Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

This paper investigates the means by which New York City’s public schools, individually and collectively, can and do support the education of growing numbers of homeless students. Laws, policies, and individual ad-hoc practices that affect homeless students attending public schools are analyzed to assess layers of practice against educational standards. Data derived from survey results and interviews with school administrators, teachers, and social workers allow me to identify problems that homeless students face and innovative solutions that schools implement. My findings concur with preexisting literature that transportation to school is a critical issue, yet add that mental and emotional health struggles are even more pressing. Results also reveal problems and solutions rising from: lack of coordination with providers of services for homeless parents and students; insufficient food, amenities, and basic facilities; and insufficient supports for homeless students with disabilities. My surveys and interviews yield information on ad-hoc supportive tactics, uncovering the most common and innovative methods of lowering academic barriers.

Based on my research findings, I propose strategies to bolster homeless students’ mental and emotional health, such as expanding policies that emphasize extracurriculars and that fund social workers’ presence in schools. My respondents also requested new policies to solidify networks and communication between organizations and schools, e.g., in-school publicity for services, creation of a system to efficiently match organizations with schools and mandatory meetings between organizations’ staff and schools’ staff. Finally, I propose options for New York State, City, or the NYC DOE to resolve complex NYC Health Department regulations on food distribution that interfere with efforts to feed homeless students.