A new report on homeless students in city schools identified more than 2,700 homeless students in Staten Island schools.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A new report on homeless students in city schools has identified more than 2,700 Staten Island students 5 to 10 years old, who are, or have been homeless.
And Island schools could expect an increase in homeless students when classes begin next month.
The report, released on Wednesday by the non-profit watchdog Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness, (ICPH), says the number of homeless elementary school students citywide in schools could soon be as high as 1 in 7.
According to the report, Island schools enrolled 2,783 homeless students during the 2015-2016 school year, the last year numbers were available.
The number fluctuates during the year as families move about the city's shelter system, but the report identified more than 100,000 homeless students in the public schools during the 2015-16 school year. That's a number equal to the population of Albany, the New York Times reported.
"There are almost 100,000 homeless students in NYC's public schools. Worse, their numbers continue to grow. One out of every seven elementary school students will be condemned to an inferior education if the necessary educational supports and services are not provided on a timely basis," said Dr. Ralph da Costa Nunez, President and CEO of the Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness.
"As a result of the instability endemic to homelessness, on average, these children will be absent for 88 days (approaching half a school year), have roughly half the proficiency of their housed classmates on fifth grade English Language Arts and Math assessments, and be twice as likely to be suspended or held back a grade."
"Education will provide these children with the tools to break the cycle of poverty and reach adulthood able to participate fully in economic and civic life," Nunez said.
The institute relied on the city's data for its report. The definition used by the city for homelessness includes any child in "temporary housing" at some point during the school year.
Here are the numbers for Staten Island students identified in the report:
- The report identified 2,783 homeless students on Staten Island, or 4.4 percent of the student population. The highest number of homeless student were enrolled in elementary grades, from kindergarten through fifth grade, five to 10-years-old.
- A total of 34 percent of these students were identified as sleeping in shelters; 60 percent "doubled-up" with other family members, and 4.5 percent as "unsheltered."
- The mid-year transfer rate for these students was 35 percent.
- The rate of chronic absenteeism was 40 percent.
- Only 18 percent of these students were proficient in math, and 20 percent in English Language Arts, according to the report.
The Department of Education says it provides resources to districts and families of homeless students.
"We recognize students in temporary housing face additional challenges and are providing more resources," the DOE said in a statement.
The ICPH report is free and available at www.icphusa.org. It includes an app that readers can use to get borough-specific details.