Introduction

Nevada’s housing affordability crisis is a major driver of student homelessness. A worker must earn nearly $33.00 per hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment, far above the state’s median wage of $22.73 and nearly three times the minimum wage.

We analyzed data from the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) from school years (SY) 2017–18 to 2025–26 to understand the prevalence, characteristics, and educational experiences of students experiencing homelessness (under the McKinney-Vento definition), followed by policy considerations. Our findings underscore that mitigating student homelessness requires sustained investment and coordinated action across education, housing, health, and community systems. See the full report for a more comprehensive analysis.

This analysis is part of a larger study on student homelessness in the West. Explore the analyses for Arizona, California, and Utah.

Key Findings At a Glance

Student homelessness has declined following significant pandemic-era fluctuations. Nevada experienced substantial changes in student homelessness during and after the pandemic, with the most recent school year showing the lowest level of identified student homelessness in several years.

Persistent racial disparities in student homelessness remain. Black/African American and Native American/Alaska Native students consistently experience some of the highest rates of homelessness in Nevada, reflecting longstanding disparities across racial and ethnic groups.

Elementary school students make up the largest share of students experiencing homelessness. While younger students continue to represent the largest portion of students experiencing homelessness, the share of students in high school has steadily increased in recent years.

Graduation outcomes are improving, but a substantial gap persists. Graduation rates among students experiencing homelessness have recently reached their highest level in several years. Despite this progress, these students continue to graduate at considerably lower rates than their housed peers.

Academic achievement gaps remain substantial. Students experiencing homelessness consistently demonstrate lower proficiency in both English language arts and mathematics than housed students, with gaps persisting—and in some cases widening—in recent years.

Students experiencing homelessness face higher suspension rates. Suspension rates remain consistently higher among students experiencing homelessness than among students statewide. Recent increases have further highlighted disparities in school discipline, including those associated with bullying-related incidents.

Policy Considerations

Standardize statewide student housing identification practices.
Nevada could improve the identification of students experiencing homelessness by adopting a standardized statewide housing questionnaire administered during enrollment and annual registration. The state’s current district-led approach results in variation in screening practices, staff training, and family outreach, leading to inconsistent identification and statewide data. A standardized questionnaire, like those used in California and Arizona, would strengthen data quality and ensure more equitable access to McKinney-Vento supports regardless of where students in Nevada live.

Strengthen statewide cross-sector coordination to address student homelessness.
Nevada has expanded cross-sector collaboration through initiatives such as the Movement to End Youth Homelessness and the Nevada Youth Homelessness Summit. Building on these efforts, the state could establish a permanent interagency coordinating body, or formally integrate the NDE and local education agencies into existing statewide governance structures to strengthen coordination across education, housing, child welfare, and other systems. Positioning education as a central partner would improve data sharing, align policy and funding priorities, and support more coordinated, prevention-focuse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

d responses to student homelessness.

Improve identification and services for rural and disproportionately affected youth experiencing homelessness.
Student homelessness remains underidentified in Nevada’s rural and frontier communities because of limited services, inconsistent reporting practices, and the less visible nature of housing instability outside urban areas. Expanding rural outreach, strengthening partnerships with tribal governments and local education agencies, and improving statewide identification and data-sharing systems would ensure more equitable access to services. These efforts should build on the strengths of rural and tribal communities through community-informed approaches that recognize tribal nations as key partners in statewide homelessness prevention.

Build trauma-informed, strength-based supports to improve school engagement.
Housing instability is closely linked to school disengagement, yet Nevada does not currently report chronic absenteeism by homelessness status, limiting understanding of students’ educational needs. The state should ensure attendance and school climate initiatives explicitly include students experiencing homelessness while emphasizing trauma-informed, relationship-based supports rather than punitive responses. Expanding restorative practices, strengthening school connectedness, and addressing the underlying causes of absenteeism and behavioral challenges can improve educational stability and student success.

Media Contacts

Geneva Sum
Communications Director, UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools
UCLA School of Education and Information Studies
424-259-5836
gsum@gseis.ucla.edu

John McDonald
Director, Sudikoff Institute
UCLA School of Education and Information Studies
310-880-5332
jmcdonald@gseis.ucla.edu

About the American Institutes for Research West Comprehensive Center

This study was produced through CTS’s partnership with the American Institutes for Research as part of the West Comprehensive Center, a federally funded project providing state, district and school leaders support to implement and sustain evidence-based programs and practices, with the goal of improving outcomes for educators and students.

Authors

Mayra Cazares-Minero, Ph.D.
Grace Ha Eun Kim, Ph.D.
Joseph Bishop, Ph.D.