“Whatever we need to do for them” - A case study of McKinney-Vento service providers at four Oregon school districts

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai

“Whatever we need to do for them” presents a research brief examining how McKinney-Vento service providers support students navigating housing instability across four Oregon school districts. Using surveys of McKinney-Vento liaisons, semi-structured interviews with district and school staff, site-visit observations, and analysis of publicly available information, the study identifies current resources, access pathways, and remaining barriers. Key findings highlight strengths in immediate supports and referral-based longer-term services, alongside systemic gaps and reliance on overextended staff, including risks of burnout and barriers affecting unaccompanied youth.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Key Takeaways

Introduction

Methodology

Survey

“Whatever we need to do for them”: A case study of McKinney-Vento service providers at four Oregon school districts Brief 3: Students Navigating Housing Instability Series Understanding the current available resources and supports provided to students navigating housing instability (SNHI)1 is key to identifying gaps in services and barriers to accessing supports. SNHI Research Brief 1 and Brief 2 have both outlined the importance of supports for all students who may be at risk of housing instability and additional supports for those currently navigating housing instability. This brief utilizes surveys to McKinney-Vento liaisons and interviews with district and school staff to understand what supports they provide, how those supports are accessed, and what barriers continue to exist to support students. Four school districts agreed to partner with ODE on this research project, allowing researchers to visit schools and districts to discuss the roles of support providers in the district, supports or practices they found successful, and challenges or barriers they faced in providing supports. A smaller student voice element is also included in the analysis. Key Takeaways 􀂃 Districts provide considerable services to address immediate challenges, such as providing food and clothing access to students. Longer-term supports such as connecting students2 and their families to housing support are more likely to be addressed by districts referring students to outside resources, such as local organizations and community partners,3 or local government and state resources. 􀂃 Many districts rely heavily on individual staff members, especially the McKinney-Vento liaisons, to connect externally to resources and connect internally to students, families, and staff in schools. These two responsibilities often pull support providers4 in opposite directions and force them to choose between time they can spend in schools with students or finding additional resources that can support students. 􀂃 Districts with less access to resources or community support often rely directly on staff members to help support students and families. With staff members already holding multiple roles and responsibilities, this expectation of support is likely to lead to provider burnout and potential risk of losing staff. 􀂃 Statewide, many of the barriers identified in providing and accessing supports can be attributed to systemic barriers and a lack of systemic supports. This is especially true for unaccompanied youth, who are more likely to be denied services and less likely to have access to shelters. 1 The McKinney Vento Act defines Students Navigating Housing Instability as students who do not have access to a fixed, regular, or adequate nighttime residence. This includes students whose nighttime residence is one of: shelter, unsheltered, hotel or motel, or doubled-up/shared housing. 2 Throughout this brief, students should be considered as a student attending an Oregon Public K-12 School. 3 Local organizations and community partners refer to non-government organizations and community groups or individuals that were explicitly named during interviews to provide supports to students and their families. 4 Support providers refer to individuals who work directly with students and families to provide a wide range of supports outside of classroom teaching. Authors: Marisa Molnar, Richard Bargielski, Office of Education Innovation and Improvement 1 Introduction Executive Orders 23-025 and 23-03,6 signed by Governor Kotek in the early days of her administration, directed state agencies to dedicate resources to researching and addressing high rates of housing instability across Oregon. Previous data briefs identified an overrepresentation of focal student populations and significant, persistent gaps in educational outcome metrics among Oregon students navigating housing instability. Housing instability discourse is both deeply personal and high

FAQs

What is the purpose of the research brief?

The brief examines what supports Oregon districts provide to students navigating housing instability, how those supports are accessed, and what barriers remain.

How did the researchers collect data?

Researchers used an electronic, mostly open-ended 14-question survey and semi-structured interviews with district and school staff, supplemented by observations and content analysis of publicly available information.

What major challenges do districts face in providing supports?

Many districts rely heavily on individual staff—especially McKinney-Vento liaisons—to connect resources internally and externally, creating opposing demands that can reduce time in schools and contribute to provider burnout.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai