Advocates warn housing instability is affecting attendance, achievement and access to school transportation
By Midtown Times Staff
NEW YORK (Midtown Times) — More than 138,000 New York City public school students experienced homelessness during the 2025–26 school year—about one in every eight students—according to a new report from Advocates for Children of New York.
The report, based on state education data, found that approximately 50,700 students stayed in shelters, while roughly 81,100 temporarily shared housing with others because of housing loss or financial hardship.
The total was 10% lower than the prior school year, largely because the number of students in shelters fell by 22%. Student homelessness declined in all five boroughs, but advocates cautioned that the overall figure remains exceptionally high.
The Bronx had the city’s highest rate of student homelessness, while Staten Island had the lowest. More than one in five students in community school districts covering Highbridge and the Grand Concourse, Brownsville and Bushwick lacked stable housing. In Brownsville’s District 23, more than one in eight students lived in shelters—about three times the citywide rate.
Maria Odom, executive director of Advocates for Children, said the decline was encouraging but noted that more than 100,000 students have experienced homelessness in New York City for 11 consecutive years.
Housing insecurity can also make it harder for students to attend and succeed in school. During the 2024–25 school year, nearly half of students in temporary housing and 63% of students in shelters were chronically absent, the report found, resulting in at least 1.1 million missed instructional days.
Academic and graduation outcomes also showed disparities. In 2025, 27% of students in grades three through eight who lived in shelters reached reading proficiency on state exams—less than half the rate among permanently housed students. Among shelter residents, 59% graduated on time, while 14% dropped out, about three times the rate for students with stable housing.
Advocates are urging city leaders to strengthen rental assistance and voucher programs, expand affordable housing and improve school transportation. The report said nearly 1,800 students in shelters finished the school year without bus service, either because their needs were not properly recorded or no bus was available.
Win President and CEO Christine Quinn called the number of children without permanent homes unacceptable and said transportation and educational support must accompany housing assistance.
Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels said the Education Department is working with city agencies and advocacy groups to support students in temporary housing, including through community schools in districts with high shelter populations. He acknowledged that more work remains to ensure students can access a stable, high-quality education.
