@EdWorkingPaper{ai26-1519,
title = "“Does it fit in a box we can check off?” The interpretive work of identifying doubled-up homeless students",
author = "Kathryn Hill, Hope Harvey, Zitsi Mirakhur, Michelle Flores, Xinghua Toby Wu, Paul Trujillo",
institution = "Annenberg Institute at Brown University",
number = "1519",
year = "2026",
month = "July",
URL = "http://www.edworkingpapers.com/ai26-1519",
abstract = {Identifying doubled-up homeless students is crucial to securing their educational rights and understanding the extent of housing insecurity among school-aged children. Drawing on a survey and focus groups conducted with NYC district and school staff, we introduce interpretive work as a central but underexamined feature of the identification process. While the broad and flexible federal definition of “doubling-up” grants staff wide latitude in determining McKinney-Vento eligibility, interpreting which living arrangements qualify requires a deep understanding of the law and of families’ specific circumstances. It also necessitates establishing trust with families so that they feel comfortable disclosing private information. Ultimately, these labor- and knowledge-intensive interpretive processes introduce implementation challenges and place a heavy burden on staff and families. .},
}