One in eight NYC public school students experienced homelessness last year

A report released Tuesday by the nonprofit Advocates for Children says one in eight New York City public school students experienced homelessness last school year. More than 138,000 children lived in temporary housing, either in shelters or "doubled up" with family or friends. The total fell 10% from the prior year, largely because fewer families were living in shelters, but it was the 11th straight year the number topped 100,000, the report said. Of those students, 37% lived in shelters and 58% shared housing with other families because of economic hardship.

The report says students in shelters tend to fare worse academically. In 2025, about 27% of shelter students in grades 3-8 were proficient in reading, and about 59% graduated on time, compared with a citywide rate of 81%. Nearly half of students in temporary housing, and 63% of those in shelters, were chronically absent.

Jennifer Pringle of Advocates for Children said the city must do more. She said about 37% of families in shelters are placed in a different borough from their children's school, and that it typically takes more than a month to get a school bus route. She suggested case managers check in with families a week after arrival.

Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said supporting these students is a shared responsibility and that the work is far from over.

The Bronx had the highest rate, nearly 1 in 6 students. Staten Island had the lowest, about 1 in 20.