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About 1/8 of New York City public school students live in temporary housing. Although the number has declined slightly, it still stands at more than 138,000. Those living in shelters have poorer educational performance, absenteeism and relocation, and regional disparities are also very pronounced.
The non-profit organization Advocates for Children released a report on the 10th stating that,new york city More than 138,000 in the 2025-2026 school yearpublic school Students live in temporary housing, accounting for about one-eighth of the city’s public school students. The number of students living in temporary housing decreased 10% from the previous school year, primarily due to fewer students living in shelters, but the total exceeded 100,000 for the 11th consecutive year.
The “homelessness” mentioned in the report is not limited to living on the street; 37% of students live in shelters due to financial difficulties, and 58% of students live with relatives, friends, or other families. The rate of students living in shelters meeting state reading standards last year was less than half that of students in permanent homes; The high school graduation rate at the time was approximately 59%, lower than the citywide rate of 81%; And the dropout rate was 14%, almost three times that of other students.
Transportation is a major barrier to students’ ability to consistently attend school. In the 2024–2025 school year, nearly half of students living in temporary housing were chronically absent, meaning they missed 10% or more of the entire school year; Among students living in shelters, the proportion reached 63%, much higher than the citywide level of about one-third. Additionally, one in five students living in shelters changes schools at least once a year, more than four times the rate of other students.
Jennifer Pringle, director of the organization’s Temporary Housing Student Program, reported that about 37% of shelter families are placed outside the administrative district where their children attend school, and students often have to wait more than a month for school transportation. Families stay in shelters for an average of 14 months, and long-distance transportation also reduces parents’ time looking for work and housing. He suggested that social workers ask families after a week of living if they wanted to move to a shelter closer to the school.
Kamar Samuels, the city’s education director, said the city has expanded its program of designated school personnel to support homeless students and families, and has paired community schools in school districts with focused shelters to provide services like vision care and housing referrals.
The proportion of homeless students in the Bronx ranks first among the five boroughs, at nearly one-sixth; In Manhattan, about one-seventh, but the number of students decreased by 18% year-on-year, the largest decrease; and in Staten Island, the lowest, about one-twentieth. South Bronx School District 9, Brownsville School District 23 in Brooklyn, and Bushwick School District 32 all have more than one-fifth; Queens School District 26, which includes Bayside, Fresh Prairie and Jamaica Estates, has less than 5%.
Summary FAQ
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According to the report, more than 138,000 public school students in New York City are living in temporary housing during the 2025-2026 school year, accounting for about 1/8 of the city’s public school students. Although the number declined 10% from the previous school year, it exceeded 100,000 for the 11th consecutive year.
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Last year, students living in shelters met state reading standards at less than half the rate of students living in permanent homes, and their on-time high school graduation rate was about 59%, significantly lower than the citywide rate of 81%. Nearly half of them are chronically absent from school, and the dropout rate is about 14%, almost three times that of other students.
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The proportion of homeless students in the Bronx ranks first among five districts, with about 1/6; South Bronx School District 9, Brooklyn School Districts 23 and 32 all have more than 1/5. The city government has expanded support from designated personnel and added community schools and referral services to shelter-focused school districts.
