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Advocates say transport and frequent school moves drive high absenteeism for NYC students in foster care
Summary
Advocates for Children of New York says a new report on more than 6,000 foster-care students finds 55% are chronically absent and only about 40% graduate on time, and urges city investment in transportation and school-stability measures, including a $3 million request for short-term services.
Advocates for Children of New York say school transportation problems and placement instability are major drivers of high chronic absenteeism among New York City students who spent time in foster care.
"A lot of students in foster care rely on the school bus to get to and from school," said Erica Palmer, a supervising attorney at Advocates for Children of New York, summarizing a report covering more than 6,000 students. The report finds high rates of chronic absenteeism, frequent midyear transfers and lower graduation rates for this group.
Palmer told BronxNet the causes are multiple: pandemic-era attendance disruptions, frequent changes in foster placements and unreliable bus service. "When we see delays in busing, school buses showing up late, there's just lots of difficulties with the transportation system," she said, linking bus problems to missed days and falling behind academically.
The organization urged both short- and long-term remedies. In the near term, Palmer said AFC is seeking additional city funding to arrange alternative rides for students who lack an immediate school-bus route: "So that would really be to pay for some of the increased cost of these car services," she said, describing options such as contracted van services or smaller vehicles with escorts.
Palmer also said AFC supports renegotiating long-standing private bus contracts and broader reforms through its "Road to Better Busing" campaign. The group estimates adding $3,000,000 to the city budget could cover some of the short-term transportation work AFC describes.
Research cited in the report links midyear school transfers to lower ELA and math scores and higher dropout rates; Palmer said students who maintain school continuity are more likely to graduate. She said graduation rates for students in foster care improved from earlier lows of 20–25% but have recently plateaued around the levels reported in the study.
Palmer urged more staff training so school personnel can identify and better support students in foster care, and asked the public to review AFC's data and advocacy materials online. "If folks wanna check out the roads to better busing campaign, they would be able to get involved in some of that advocacy around improving the school bus," she said.
Advocates for Children posted the report and related resources at advocatesforchildren.org. AFC encouraged community members and policymakers to consider both immediate transport supports and longer-term contract and service reforms to reduce absenteeism and improve educational outcomes for children in care.
