Take Ten is a new video series from ICPH that highlights innovative programs and interesting research in the field of child and family homelessness in under ten minutes. Take a break and learn about Homes for the Homeless. Click here to register for the Beyond Housing Conference.…
Category: Archive
Addressing Hunger Among Homeless Children
A Q&A With Derrick Lambert, Senior Manager, Center for Best Practices, No Kid Hungry Campaign Housing and food insecurity are two persistent realities in the lives of children that often go hand in hand. For the close to 1.4 million students who experience homelessness across the country, hunger is one of the many challenges they…
Absenteeism Among Homeless Students: Where Housing and School Instability Meet
Regular school attendance is a recurring challenge for the 105,000 homeless students in New York City Public Schools. During the 2016–17 school year, 36%, or approximately 36,000, of these students were chronically absent, missing more than 10% of the year, or over three weeks of school. Close to 13,000 students (around 13% of all homeless…
Seeking Stability: What Applying for Shelter Truly Means for New York City’s Homeless Families
By July 2019, the most recent month of available data, there were over 11,800 families with over 23,000 children sleeping in New York City shelters—a 49% increase since 2011. Every month, over 2,000 families apply for shelter from across New York City, yet only around 40% of them are deemed eligible for shelter. For many…
7 Things You Need to Know About NYC’s Homeless Students
As 1.1 million New York City students head back to school next week, it is important to remember that 1 in 10 students experience homelessness every year, and as a result face unique educational challenges. Since 2010, over 220,000 students experienced housing instability while enrolled in New York City public schools. In fact, the number…
Time to Step Up: The Educational Crisis of Homeless Students in NYC
Dr. Ralph da Costa Nunez Over five years ago the de Blasio administration came into office determined to reduce family homelessness. The mayor implemented an ambitious affordable housing plan, pledging to create and preserve some 300,000 units in part to help house the homeless over the next 10 years. Last year, the administration spent $53…
Mental Health Challenges Facing NYC’s Homeless High School Students
After years of steady decline, suicide rates among high school students are on the rise, with suicide now ranking as the second-highest cause of death among adolescents aged 15–19. Adolescence is a transitional stage of life and the day-to-day challenges faced during this time can be overwhelming for many, placing them at heightened risk of…
Identifying a Crisis: How Montana Transformed its Approach to Rural Student Homelessness
Across America, the number of students experiencing homelessness in rural communities is rising at an unprecedented pace. Montana saw a staggering 145% increase between school years 2013–14 and 2016–17—more than 48 times the 3% national growth rate and second only to Nebraska’s 200% increase. But what accounts for this rapid ‘growth’? Indisputably, the increase of…
Your Perspectives on Child and Family Homelessness
What We Heard From Survey Responses During Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week By Katie Linek Puello During Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, ICPH asked for your perspectives on child and family homelessness. We heard from those who work in education, homeless services, government, advocacy, research, faith and community organizations, and concerned citizens about the needs…
The Intimate Relationship between Domestic Violence and Homelessness
Domestic violence is a highly emotional issue that affects not only adults, but children as well. Domestic violence not only results in emotional turmoil, but also in social, economic, and housing instability for parents and their children. No community is immune; domestic violence is present in every community across the country. What is not often…
3 Pitfalls of Mid-year Transfers for Homeless ELL Students
One in six English Language Learners (ELLs) in New York City public schools is homeless. While learning science, math, and social studies, these students face the added challenge of learning the English language. Adding to the instability of homelessness, it is common for homeless students to transfer schools mid-year; 22,188 homeless students transferred mid-year in…
What Students and Teachers Say About School Climate at Suspension Hubs
The NYC DOE surveys parents, teachers, and students each year to gather information on a host of topics including school safety, investment in learning, and discipline approach. Responses indicate that there is a connection between school climate and suspension rates—the poorer the climate, the higher the suspension rate.…