Housing and Homework: How Stable Housing Fuels Student Success
There is a poem posted in A Place 4 Me offices which, for years, has reminded us of daily challenges of youth and young adults in our community:
'Cause I Ain't Got a Pencil
I woke myself up
Because we ain't got an alarm clock
Dug in the dirty clothes basket,
Cause ain't nobody washed my uniform
Brushed my hair and teeth in the dark,
Cause the lights ain't on
Even got my baby sister ready,
Cause my mama wasn't home.
Got us both to school on time,
To eat us a good breakfast.
Then when I got to class the teacher fussed
Cause I ain't got no pencil.
By Joshua T. Dickerson
This poem captures the balancing act of a young person trying to succeed in school while navigating instability, and these challenges don’t disappear with age. For many of the youth and young adults we serve, “back to school” means enrolling in community college, working toward a GED, or joining a job training program that builds pathways to independence.
Without a safe place to sleep, reliable transportation, or money for basic supplies, students can’t focus on learning, leading to truancy. Instead of pencils and notebooks, young people are often worried about rent, childcare, or where they’ll spend the night.
The Scope of the Challenge in Ohio and Cuyahoga County
In the 2023–24 school year, more than 25,500 Ohio students were identified as experiencing homelessness—about 1.5% of all K–12 students statewide. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District, which serves more than 36,000 students, has identified more than 2,500 experiencing homelessness in recent years. Each of these young people is at risk of falling behind academically not because of their ability but because of their instability. National studies show that youth who experience homelessness as minors are significantly more likely to experience homelessness again as young adults.
The Ripple Effects of Instability
For 16–24-year-olds, the “ripple effects” of unstable housing can affect all aspects of their education:
College dropout risks: A semester disrupted by eviction or couch-surfing often leads to dropping out.
GED delays: Without a stable home, keeping up with classes or exams becomes even more challenging.
Mental health strain: The stress of not knowing where you’ll sleep disrupts focus and wellbeing.
Financial barriers: Housing crises force young people to choose between rent, tuition, and basic needs.
Technology gaps: No Wi-Fi or quiet study space can derail progress in online coursework.
These are just some of the barriers that explain why young adults experiencing homelessness are much less likely to earn degrees or credentials even when they’re motivated and are absolutely capable of doing so.
The Foster Care Connection
Housing instability and foster care are deeply intertwined. More than 40% of youth experiencing homelessness have a history in foster care. Each year, roughly 1,000 young people in Ohio age out of foster care, turning 18 or 21 without a permanent family or stable housing to fall back on.
For these youth, educational barriers pile up quickly:
Less than half graduate high school on time
Only about 20% enroll in college
Just 3–5% complete a degree—despite having aspirations as high as their peers
Locally, Cuyahoga County’s Division of Children and Family Services supports about 2,100 youth in placement at any given time.
The bottom line: youth in foster care face higher odds of experiencing homelessness, and both experiences impact educational success.
How A Place 4 Me Supports Youth and Young Adults
Jakiah Moore, A Place 4 Me’s Foster Care Youth Navigator, sees these challenges firsthand.
“The biggest questions young adults have are: Who is going to help me? How am I going to pay for it? There’s a lot of uncertainty around college financial aid,” Jakiah explains. “I work with many young people who haven’t finished high school or a GED program, and some feel like it’s already too late for them. My role is to connect them with resources that can help—whether that’s navigating college enrollment or finding support for GED completion.”
Jakiah works closely with Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS), especially the Bridges Program, to ensure young adults receive the support services they need to build stability and pursue their education.
At A Place 4 Me, we tailor our approach to the unique needs of 16–24-year-olds:
Navigation: Our Navigators connect youth to housing, education, and community resources, ensuring housing instability doesn’t end their educational journey.
Foster Care Youth Navigator: Focused on ages 16–24 with foster care experience, helping them transition from systems involvement to stability.
Opportunity Passport®: Financial literacy, coaching, and matched savings for essentials like education, training fees, transportation, and housing deposits.
Systems Change: Leading efforts across systems and community partners to reduce barriers and promote stability.
How You Can Help
You can be a part of the solution.
Ending youth homelessness takes all of us.
By making a gift to A Place 4 Me, you help sustain programs that provide housing stability, financial tools, and support for young people as they pursue education and independence.
Just as important, you can add your voice to this movement: acknowledge that youth homelessness exists in our community and stand with us in showing that it doesn’t have to. Stay connected by signing up for our emails and joining a network of advocates and supporters committed to ensuring every young person has a safe place to call home.
Sources
Ohio Department of Education, McKinney-Vento Homeless Children and Youth Data, 2023–24
Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Homeless Student Identification Estimates
Children’s Defense Fund–Ohio, Transition Age Youth in Ohio
Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services, Placement Statistics and Bridges Program
National Working Group on Foster Care and Education, Educational Outcomes for Youth with Foster Care Experience