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Number of homeless students in NYC schools hits record high, new data shows
By
Jessica Gould
Published Nov 18, 2024
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Karen Yi / Gothamist
By
Jessica Gould
Published Nov 18, 2024
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The number of homeless students in New York City public schools reached a grim new record during the 2023-24 academic year amid the arrival of tens of thousands of migrant families, according to an analysis published Monday.
Data from the nonprofit Advocates for Children of New York found 146,000 public school students were homeless during that school year, a 22% increase from the 119,320 homeless students the year prior. The new tally means that 1 in 8 students across the system were homeless, a count that includes children who lived in shelters or were doubled up in apartments with other families.
The city’s affordability crisis has led to a surge of children living in transitional housing, and the influx of migrant families has pushed that number even higher. The city does not track students’ immigration status, but a city comptroller analysis suggests there were roughly 50,000 migrant families with children in city shelters this past summer.
“Our students who are experiencing homelessness are among our most vulnerable, and it is a continued priority at New York City Public Schools to provide them with the support and resources they need to succeed in school,” education department spokesperson Chyann Tull said in a statement.
The data shows the number of children in transitional housing increased in every school district across the city, but the problem was especially concentrated in Upper Manhattan, the southwest Bronx, and parts of northeast and central Brooklyn.
“It is unconscionable that year after year tens of thousands of students in this city don’t have a permanent home,” said Jennifer Pringle, a project director at Advocates for Children. “While the city works to help families find permanent housing it must also focus more attention on helping students succeed in school. School can be the key to breaking the cycle of homelessness.”
Homeless students face tremendous educational obstacles. Children who bounce between shelters and temporary homes are more likely to be chronically absent, struggle academically and drop out of school, according to another analysis from Advocates for Children.
As tens of thousands of migrants poured into the city last year, Mayor Eric Adams also imposed a new 60-day limit on shelter stays for migrant families, increasing instability. City councilmembers last spring pointed to city data that showed 1 in 5 students evicted from shelters under the policy were no longer enrolled in the schools they attended before their eviction.
Christine Quinn, president of Win, a network of shelters and supportive housing, called the numbers “staggering."
“It’s a condemnation of our city,” she said.
Quinn added that the city should immediately “cease and desist” on the 60-day limit for migrant families, which she called “cruel and ineffective,” and called for officials to increase the number of housing vouchers available for homeless families.
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education
Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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