Overview

• School-based community coordinators in NYC's homeless shelters face funding cuts, risking the support system for thousands of homeless and migrant students.
• The coordinators play a crucial role in connecting students with education services, reducing absenteeism, and ensuring enrollment in appropriate programs.
• With 40,800 students spending time in homeless shelters last year, advocates stress the urgent need to secure funding to continue the coordinators' work.
• The program, partly funded by federal COVID-19 relief, faces a $12.3 million budget shortfall as the city contemplates cuts amidst a surge in the homeless population.
• Advocates and the City Council urge Mayor Adams to restore funding for the 100 coordinator positions to prevent a decline in school attendance and support for homeless students.