Research has shown that housing
stability has a significant impact on children’s school performance. Housing
authorities provide families with housing stability in public housing or with
vouchers, yet the educational achievements of children in those households do
not always show the positive effect of that stability.
Given this paradox, many
housing authorities are exploring how they can leverage their housing
assistance to provide additional support for residents’ education. There are a
wide range of educational needs, strategies and approaches being applied across
the country. Housing authorities are figuring out how they can align with and
add value to local approaches to improving educational outcomes. Some have
considered the continuum
of need from early childhood to graduation to college or career and have found
a particular point where they can actually add value and support the age-specific,
developmental needs of students. Others have taken a more broad-based
approach, finding points of impact throughout the continuum.
The following are some common
strategies for engagement in educational initiatives. They may be applied
independently or in combination, depending on local circumstances.
- Partnering with school districts
- Basing programs at particular schools, schools on HOPE
VI sites, etc.
- Focusing on encouraging parent engagement
- Sponsoring or supporting traditional remedial/tutoring and/or
workforce development programs not connected to particular schools
- Focusing on early intervention such as pre-K and kindergarten readiness
- Creating educational requirements, such as
individualized plans, for residents/participants
- Using the “captive market” of residents to promote a
culture of excellence and high expectations and incentivizing residents
Information and Resources
Read the full summary of CLPHA's education survey.
Read about the education panel at November 2011 CLPHA meeting and view the panel materials.
Other housing authority programs:
Cambridge: A Conspiracy of Nurturance
Milwaukee: An Environment of Learning
New York City's BRIDGE Program
