1 in 8 Students in New York City Experiences Homelessness

In New York City alone, 146,000 public school students were without stable housing at some point during the last school year. According to the New York Times, this new peak continues a string of nine consecutive years for the city with a homeless student population over 100,000. 

The rate of homelessness among NYC public school students during the 2023-2024 school year was 23% higher than the previous year. The Times also reports that over half of all students experiencing homelessness were chronically absent from classes.

The city’s Department of Homeless Services places roughly 40 percent of families in shelters in a borough other than the one where their children attend school, Ms. Pringle [a director at Advocates for Children of New York] said.

She added that this was a primary cause of disruptions like absences: In the 2022-23 school years, over half of the city’s homeless students were chronically absent, missing at least one in 10 school days. One in every 32 homeless students was suspended from school, the group said.

"Oftentimes, parents are put in the position of having to choose between what they need to do to secure permanent housing and making sure that their kids’ educational needs are being met,” Ms. Pringle said. “The city makes it that much harder by creating these ridiculously long commutes for families back and forth to school.”

Incomplete Education and Youth Homelessness: a Vicious Cycle

As the New York Times' reporting shows, housing instability creates huge barriers to education for young people. We also know that there is no greater single risk factor for experiencing homelessness as a young adult than not finishing high school. With homelessness making it difficult to attend school, and incomplete education leading to more homelessness, a vicious cycle emerges.

Nine consecutive years in which 100,000 or more students have faced homelessness will shape the landscape of youth homelessness in New York City for years to come. Issues like this show why we desperately need to work toward preventing youth homelessness, and not just treat the symptoms of the crisis.

Covenant House Ensures Youth Stay Connected to Education

Only 51% of youth who come through our doors have a high school diploma. But at Covenant House, we do everything we can to ensure that our residents are able to continue pursuing education. It’s a priority because we know it is so essential to breaking the cycle of homelessness and to ending youth homelessness as we know it.

Take Elijah for example. Last spring, he  graduated as the valedictorian of Walter L. Cohen high school while living at Covenant House New Orleans. Throughout his senior year, Covenant House provided Elijah with more than just a place to stay. He says it became a nurturing environment where he found mentorship, resources, and the support he needed to maintain his academic trajectory. He is continuing his studies in graphic design at Xavier University and dreams of working in 3D modeling and comic design.

Elijah might never have realized his extraordinary potential if he hadn’t found the support he needed. Success stories like his demonstrate why it is so important that all youth have the resources they need to fully participate in their education and avoid getting caught in a cycle of homelessness.