubling- or tripling-up in a home, as defined by the McKinneyVento Homeless Education Assistance Act.

The high mobility, trauma, and poverty associated with homelessness and insecure housing create educational barriers, low school attendance, developmental, physical and emotional problems for students. Lacking a fixed, regular nighttime stay increases the chances that a student will require additional support services associated with their developmental and academic success. A homeless student or one living in a crowded environment may experience a greater tendency for stress and anxiety not knowing where they are going to sleep each night nor having a consistent, quiet, permanent place to study or do their homework. Lack of secure housing may be associated with lower standardized test scores in all areas.

• In 2016/17, 5.5% (27,119) of students in Orange County experienced insecure housing, which is 111.5% greater than in 2007/08, at 2.6% (17,051).1 In the past year, the percent of students experiencing insecure housing has dropped slightly from 5.8% in 2015/16.

• With regard to primary nighttime residence, in 2016/17:

– 89.5% (24,274) of insecurely housed students were doubled or tripled-up in housing.

5.2% (1,423) of insecurely housed students were in hotels or motels.

– 3.9% (1,055) of insecurely housed students were housed in shelters.

1.4% (367) of insecurely house students were unsheltered.2

• Of those students with insecure housing in 2017/16, high school age students (grades 9-12) represent the highest percentage at 50.6%, followed by elementary age students (pre K-5th) at 30.1% and middle school students (grades 6-8) at 19.3%.2