Mentor A Promise

Photo credit: ex_flow - stock.adobe.com Homelessness is a profoundly stressful and traumatic experience and, therefore, it should be no surprise that New York City students experiencing homelessness may act out in school, at home or elsewhere. This blog post will examine why many homeless NYC students have behavioral problems, how they may manifest and some resources for those seeking help.  What Are Behavioral Problems? Childhood and adolescence can be tumultuous periods of change in a person’s life. As such, he or she may sometimes argue, be aggressive or act angry or defiant around adults and peers. However, when these and other disruptive behaviors are uncommon for the child’s age, persist over time or are severe, they may have a behavioral problem that will require treatment. [ 1 ] Behavioral disorders may be hereditary, acquired or a combination of both. They may be expressed in the following ways: Impulsivity  Inability to focus Poor time management Mood swings and irri...

  Photo credit: PIC4U - stock.adobe.com Most Americans are at low risk of tuberculosis infection. To the fortunate members of our society, tuberculosis can seem like the sort of thing that plagued our ancestors, but is now all but nonexistent. However, among homeless populations across our country, it is a real and persistent threat. This blog post will explore how prevalent TB is among homeless NYC students as well as the risks it poses to their health and education.  How Common Is TB Among Homeless NYC Students?  Last year, there were 10,347 tuberculosis cases in the United States. [ 1 ] New York City accounted for 839 of the state’s 1,083 TB cases, a 24 percent increase from 2023. [ 2 ] Four percent of those infected - or approximately 34 individuals - were seventeen or younger. [Ibid] While many factors contributed to these alarming stats, a substantial number of those infected were homeless. Indeed, those without safe, reliable housing are ten times more likely to co...

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 pe...