CHILDREN IN NEW YORK CITY: THE HIDDEN SIDE OF HOMELESSNESS
By Paul Bennett, Volunteer Blog Writer at Mentor A Promise
More than a million young students in the U.S.—the number is greater than 100,000 in Gotham alone—live in cars, shelters, or with relatives.
More than a million young students in the U.S.—the number is greater than 100,000 in Gotham alone—live in cars, shelters, or with relatives.
 |
| people inside subway metro train during trip, passengers in public transport by mast3r |
Anyone who rides the New York City subways during weekday mornings and afternoons will see middle- and high school students traveling to and from school. They study, talk, and stare at their phones. Most wear regular clothes, and some wear uniforms. Some carry sporting gear, others musical instruments, or extra bags. Several of the kids one sees on any given day may well be homeless, but the casual observer wouldn’t know that, because homeless students don’t look any different from those with homes.
Here is a sobering fact: Children are one of the fastest-growing segments of the homeless population in the U.S. In New York City alone in the 2023-2024 school year, about 100,000 public school students were homeless. These kids are less visible than homeless adults.
According to the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), the number of children under the age of 18 experiencing homelessness during the 2021-2022 school year nationwide was greater than the total number of children in 28 states. Nearly 1.2 million children were either homeless (living in a shelter, or in unsheltered locations such as a car or tent) or doubled-up (sharing housing with friends or family beyond a unit’s designated capacity).
Between the 2004-05 school year and the 2022-23 school year, NCHE data for public schools show a 110 percent increase in the number of children and families who meet the federal education definition of homelessness, which includes those in shelters and motels, unsheltered, and staying temporarily with others. Except for decreased estimates during the pandemic, resulting from school building closures and the inability to identify homeless students, the overall trend has been steadily upward.
A report from the National League of Cities notes that children face dire problems from being homeless. “Beyond physical health, research has also found that homelessness is linked to developmental delays in young children,” including a condition called toxic stress, which can disrupt the brain’s critical early development. Research indicates that 50 percent of homeless children under the age of four have developmental delays, a rate three to four times higher than that of children not experiencing homelessness.
Children grappling with housing insecurity or homelessness as they’re just starting their lives may face disadvantages later in life—deficiencies in reading and math skills may keep them from graduating high school or attending college, hampering future success in the workforce. For children unable to find stable housing, these disadvantages may be impossible to rectify.
Because society can’t afford to lose this much human potential, the federal government has programs that actively seek to help homeless students succeed in school.
The Department of Education is a member of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and supports the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. All public school districts must comply with the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act, which states that homeless children have the right to immediate and equal access to public education. Its Education and Homeless Children and Youth program identifies and assists school-age children and youth experiencing homelessness. Numerous state and federal agencies augment these efforts.
In New York City, nonprofits such as Covenant House, Coalition for the Homeless, and Operation Backpack have programs that address homelessness and its impact on children’s education. Mentor a Promise provides children facing homelessness or housing insecurity with the support they need to succeed in school and pave the way for successful lives and thrive in whatever career they choose. Please visit www.mentorapromise.org to learn more about our vital work.
Here is a sobering fact: Children are one of the fastest-growing segments of the homeless population in the U.S. In New York City alone in the 2023-2024 school year, about 100,000 public school students were homeless. These kids are less visible than homeless adults.
According to the National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), the number of children under the age of 18 experiencing homelessness during the 2021-2022 school year nationwide was greater than the total number of children in 28 states. Nearly 1.2 million children were either homeless (living in a shelter, or in unsheltered locations such as a car or tent) or doubled-up (sharing housing with friends or family beyond a unit’s designated capacity).
Between the 2004-05 school year and the 2022-23 school year, NCHE data for public schools show a 110 percent increase in the number of children and families who meet the federal education definition of homelessness, which includes those in shelters and motels, unsheltered, and staying temporarily with others. Except for decreased estimates during the pandemic, resulting from school building closures and the inability to identify homeless students, the overall trend has been steadily upward.
A report from the National League of Cities notes that children face dire problems from being homeless. “Beyond physical health, research has also found that homelessness is linked to developmental delays in young children,” including a condition called toxic stress, which can disrupt the brain’s critical early development. Research indicates that 50 percent of homeless children under the age of four have developmental delays, a rate three to four times higher than that of children not experiencing homelessness.
Children grappling with housing insecurity or homelessness as they’re just starting their lives may face disadvantages later in life—deficiencies in reading and math skills may keep them from graduating high school or attending college, hampering future success in the workforce. For children unable to find stable housing, these disadvantages may be impossible to rectify.
Because society can’t afford to lose this much human potential, the federal government has programs that actively seek to help homeless students succeed in school.
The Department of Education is a member of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and supports the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. All public school districts must comply with the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act, which states that homeless children have the right to immediate and equal access to public education. Its Education and Homeless Children and Youth program identifies and assists school-age children and youth experiencing homelessness. Numerous state and federal agencies augment these efforts.
In New York City, nonprofits such as Covenant House, Coalition for the Homeless, and Operation Backpack have programs that address homelessness and its impact on children’s education. Mentor a Promise provides children facing homelessness or housing insecurity with the support they need to succeed in school and pave the way for successful lives and thrive in whatever career they choose. Please visit www.mentorapromise.org to learn more about our vital work.
Comments
Post a Comment