Consequences of Eviction-Led Forced Mobility for School-Age Children in Houston

Eviction cases are concentrated among renter households with children, yet we know little about the repercussions of evictions for children’s educational trajectories. In this study, we link eviction records in Harris County, Texas, to educational records of students enrolled in the Houston Independent School District between 2002 and 2016. At least 13,000 public school students in Houston lived in households that were filed against for eviction. These students came from disadvantaged backgrounds, and nearly a quarter lived in households that were filed against repeatedly. Students whose parents were threatened with eviction were more likely than their peers to have left the district by the next academic year. Students who remained were more likely to have switched schools, often relocating to schools with fewer resources, more student turnover, and lower test scores. Eviction filings were associated with increases in absences and, among students who switched schools, more suspensions.