Homeless Student Stability Program
Students should be focused on their studies, not where they’re going to sleep at night.
The Homeless Student Stability Program (HSSP) was created with a simple but urgent belief: every student deserves the chance to learn, grow, and succeed without the constant worry of housing instability. In Washington state, more than 42,000 students experience homelessness each year—most of them youth of color, who already face barriers to educational opportunity. Without stable housing, these students are more likely to fall behind in school, face mental health challenges, and lose hope for their future. HSSP tackles this crisis head-on by connecting schools and housing providers to identify students in need, coordinate wraparound support, and provide flexible housing assistance that addresses each family’s unique situation.
Making a difference
Since its launch in 2016, HSSP has made a powerful impact. In the most recent year, school district grants reached over 13,000 students, while housing organization partners helped nearly 2,000 individuals, with 60% of participating households increasing their housing stability.
Behind these numbers are life-changing stories—a student who, after losing their home and missing school, was able to stay in a hotel, get transportation to class, and eventually move into permanent housing; a family who could cover move-in costs and utilities thanks to flexible funds. HSSP proves that when schools and communities work together, we can break down barriers, keep students connected to education, and open the door to a more stable and hopeful future.
HSSP is an ongoing Building Changes project, in partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Homeless Student Stability Program: Interim Evaluation Report, SFY 2026
The Washington State Department of Commerce (Commerce) contracted Building Changes to provide technical assistance and evaluate 12 HSSP grant projects for fiscal year 2025-26 (FY26). In June 2025, the Office of Homeless Youth and Protection Programs (OHY) made the decision to renew all existing HSSP contracts through the next biennium. All 12 grantee communities were given additional funding, and their contracts were extended to June 30, 2027. This evaluation covers the first year of this contracted period of July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. The data used in the evaluation are from the previous cohort 1 and cohort 2, which have been combined into one cohort for this evaluation period.
This interim report provides details on several components of HSSP based in part on reporting requirements in the authorizing legislation and the contract with Commerce including information on program implementation, services, client characteristics and outcomes, partnerships with school districts, technical assistance provided by Building Changes, grantees’ reflections on their program, and other topics.