Homelessness and School Attendance: Two Closely Related Challenges for New York City Children
By Paul Bennett Few would argue with the fact that students who aren’t often absent from school do better in class and receive higher grades than those who are frequently or chronically absent. Good report cards tend to be (though may not always be) an indicator of future success. At the very least they mean students are ready to progress to and succeed in the next grade, and ultimately to graduate and thrive in college or in a career. No parent wants their child to be absent too frequently. Yet homeless children, faced with myriad challenges in their personal lives, often miss a great deal of school, and it causes problems that are difficult to solve. Data from the Advocates for Children of New York points to the severity of the problem: Nearly half of all students in temporary housing, and 63 percent of students in shelter, were chronically absent last year, meaning they missed at least one out of eve...
