Schoolhouse Connection

What it reported doing in 2024

State policyprogram goal: to reform state laws and policies to improve the lives of youth experiencing homelessness, driven by young people and local communities.updated program activities: in 2024, shc advanced policy reforms in multiple legislatures across the u.s. To increase access to education, vital documents, housing, employment, health care and related supports for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. The most impactful accomplishments during this reporting period were: a) five state policy reforms to substantially improve access to education, vital documents and housing for at least 39,340 homeless youth and adults in three states; b) partnership in advocacy with community organizations and legislators in three states (pa, in, ca) to advance reforms addressing youth homelessness, and d) expansion of shc's advocacy network to more than 310 members in 43 states and the district of columbia. Higher educationprogram goal: youth experiencing homelessness who wish to pursue postsecondary education enroll in postsecondary, and obtain a postsecondary credential. Program activities: in 2024, shc assisted youth, educators, and service providers to navigate the challenging roll-out of the 2024-2025 fafsa. This included: a) 4 new fafsa resources and updates to 16 existing resources, including a video demonstration for youth on how to fill out the fafsa; b) 27 virtual and in-person trainings at local, state, and national conferences, including a standing-room only session at the nasfaa conference. Shc directly assisted more than 50 young people and/or their advocates who reached out for help with the fafsa or with accessing postsecondary education. Shc joined the u.s. Department of education and ecmc's fafsa support strategy to boost 2024-2025 fafsa completion through a targeted social media campaign. The campaign focused on unaccompanied homeless youth ages 18-24 and youth-serving professionals. Shc informed and successfully advocated for improvements to the 2025-2026 fafsa. Shc supported higher education professionals in 24 states through a homeless higher education liaison learning network.youth leadership and scholarships programprogram goals: to provide comprehensive, lasting support to scholars, helping them successfully navigate higher education and transition into the workforce with minimal debt, delays, and barriers. We aim to consistently elevate scholars' voices to drive program innovation and advocate for systemic change.program activities: shc's youth leadership & scholarships (yls) program provides a scholarship award, college completion resources to meet emergency needs, one-on-one help navigating college and life, and a stable peer and adult support network. In 2023, shc hosted three in-person trips for its scholars: a first-year award ceremony to celebrate the newest cohort of scholarship recipients, a second-year summit in Washington dc where students educated federal policymakers on barriers to education created by homelessness, and a third-year retreat for scholars transitioning into the workforce. Shc also created other opportunities for scholars to elevate critical issues, share their stories to drive change, and collaborate with policymakers to improve education for children, youth, and young adults experiencing homelessness. In 2024, this included a student-led panel at the 2024 national conference of state legislatures youth and young adult summit.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 55.5%; rating input score 55
• Program expense ratio: 80.7%; rating input score 81
• Fundraising efficiency: $31.07 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 31.7%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.54; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 21.5%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 23.3% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 25.4% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 29.7% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings