Date of Conferral

4-24-2026

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Danette Brown

Abstract

Abstract The problem that was addressed through this study is that kindergarten through eighth-grade homeless students experience higher rates of chronic absenteeism and lower educational outcomes than their housed peers in California. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the purpose of this study was to explore K–8 teachers’ perceptions of the barriers they face in educating chronically absent homeless youth. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 K–8 teachers from one California school district. Creswell and Guetterman’s five-stage coding process was used for data analysis. Four themes emerged: Teachers discussed (a) barriers to addressing student academic needs, (b) lack of teacher training and systemic support, (c) challenges responding to student health needs, and (d) difficulty with parent communication. As a result of the findings, four key recommendations are proposed: (1) create school site hubs/wellness centers for homeless student services, (2) develop coordinated intervention systems to address student needs, (3) provide in-depth training for teachers regarding the needs of, and services for, homeless students, and (4) explore innovative methods for building parent–teacher communication and engagement. These recommendations might promote positive social change by better training, equipping, and supporting teachers, which, in turn, may improve the attendance and educational performance of chronically absent homeless youth.

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