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YOUR CHILD’S RIGHT TO SCHOOL

(Article published in HWW July-August 2010)


“All students who are homeless are entitled to enrollment and transportation to school.”

by Vanessa Fuentes, New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYS-TEACHS)


SCHOOL CHOICE

By law, children living in shelters have the right to attend:

1) The zoned school where you are currently living

OR

2) The school where your child was last enrolled

OR

  1. 3)The school your child attended when you were last permanently housed


Here are a few important reminders:

  1. •Even if your family has moved to a different borough, all parents in temporary housing have the right to keep their children in the school they were attending. For example, if your children attended school in Brooklyn and your family has been placed in a shelter in Manhattan. Your children can keep going to their same school in Brooklyn.

  2. •Even if a child has a GED or has dropped out of school, students still have the right to attend school until they receive their high school diploma or until the end of the school year in which they turn 21 years old. In addition, the Department of Education has alternative high schools specifically for older students who don’t have many credits or who have been out of school for some time. For more information, contact the STH Content Expert for your borough (see below for contact information).

  3. •All students in New York City have the right to stay in the same school until they graduate from that school. This is true even if you are living in a different community school district in the city while you are homeless or after you move into permanent housing.


All children and youth in New York City can attend public school until they get a high school diploma or turn 21 years old. All children who turn 6 years old before December 31 must enroll in school. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs are available to children who are 4 and 5 years old, but enrollment is not required.


HOW TO DECIDE WHETHER TO TRANSFER SCHOOLS

When deciding whether to transfer your child to a local school or keep them in their current school, you should think about what’s best for your child. Here are some questions to think about:

  1. •Does your child have friends in her old school that will help your child during this difficult time?

  2. •Is your child doing well in his or her current school?

  3. •Would his or her credits transfer to his or her new school?

  4. •Is your child close to his/her teachers?

  5. •How far would your child have to travel to school?


You should also try to get as much information as possible about the new school before you make your decision. If you have access to the internet, you should read about the local school on www.insideschools.org (if you don’t know the name of the local school, you should ask the Department of Education Family Assistant at the shelter, or you can look up the name of the school zoned for the shelter by entering the shelter address into the “Find a School” box on the Department of Education’s website: www.schools.nyc.gov). If possible, try to visit the school for a tour or go to a PTA meeting. Talk to parents about what they like and don’t like. If you can go on a school tour, here are some questions to think about:

  1. •Do the children in the school seem happy?

  2. •Does the school seem like a friendly place?

  3. •Does it seem like the teachers are engaging?

  4. •How do teachers handle students’ behavior? What is this school's approach to student discipline and safety?

  5. •Are parents welcome in the school? What are the ways parents can be involved in their children’s education at the school?

  6. •How does the school support students who have academic, social or emotional needs?

  7. •What resources does the school offer for students who are not fluent in English?


Did you know?

Students who transfer schools a lot do worse in school.  They are more likely to repeat grade and to drop out of high school.  Often it’s hard for children to catch up with the work being done in the new classroom and they fall behind.  Also, many children have a hard time without their friends and former teachers.  In most cases, children do better if they stay in their same school.


ENROLLMENT

In New York City, there are Department of Education workers in every shelter (except for domestic violence shelters). These workers, also known as Family Assistants, are there to help you with enrollment and transportation for your child. If there is not a Family Assistant in the shelter where you are staying, or if he/she cannot help you, contact the Students in Temporary Housing (STH) Content Expert for your borough (see below for contact information).

Although students who are homeless can still enroll in school and start attending classes even if they are missing records, you should try to bring the following documents with you when you register your child for school:

1) Proof of your child’s age (original birth certificate, Baptismal certificate, or passport).

2) Record of your child’s immunizations and medical exam. All children attending a NYC school for the first time must have a complete physical exam. To find a clinic for your child’s exam and shots, call 311 or the STH content expert for your borough.

3) Proof of address (if you’re in the shelter system, take a residency letter from the shelter where you are staying)

Note: Your child should be enrolled in school the same day you take your child to register at the new school. If there are any problems, immediately contact the STH Content Expert for your borough (see below for contact information).


PRE-KINDERGARTEN (PRE-K)

If your child is 4 years old by December 31, your child is eligible for pre-kindergarten, also known as pre-k. To enroll in pre-k, you and your child should visit your local school. If there is no room at your local school, talk to the Department of Education worker at your shelter or the STH Content Expert for your borough (see below for contact information) for help enrolling your child in pre-k at another school in the area.


TRANSPORTATION

If there is an available bus route, students in temporary housing in grades K-6 can get yellow busing. Contact the Department of Education worker at the shelter or the STH Content Expert for your borough to check if a bus route is available and to set up transportation (see below for contact information). Busing should take no more than 3-5 days to set up.

If there is NOT an available bus route or the student is NOT in grades K-6, the student should ask for a full-fare Student MetroCard from his or her school or from the Department of Education worker at the shelter. In addition, parents who must accompany their children on the subway or the public bus should get a MetroCard for themselves from the Department of Education worker at the shelter or from the STH Content Expert for your borough (see below for contact information). There is no time limit on how long parents who are homeless may receive MetroCards to accompany their children to school.

If the student has to travel a far distance to school, families may be able to transfer to a shelter that is closer to the child’s school, depending on whether there are beds available in that closer shelter. To request a shelter transfer, talk to your shelter caseworker, the family assistant at your shelter, or the STH Content Expert for your borough (see below for contact information).


Transportation Help

After requesting busing, you should find out within a couple of days whether it is available.  If it is available, your child should be given a bus route 3-5 days after your request. If you haven’t heard after 3-5 days, contact the Office of Pupil Transportation (718) 784-3313 and the STH Content Expert for your borough (see below for contact information).


CONTACT INFORMATION

To find out the STH Content Expert for your borough, please contact the New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students (NYS-TEACHS) at (800) 388-2014.

OR

If you continue to face problems with your child’s enrollment or transportation, please contact Susana Vilardell, STH Senior Program Manager, at (212) 374-2530, Nicole Fenice, STH Program Coordinator, at (212) 374-0860, or NYS-TEACHS at (800) 388-2014.