More than 220,000
NYC public school students
have experienced homelessness
since the 2010-11 school year.
During the 2016-17 school year, one in 10 NYC public school students were identified as homeless. These students were more likely to have transferred mid-year and to have missed school repeatedly, two factors that can affect a student’s ability to stay on pace with their classmates. Younger homeless students were under-enrolled in the city’s pre-K programs and were more likely to have their special education needs identified late. And academic outcomes, including standardized assessments and graduation rates, were consistently lower for students who had experienced homelessness.
Education represents one of the most powerful tools for breaking the cycle of poverty. But the instability of homelessness creates obstacles and challenges that can adversely affect the academic outcomes of students who experience it. Understanding the effects of housing instability in the lives of these students is necessary to effectively support their needs, and ensure that they can have the same educational opportunities as their housed peers.
Student Homelessness in New York City uses enrollment data from the New York City Department of Education dating back to the 2010–11 school year to explore this growing crisis. Released as a series, this resource will cover topics such as the geography of student homelessness and school instability factors like chronic absenteeism and mid-year school transfers. Later topics in the series will examine barriers to learning including whether the needs of homeless students who are learning English or have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are being met, the disproportionate suspension rates for homeless students, and lastly, the effects of housing instability on academic outcomes like graduation rates and test scores. This series is useful to educators, service providers, policymakers, and concerned citizens hoping to better understand the challenges facing homeless students.
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