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Why Do Homeless NYC Students Dropout of School?

homeless NYC student high school dropout


As briefly sketched in our previous blog post, homeless New York City students face challenges all but unfamiliar to their peers living in stable housing. At the top of that list is a significantly greater likelihood of leaving school prematurely and without a diploma. This article will examine how and why homeless NYC students dropout of high school. 

What Is The High School Dropout Rate Among Homeless NYC Students?

Even though federal law requires school districts and charter schools to provide extra support to students without stable housing, data shows that homeless students continue to lag behind their stably housed peers in terms of high school graduation rates. According to data compiled by the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), only 64 percent of homeless students graduate from high school versus 78 percent of low-income students and 84 percent of all students. Students experiencing homelessness are 87 percent more likely to drop out of high school than their peers with stable housing. 


Among the most vulnerable homeless students are the following: 

  • Those with disabilities, either physical or learning

  • Those learning English as a second language, which may include migrant students 

  • Those who are unaccompanied or not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian 

Why Do Homeless NYC Students Dropout of School? 

Homelessness can be both physically and psychologically damaging to a developing mind and body. When not living in places neither designated nor fit for human habitation, homeless students tend to reside in overcrowded, substandard housing facilities. While we will discuss chronic absenteeism in greater depth in a subsequent blog post, suffice it to say that homeless children and youths are particularly vulnerable to debilitating illnesses that will cause them to miss school. 


Additionally, homeless students and their families may be moved throughout the five boroughs, thereby disrupting their education and preventing them from building support networks among familiar peers and adults. 


All of these and other factors result in diminished student achievement. For example, fewer than a quarter of homeless students meet grade-level standards, compared to 43 percent of housed students. [1] The statistics are even bleaker for students in shelters. 


As such, many homeless students can’t meet the requirements to graduate. 

How Do We Prevent Homeless NYC Students from Dropping Out of School?

Homeless students have the right to additional support under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. In addition to the liaison mentioned in our previous post, schools must provide the following services to a student identified as homeless: 

  • Waiving enrollment requirements, including immunization forms. 

  • Referring families to health care and housing services 

  • Providing transportation to and from the student’s “school of origin”


All of the preceding services are meant to keep students in the schools they attended before they became homeless, regardless of whether they now reside within attendance boundaries. 


Despite federal law, some school districts and charter schools might be unable or unwilling to comply, in which case the students’ families should seek legal assistance. 


In the meantime, though, the students’ quality of education and retention level may suffer. Therefore, families should contact Mentor A Promise and access their support network and wide array of resources. 

Contact Mentor A Promise Today 

Our organization recognizes the immense potential within each individual and seeks to provide them with the educational resources and opportunities they need to thrive. To that end, we have built a strong network of family shelters, educational institutions and community organizations to support homeless children, youths and their families. Click these links to learn more about what we offer or to get involved. Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness. 
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