Bridging Policy Gaps Through Human Connection
Viramontes Le, D. (2019). Falling through the cracks: Homeless youth need natural mentors. Texas Education Review, 8(1), 127–137. https://doi.org/10.26153/tsw/7045
Introduction
Policy gaps leave millions of homeless students without consistent educational and emotional support. Despite federal efforts such as the McKinney-Vento Act, misaligned definitions of homelessness and underfunded mandates perpetuate barriers to schooling, stability, and higher-education access.
Methods
This policy analysis integrates federal legislation, educational data, and qualitative accounts from homeless youth and practitioners. Viramontes (2019) synthesized national graduation statistics, congressional briefings, and prior literature to examine how systems-level shortcomings affect students’ trajectories from high school to college.
Results
Across states, homeless students graduate at rates of about 30 percent lower than peers, reflecting inequities in housing, transportation, and school support. The study identifies the “homeless liaison” as a federally required yet overburdened role central to coordinating resources. These liaisons in conjunction with other caring adults often become natural mentors, bridging bureaucratic gaps by offering emotional guidance, advocacy, and access to college pathways.
Discussion
The author argues that natural mentors can offset systemic inequities by offering the stability, trust, and social capital that institutional systems fail to provide. However, the absence of dedicated college-level supports and inconsistent policy alignment continue to hinder long-term success.
Implications for Mentoring Programs
Mentoring initiatives should explicitly include training for educators, counselors, and community partners to identify and support homeless youth. Embedding natural-mentor models within schools can transform liaisons, teachers, and staff into lifelines for homeless youth ensuring that no student “falls through the cracks.”
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