Why Should Homeless NYC Students Stay At Their School of Origin?

 

Homeless NYC Students Get to their School of Origin
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Clichéd as it sounds, high performance in school can open many doors for students, even those without stable housing. Along with confidence and a strong support system, these students have a greater chance of breaking the cycle of homelessness. That said, high performance in school requires educational continuity, such as that provided by staying at a school of origin. This blog post will explore why homeless NYC students should stay at their school of origin as well as the rights and resources available to ensure that. 

What Is A School of Origin?

“School of origin” is a clunky legalistic phrase that can be translated as the “school the student attended before they became homeless or the school in which the student was last enrolled.” [1]. This definition would include preschools and, in the event a student completes the final grade level served by the school of origin, the designated receiving school at the next grade level which the school of origin feeds into. 

What Happens If A Homeless NYC Student Doesn’t Stay At Their School Of Origin?

As we’ve expressed in myriad ways in previous blog posts, young people benefit from stability and homelessness is the absolute antithesis of that. With no fixed address, a student may attend multiple schools over the course of their academic career or even a single year. When this happens, homeless students may experience:
  • Difficulty catching up to different curricula, pacing and teaching methods
  • Trouble in building upon previously learned knowledge and skills
  • Gaps in education, i.e. missed or repeated lessons
  • The loss of established friendships
  • Anxiety, sadness, loneliness and/or a sense of loss
  • The feeling of being an outsider
  • Behavioral changes, including withdrawal, acting out and/or a decreased motivation and engagement

How Do Homeless NYC Students Stay At Their School of Origin?

Homeless New York City students have multiple resources for remaining at their schools of origin. The first is Chancellor’s Regulation A-780, which states that homeless or temporarily housed students are eligible for free transportation while they are homeless, through the end of the school year in which they obtain permanent housing and, if the student will be entering the final grade in their school, for an additional school year. Furthermore, homeless students and their families should seek the rights and resources available to them via the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Among its many protections, the act mandates that the NYC Department of Education must provide and arrange eligible students' transportation to and from their schools of origin. To accomplish this, the act requires school districts to provide homeless students and their families with a liaison. This liaison must fully inform the parent or guardian of the homeless student of all transportation services and assist those individuals in accessing the transportation services determined to be in the student’s best interest. For more information about your rights and how to exercise them as well as other supportive services, please reach out to Mentor A Promise and its network of partner organizations.

Contact Mentor A Promise Today

Our organization recognizes the immense potential within each individual and seeks to provide them with the educational resources and opportunities they need to thrive. To that end, we have built a strong network of family shelters, educational institutions and community organizations to support homeless children, youths and their families. Click these links to learn more about what we offer or to get involved. Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness. 

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