Student homelessness among K–12 students in Los Angeles County increased by 30% between the 2022–23 and 2023–24 school years, according to an analysis released on Apr. 9 by the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools. The report estimates that over 61,000 students experienced homelessness during the most recent school year.
The findings highlight a growing crisis as student homelessness rates in Los Angeles County now significantly exceed those across California, which saw a statewide increase of 16% during the same period, according to data from the California Department of Education. Researchers say that economic instability, housing shortages, and expiring temporary funding are contributing factors making it harder for families to secure stable housing.
“Los Angeles County is facing a rapid escalation in youth homelessness,” said Mayra Cazares-Minero, research analyst at UCLA and author of one of the research briefs. “A shortage of housing, economic instability and other barriers is making access to housing more difficult, just as important temporary funding streams and policies supporting access to housing are expiring.”
The study found Latino students made up three out of every four unhoused students in Los Angeles County during the past year. Black students accounted for nearly 12%, a figure slightly higher than statewide averages but lower than national proportions reported previously. Additionally, English language learners represented about one-third of homeless students locally. Chronic absenteeism affected more than a third (37%) of these students—rates notably higher than among their peers.
Researchers identified specific districts with high concentrations of homeless youth: Norwalk–La Mirada Elementary School District reported nearly one in three students without stable housing; several districts with elevated rates are located in eastern LA County and San Gabriel Valley. A companion qualitative study described difficulties identifying all affected children due to stigma or fear related to child welfare or immigration issues, fragmented data systems, and unstable funding sources.
“The concentration of student homelessness in specific regions — particularly in the east and San Gabriel Valley — suggests that homelessness is not evenly distributed across Los Angeles County and is shaped by localized factors such as housing costs, community disinvestment and service gaps,” said Joseph Bishop, executive director at UCLA’s Center for the Transformation of Schools. “Deeper county and district-level analyses are needed to better understand the scope of the crisis and design targeted, effective responses.” Bishop also said coordinated action at state and local levels is urgent as support resources diminish even while need grows.
Both studies recommend targeted investments into direct supports like expanded McKinney–Vento services as well as improved identification practices through trauma-informed approaches integrated into unified data systems. “Strengthening trauma-informed identification, integrating data systems, stabilizing funding for direct supports and formalizing cross-sector partnerships are critical to improving outcomes for unhoused students,” said Adriana Jaramillo Castillo, research analyst at UCLA’s center.
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