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New York City's Schools Chancellor, Kamar Samuels, is prioritizing the issue of chronic absenteeism among homeless students. According to a recent report by Advocates for Children of New York, over 60% of students living in homeless shelters are chronically absent, and one in five changes schools during the year. This report highlights the challenges faced by more than 150,000 homeless students in New York City.
The report, based on data from the 2024-2025 school year, shows that students in temporary housing have higher rates of absenteeism, frequent school transfers, and poorer outcomes on standardized tests. Jenifer Pringle, a director at AFC, emphasized the difficulties these students face, including long commutes and losing connections to their school communities.
Chancellor Samuels released a statement on Monday (April 6), commending the report and promising to work closely with AFC to provide extra support to vulnerable students. He stated, "Far too often, our students in temporary housing are left behind without the resources and supports they need to succeed." Samuels aims to implement trauma-informed, cross-agency, and data-driven strategies to address absenteeism and improve educational outcomes.
The city government, under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is also expanding outreach programs and improving coordination between city agencies, such as the Education Department and the Department of Homeless Services. However, advocates are urging for more funding and coordination at both the city and state levels to address the issue effectively.
The AFC report calls for changes to the state's Foundation Aid formula to account for students who are unhoused, which would drive additional funding to districts with large numbers of homeless students. Advocates hope these measures will help address the educational challenges faced by homeless students and improve their academic performance.
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