Nouyòk Times | Jennifer Pringle, a project director at the nonprofit group Advocates for Children who works with families in temporary housing, said that the next mayor would need to look beyond the Education Department to ensure success for homeless children.

“Schools can try as hard as they can,” Ms. Pringle said. But without more support from other agencies, “it’s just not going to move the needle.”

In a city defined by extreme wealth, some obstacles — like needing to buy an alarm clock to wake up on time, or finding a quiet space to complete homework — might be minor hiccups to more well-off families but can cause chaos for homeless children.