蜜桃影视

Explore

NYC鈥檚 Homeless Student Population Stabilized in 2018-19 After a Decade-Long Surge, Report Finds. But the Educational Crisis Continues

Derek Mindler/Flickr

Updated, Oct. 28

The number of homeless students in New York City stabilized in 2018-19 after ballooning over the past decade 鈥 but 鈥渄ismal educational outcomes鈥 for these young people continue to constitute a crisis, according to a released Monday from Advocates for Children of New York.

The organization, using state-compiled data, reported 114,085 homeless students across both district and charter schools 鈥 about 1 in every 10 students in a system that encompasses 1.1 million students in district public schools and about 126,000 in charters.聽That鈥檚 enough to fill Yankee Stadium twice, or Barclays Center six times.

The count marks a modest 0.5 percent drop from the 114,659 record-high total for 2017-18 and a divergence from the past 10 or so years, when totals rose steadily by thousands of students annually. 聽The number of homeless students in the city has spiked 70 percent since 2009-10, up from .

Homeless students are defined as those who live 鈥,鈥 which includes living 鈥渄oubled up鈥 with other families, or who stay in a shelter, hotel or motel. They are considered one of the most vulnerable student populations in the school system.

Other key data from the report:

鈼 103,013 of New York City鈥檚 reported homeless students last year 鈥攁bout 90 percent of the total 鈥 attended district schools. This closely matches the city’s overall proportion of district vs. charter school students.

鈼徛Of the total, more than 34,000 students were living in New York City鈥檚 shelters, and 73,750 were living 鈥渄oubled-up鈥 in temporary housing situations.

鈼徛85 percent of these students are black or Hispanic.

鈼徛Homeless students make up 20 to 25 percent of the student populations in Local District 5 in Manhattan, Districts 9 and 12 in the Bronx and District 23 in Brooklyn.

鈼徛燚istricts across New York state reported a total 148,554 homeless students in 2018-19 鈥 down from the prior year 鈥 with Rochester, Hempstead and Syracuse school districts each reporting more than 1,600 homeless youth. This means that New York City public schools account for nearly 77 percent of the state鈥檚 homeless student population. The city is home to more than 40 percent of all New York state鈥檚 students.

Advocates for Children of New York is 鈥渃ertainly glad to see that the number is flat,鈥 policy director Randi Levine said on a call Friday. But that 1 in 10 students remains homeless, she said, underscores city and education officials鈥 responsibility to 鈥減ay attention to students who are homeless, and to increase resources and attention to this population.鈥

While outside factors like unaffordable housing and domestic violence are known contributors to student homelessness, the lack of a high school diploma is 鈥渢he single greatest risk factor for homelessness among young adults,鈥 according to the report.

Homeless students often face many barriers to obtaining that diploma, however. They regularly confront uncertain or unstable home environments, school disruptions and emotional trauma that can hurt their standardized test scores and spur higher dropout rates. On state exams, homeless youth鈥檚 math and English proficiency falls about 20 percentage points below the districtwide average. Only about of those who are homeless at some point during their high school career graduate.

Advocates for Children of New York does credit Mayor Bill de Blasio鈥檚 administration and the Department of Education for taking 鈥渟ome positive steps鈥 to support homeless students in school. There have been new leaders to serve this population, such as Deputy Chancellor of School Climate and Wellness LaShawn Robinson, Levine said. In the past year, the city 鈥 鈥 increased the number of 鈥淏ridging the Gap鈥 social workers from 69 to 100 and 聽100 community coordinators in schools with high numbers of homeless students. Under de Blasio鈥檚 administration, K-6 students living in shelters also receive bus service, and more of these youth are enrolling in pre-K, according to the report.

As the city works to expand school resources for homeless students, it鈥檚 simultaneously tackling a citywide epidemic. In the past week alone, de Blasio鈥檚 administration took heat from critics for a little-known city program that to other cities, and for its homeless counts, which inaccurately portray the scope of the problem. While some metrics suggest progress 鈥 population growth within city-run shelters is reportedly slowing, for example, increasing by since 2016 鈥 de Blasio continues to face pressure from advocates for more affordable housing options and resources.

De Blasio reiterated the city鈥檚 support of homeless youth to 蜜桃影视 at a press conference on the first day of school in early September.

鈥淭here was not a particularly clear strategy in our schools [in the past] for addressing homeless kids,鈥 he said. 鈥淣ow, we provide a whole lot of extra support to schools that have a substantial number of homeless kids. 鈥 It is about taking the initiatives we started and deepening them and making them more effective.鈥

Advocates are eagerly waiting for those newer supports to yield tangible results.

鈥淲e need to see the city translate the supports to educational outcomes,鈥 Levine said. 鈥淣ow the harder work begins.鈥

Did you use this article in your work?

We鈥檇 love to hear how 蜜桃影视鈥檚 reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers.

Republish This Article

We want our stories to be shared as widely as possible 鈥 for free.

Please view 蜜桃影视's republishing terms.





On 蜜桃影视 Today