The statistics are both startling and depressing: during the previous school year, almost 146,000 public school pupils in New York City were homeless. This startling figure, which translates to around one in eight NYC public school students, highlights a serious societal issue that the city is still dealing with, according to a recent report. According to a report from PIX11, the Advocates for Children of New York called these numbers “record highs” that were made worse by a noticeable increase in migrant families and asylum seekers.
When compared to the already concerning figures from the prior year, a detailed analysis of data from the State Education Department shows a startling 23% increase. Comprehensive answers are more important than ever. About 41% of the 146,000 impacted children, or 60,395 pupils, lived in shelters for a while, while roughly 54% were temporarily housed with others. Nearly 7,000 students were either completely homeless or staying in hotels or motels. The Bronx and Manhattan, as well as the Brooklyn communities of Bushwick and Brownswille, have especially high rates of homelessness. “There are more students without a permanent place to call home than there are seats at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field combined,” officials said in the statistics studied by PIX11, illustrating the situation.
Experts claim that these figures have significant ramifications for schooling. A child’s ability to learn and build enduring social relationships can be severely hampered by homelessness. “It’s definitely alarming,” said Will Watts, a Coalition for the Homeless representative, in a statement to FOX 5 New York, emphasizing the necessity of systemic changes.
Increasing the supply of affordable housing and lowering school commuting times through the thoughtful placement of shelters are two specific options. These are quick actions that could lessen the adverse effects that transitioning children may experience. Jennifer Pringle, Director of Project LIT at Advocates for Children, told FOX 5 New York, “We know that the lack of affordable housing, domestic violence, as well as immigrants coming to New York City are all the causes for families entering shelter.” In order to assist families under their care and reduce disruptions to the educational process, the NYC Department of Homeless Services has also expressed their dedication to collaborating closely with the public school system.
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