Abstract
This monograph explores how homelessness intersects most social issues that marginalize individuals and negatively influence postsecondary completion, including poverty, foster care, and LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer/questioning, and others) discrimination. As becomes evident, students experiencing homelessness should be considered in conversations about equity and access. For these students, completing some form of degree or certification beyond high school is a vital step in achieving future stability. The authors expertly define key terms and explore the related literature on housing insecurity as it affects children throughout the education system, including in higher education. The monograph explains the existence of federal and state policies that intersect to frame the potential sources of support and barriers that students who experience homelessness and housing insecurity may face. One of the highlights of the monograph is the description of how trauma-informed care can be used as a lens to show how colleges and universities may unwittingly create barriers to student success and how to potentially provide better support to this population in the future. Throughout the monograph, the authors offer various lenses to help inform future research, policy, and practice. This monograph is sure to be of interest to those who study topics related to college students, including those who study college access, learning, and outcomes. The monograph is geared toward those who find themselves on the frontlines of working with today's college students, many of whom experience the hidden characteristics of housing insecurity. Contents of this monograph include: (1) Executive Summary; (2) Foreword; (3) Introduction; (4) Intersection of Education and Housing Insecurity; (5) Policies Framing Housing Insecurity in Higher Education; (6) Trauma-Informed and Sensitive Colleges; (7) Higher Education Housing Continuum; and (8) Implications for Policy, Practice, and Research.