New homeless shelters and impacted schools

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know what the plan is on accommodating new students who are living in the new homeless shelters (supposedly as of 2018) at their in-bound school? Do all the kids from each homeless shelter go to their in-bound school or are they divided up and distributed amongst various schools in their ward or close in proximity?

Seems like Bowser hasn't really thought through much of her "plan".

[Anonymous]

How is this different from the local school "accommodating" any student who moves into a new apartment building?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what the plan is on accommodating new students who are living in the new homeless shelters (supposedly as of 2018) at their in-bound school? Do all the kids from each homeless shelter go to their in-bound school or are they divided up and distributed amongst various schools in their ward or close in proximity?

Seems like Bowser hasn't really thought through much of her "plan".

Its pre-written for her by Federal Law - the McKinney-Vento Act. The District would be responsible for bussing those students to their current school if they choose to stay, or if they choose their new in-boundary school, they would have a right to that school. Most importantly these kids are suppose to be at the school that best fits their needs. Considering D.C.'s large IEP population, my guess is that these students would be bussed to quite a few different places.

Top google link/good break down on the subject is here - although its from Washington State, we'd be under the same guidelines, so that folks like you can't NIMBY these students away. http://www.k12.wa.us/HomelessEd/AssistanceAct.aspx

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is this different from the local school "accommodating" any student who moves into a new apartment building?

+1. Also homeless students have a right to continue to attend the school they were in before losing their home, with the district responsible for transportation. So in all likelihood students will end up in several different schools.

The city's plan has to follow federal law here, not reinvent it.

[Anonymous]

There are already a number of threads on this topic. Some start in the political discussion forum, some in off-topic, and some here, because schools. It's the same conversation over and over again.

McKinney-Vento says that students have a right to attend the school assigned to their last address or the school assigned to their current address, whether that's a shelter, a temporary apartment, or some other address.

If a shelter is built within the boundary for Janney, the school-age children living in the shelter have a right to attend Janney. If their parents would prefer that they continue to attend the school they used to live in bounds for, they have a right to attend that school and DC must provide transportation to that school.

Bowser didn't have to think through this. Reagan signed it into law in 1987.

Anyway, maybe read some of the other threads before you get in a tizzy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is this different from the local school "accommodating" any student who moves into a new apartment building?

Because a student designated as homeless has protections that are not extended to students who simply move from one apartment building to another. If a school accommodates the student who moves to a new building, that may or may not be in keeping with the laws of the jurisdiction. In DC, principal discretion is a gray area. If a school fails to accommodate a student who is protected by the McKinney-Vento provisions, they are in violation of federal law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what the plan is on accommodating new students who are living in the new homeless shelters (supposedly as of 2018) at their in-bound school? Do all the kids from each homeless shelter go to their in-bound school or are they divided up and distributed amongst various schools in their ward or close in proximity?

Seems like Bowser hasn't really thought through much of her "plan".

Is OP worried that there might be, gasp, homeless children in her Ward 3 school? Welcome to the rest of DCPS, Ward 3!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what the plan is on accommodating new students who are living in the new homeless shelters (supposedly as of 2018) at their in-bound school? Do all the kids from each homeless shelter go to their in-bound school or are they divided up and distributed amongst various schools in their ward or close in proximity?

Seems like Bowser hasn't really thought through much of her "plan".

Is OP worried that there might be, gasp, homeless children in her Ward 3 school? Welcome to the rest of DCPS, Ward 3!

There are homeless children in Ward 3 schools already, but thanks for the welcome!

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'm in Ward 1.

[Anonymous]

Bussing students across town.

Yes, no issues here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm in Ward 1.

You already have several shelters in your ward, OP. Do you know where they are? You also have several public housing developments. Do you know where they are?

What school are you IB for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know what the plan is on accommodating new students who are living in the new homeless shelters (supposedly as of 2018) at their in-bound school? Do all the kids from each homeless shelter go to their in-bound school or are they divided up and distributed amongst various schools in their ward or close in proximity?

Seems like Bowser hasn't really thought through much of her "plan".

Is OP worried that there might be, gasp, homeless children in her Ward 3 school? Welcome to the rest of DCPS, Ward 3!

Welcome to the mental asylum, PP!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bussing students across town.

Yes, no issues here.

That's good, as it's highly unlikely (well-nigh impossible) that anonymous posters on DCUM (self included) are informed enough with respect to the specifics of each individual child to make sweeping decisions in their best interests.

[Anonymous]

40% of the children at DC General are under age 2 (as in, age 0 or 1). When you consider the kids who are 2, or 3 but missed the deadline, most kids won't be going to any DCPS or charter school.

Of those that will, they'll be all different ages. Some will want to stay at their current school, some will already be enrolled at the IB school where their shelter is located, and some will enroll as new IB students at the school. But no grade or school is going to get a large influx of homeless children. And if families who enrolled at their new IB school move out of shelter, their kids can finish the school year there, and return at principal's discretion (same as kids who move OOB for other reasons).

None of it sounds unreasonable or too daunting to me. Most schools already have a number of homeless children. The ones that don't certainly have the fundraising and volunteer capacity to provide adequate services to the few kids who would attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:40% of the children at DC General are under age 2 (as in, age 0 or 1). When you consider the kids who are 2, or 3 but missed the deadline, most kids won't be going to any DCPS or charter school.

Of those that will, they'll be all different ages. Some will want to stay at their current school, some will already be enrolled at the IB school where their shelter is located, and some will enroll as new IB students at the school. But no grade or school is going to get a large influx of homeless children. And if families who enrolled at their new IB school move out of shelter, their kids can finish the school year there, and return at principal's discretion (same as kids who move OOB for other reasons).

None of it sounds unreasonable or too daunting to me. Most schools already have a number of homeless children. The ones that don't certainly have the fundraising and volunteer capacity to provide adequate services to the few kids who would attend.

I hope that DCPS and DCPCS come up with a way to allow these kids into nearby schools where there are programs, even for those where you need to lottery in. I'm guessing that many would be appalled by that, but these kids are some of the ones who would benefit the most from high-quality early childhood education.