FREE TRANSPORTATION FOR CHILDREN IN SHELTERS

(Article published in HWW April  2004)

Your children’s rights to an education are protected by Federal, state and local laws and regulations. This is the second in a series of articles explaining these rights.

by Kristen Woolf of the Partnership for the Homeless’ Education Rights Project and Jennifer Pringle of Advocates for Children.

SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN & YOUTH LIVING IN SHELTERS

Federal, state, and local laws and regulations say that homeless children have the right to attend their school of origin and have the right to transportation to and from their school of origin.

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, one of the duties of the Students in Temporary Housing Regional Coordinator is to ensure that parents of homeless children are “informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children (M-V Section 722(g)(6)(A)(iv), and are “fully informed of all transportation services including transportation to the school of origin and ((are) assisted in access transportation to the school.” (M-V Section 722(g)(6)(A)(vii).

In NYC school bus service is available for homeless students in K through 6 if there is an available bus route. For older children or where a bus route is not available, homeless children should receive full fare MetroCards. (Chancellor’s Regulation A-780.)

The Family Assistant in your shelter or the Regional Coordinator for Students in Temporary Housing should arrange for transportation to school.

If you don’t know which Region you are in, call 311 and give the operator your address and zip code and say you need to know the number of your school REGION. Then call the number (see list below) and ask for the Coordinator for Students in Temporary Housing (STH).

PARENTS TRAVELING WITH THEIR CHILDREN TO AND FROM THE ‘SCHOOL OF ORIGIN’

If there is not an available bus route and if your children are young, must travel long distances or take a complex travel route, parents who must accompany the children can receive a transportation grant from public assistance. If the parent is not eligible for public assistance, the Students in Temporary Housing Regional Coordinator should arrange for either bussing or help the parent obtain a MetroCard to accompany the child. (M-V Section 722(g)(6)(A)(vii).

For more information contact Kristen Woolf at The Partnership for the Homeless at (800) 235-3444 x 135.

WHERE TO GO FOR SCHOOL INFORMATION

Region # / STH Coordinator

1. 1.Iris Nieves 718 741 5421
   Harvey Kaplan 718 741-5833
   

2. 2.Katherine Marshall-Polite
   718 828-2998, 6426
   

3. 3.Vicky Triant
   718 739-3636, 718 244-5353
   Sara Nunez
   718 739-7142, 3636
   

4. 4.Merna Vega-Eatmon
   718 391-8368
   

5. 5.Shelly Youngelman
   718 529-5600 x8106
   

6. 6.Rebecca Cheraquit-Paulin
   718 968-6240
   

7. 7.William Bonner
   718 420-5640
   

8. 8.Patricia Tataro
   718 935-4205
   

9. 9.Bo Diaz
   212 356-3724
   

10. 10.Antonio Guerrero
    917 521-3632