Last month, Stable Homes Stable Schools (SHSS) launched a three-year research project to study the program’s impact on children’s housing stability, educational outcomes, and well-being. Led by a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota and the Inclusive Economy Lab at the University of Chicago, the project will combine quasi-experimental and qualitative studies to help inform future program improvements. The research is funded through a $1 million grant from CoLab at the Constellation Fund, with the City of Minneapolis providing an additional $150,000 to support the study design and initial implementation.

Stable Homes Stable Schools is a pioneering partnership between MPHA, the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and Minneapolis Public Schools, along with the YMCA of the North as the service partner, working to reduce homelessness among families with elementary-aged kids in Minneapolis and improve immediate and long-term educational outcomes for students impacted by housing instability. The program is a holistic approach to addressing homelessness through two tiers of support: prevention (emergency short- and medium-term assistance) and intervention (multi-year rental assistance and support services). Since 2019, 7,930* kids and 2,840* families have benefited from the program.

The multi-year research project will examine the impacts of SHSS programming on several key outcomes, including housing stability (homelessness and shelter stays); school engagement and stability (school moves and student attendance); and academic performance (state-wide test results, district-wide assessments, grade retention, and disciplinary incidents). The team will also conduct qualitative research to deepen our understanding of the program implementation and impact through participants’ lived experience.

In addition to studying the program impacts on the participating families, the research will explore any spillover effect on students not directly receiving program benefits at schools where programming is established. The studies will investigate impact of both tiers of SHSS support.

This research will help SHSS staff understand its impact on participating families and help inform future program changes. It could also inform broader efforts, both in Minnesota and across the country, to integrate housing support with school-based services to address student homelessness. And, because there is limited evidence on what actually works for school-based housing assistance programs like SHSS, this research will fill a gap in  the broader research landscape.

*As of August 27, 2026