“Does it fit in a box we can check off?” The interpretive work of identifying doubled-up homeless students

July 2026

Identifying doubled-up homeless students is crucial to securing their educational rights and understanding the extent of housing insecurity among school-aged children. Drawing on a survey and focus groups conducted with NYC district and school staff, we introduce interpretive work as a central but underexamined feature of the identification process. While the broad and flexible federal definition of “doubling-up” grants staff wide latitude in determining McKinney-Vento eligibility, interpreting which living arrangements qualify requires a deep understanding of the law and of families’ specific circumstances. It also necessitates establishing trust with families so that they feel comfortable disclosing private information. Ultimately, these labor- and knowledge-intensive interpretive processes introduce implementation challenges and place a heavy burden on staff and families.

Keywords

doubled-up homelessness, McKinney-Vento implementation

Education level

K-12 Education

Topics

Policy, Politics, and Governance