New York City has reached a devastating new milestone: over 154,000 public school students were homeless during the 2023-2024 school year, according to new data from Advocates for Children. The figure, the highest ever recorded, exposes the worsening housing and migration crisis impacting the city’s education system. Despite declining immigration rates, thousands of children remain trapped in instability, missing school and falling behind academically.
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Decade of Rising Homelessness
The number of homeless students in New York City has more than doubled since 2010, even as the total student population declined. Advocates say the persistent rise reveals a deep-rooted housing emergency that the city has failed to solve. “Every year for the past decade, more than 100,000 students in our public schools have been homeless,” said Jennifer Pringle, Director of the Learners in Temporary Housing Project at Advocates for Children. She warned that poor coordination between shelter and school systems often results in students missing weeks of classes.
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Migrant Surge Deepens Crisis
The city’s homeless population surged following the influx of asylum seekers beginning in the summer of 2022. Public schools absorbed an estimated 50,000 new students in temporary housing, putting immense pressure on limited shelter and educational resources. Last year alone, about 65,000 students lived in shelters, while 82,000 others doubled up with friends or relatives, according to the latest figures…