School absences are pervasive across New York City. Almost 1 in 5 New York City public school elementary students (19%) were chronically absent in SY 2013–14, missing 20 days or more of school. Worse, homeless elementary students were chronically absent at roughly twice the rate of elementary students overall. Chronic absenteeism is correlated with lower test scores, an increased risk of being held back, and higher dropout rates. Homeless students disproportionately face these challenges, and their greater likelihood of being chronically absent places them at even more risk. This report builds on the work of the 2015 Atlas of Student Homelessness in New York City by examining the disparities in absenteeism and its impact on educational achievement, comparing homeless students and their housed peers, regardless of family income level.
Report