State of Crisis Interactive Map

Interactive Map

This interactive map on student homelessness in K-12 schools in California shines a light on the staggering number of young people impacted by housing instability across all 58 counties during the 2018-2019 and 2017-2018 academic years. Modest estimates show that over 200,000 students are homeless in California, a number that keeps increasing, higher than any other state in the country. COVID-19 has the potential to exacerbate pre-existing inequities apparent by race and income. The CA order to stay at home assumes access to shelter or a fixed housing location. However, as data presented in this map indicates, estimates suggest that over 200,000 students are being profoundly affected by housing instability, a number that will likely increase as a result of job instability and unemployment related to the virus. We share this map during this time to illustrate the challenges counties and districts are facing and as a way to identify policy solutions to better support students experiencing homelessness in the Golden State.

The map captures county profiles, with data disaggregated by race and ethnicity. Patterns in state data show the relationship between student homelessness and key school climate and academic readiness indicators including: suspension rates, chronic absenteeism rates, graduation rates and students who graduate UC/CSU eligible. This map informs a California statewide report from our Center on student homelessness to be released in the coming weeks in partnership with the California Department of Education and the Newsom Administration.

Click on a county below to learn more. The 10 counties with the highest counts of California students experiencing homelessness are shaded darker: