Syracuse schools report increase in students without housing or guardians
Syracuse school officials reported a rise in students experiencing temporary housing or living without a parent or guardian.
By the ClickNNY North Country Desk
Syracuse City School District officials reported that about 10% of students need services for temporary housing. The district also reported a more than 9% increase in unaccompanied youth over a one-year period.
The district provides support through the federal McKinney-Vento program, including transportation for eligible students who remain within 50 miles and the option to continue attending the same school. In Onondaga County, the Booth House in Syracuse is the only shelter for unaccompanied children ages 12 through 17 and has 15 beds.
A July report from the New York state comptroller said children account for 32% of the state’s homeless population, twice the national rate. Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital reported that more than 60 children were left there in 2025 because there was no appropriate place for them to go, according to testimony cited in the source material.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
More from ClickNNY
Guides and features from across the North Country.
ClickNNY Election 2026 · Showdown in Jefferson County
Ousted by his own party, still on the ballot: inside Jefferson County’s three-way fight for power
Knocked off his own party's line in June, an incumbent refuses to quit. A 24-year legislator faces his first opponent in years. And a challenger vows to break up a board with no Democrats. Here's who is fighting for your vote on Nov. 3.
ClickNNY Guide · Community
Protecting hibernating bats in St. Lawrence County: what to know
New York residents, including those in St. Lawrence County, can help protect hibernating bats by avoiding restricted caves and mines, limiting tree removal during the winter, and using trained wildlife professionals for bats in homes.
ClickNNY Special Report · Technology
The Good. The Bad. The Rogue.
AI agents are here, working for us, being used against us and, it appears, sometimes doing what nobody told them to. What it means for North Country jobs, money and privacy, and what is still unanswered.