Students in Temporary Housing

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A student who lives in any of the following situations is considered in temporary housing under the McKinney-Vento Act:

  • Doubled up (with friends or relatives because they cannot find or afford housing)
  • A shelter or transitional shelter,
  • A hotel/motel,
  • A car, bus or train,
  • A park or public place, or
  • An abandoned building

This includes unaccompanied youth who do not have a fixed, adequate, and regular nighttime residence. Unaccompanied youth are students not in the physical custody of their parent or legal guardian; this includes young people who

  • have run away from home,
  • have been kicked out of their homes, or
  • have been abandoned by parents.

There is no age limit for unaccompanied youth, but these students are most often in their teens.

Student Rights

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, and Chancellor's Regulation A-780, a student in temporary housing has the right to:

  • A free public education
  • To stay in their current school or choose to attend a zoned school
  • Not be denied immediate school enrollment because of their temporary housing status or they lack enrollment documentation
  • Transportation services to and from school
  • Continue to receive special education services regardless of school transfer Services comparable to those offered to other students

Complete the Housing Questionnaire and send it to your school to determine if your student is eligible to receive any of the support listed above.

Need help understanding your child's rights? Reach out to one of the contacts below:

  • For questions about educational rights, call the NYS-TEACHS toll-free hotline at 800-388-2014 or reach out to the DOE Family Assistant at your shelter facility
  • For questions about special education services, call the Special Ed Hotline at 718-935-2007
  • For questions about unaccompanied youth services, call DYCD Connect at 1-800-246-4646 or dial 311.

School Enrollment & Transfers

When choosing a school for your child, you can choose (based on seat availability):

  • The last school your child was enrolled in; or
  • Any school available to a child who lives in the same area

Students in temporary housing are not required to submit documentation (including address, proof of date of birth, and immunization records) in order to participate in any admission process or enroll in school. 

If your child will be attending the same school, complete the Housing Questionnaire and send to your school to notify them of the change in address and housing status.

If your child is currently not enrolled in school, or you want to change your child's school, follow the instructions below based on what grade they are in.

Children 6 weeks to 2 years old

Students in temporary housing are eligible for EarlyLearn programs. Learn more information about enrolling in these programs by visiting the EarlyLearn website.

Preschool (3-K or Pre-K)

Students in temporary housing are eligible to enroll in 3-K and Pre-K programs. Please visit the 3-K and Pre-K pages for more information.

Elementary School (Grades K-5)

To enroll: You can enroll your child at the school where your family is zoned for elementary school. Please visit the Kindergarten page for more information on finding your school.

To transfer: You can transfer your child at the school where your family is zoned for elementary school. You can request a transfer at the school. Find your zoned school by typing in your current address into Find a School.

If you don’t have a zoned school or if you’d like to explore other options, contact a Family Welcome Center.

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

To enroll: You can enroll your child at the school where your family is zoned for middle school. Please visit the Middle School page for more information.

To transfer: You can transfer your child at the school where your family is zoned for middle school. You can request a transfer at the school. Find your zoned school by typing in your current address into Find a School.

High School (Grades 9-12)

To enroll: You can enroll your child at the high school nearest you or to a high school program across the city. The Family Welcome Center can help you understand your options. Please visit the High School page for more information.

To transfer: You can transfer your child to the high school nearest to you. The Family Welcome Center can help you understand your options.

Need help with charter schools, homeschooling, or other ways to graduate? Visit the DOE Enrollment webpage.

Need help with transferring your student to a new school? Contact the Family Welcome Center 

Need help with enrollment? Contact the Family Welcome Center.

Transportation

Students in temporary housing are eligible for free transportation to and from school:

  • While they are staying in temporary housing
  • Through the end of the school year in which they become permanently housed, and
  • For an additional year if the student will be entering the final grade in their school.

Parent/Guardians are also eligible for transportation support to accompany their child to and from school.

Visit the Transportation Rights page for more information on what type of transportation your child is eligible for. 

Need help with transportation? Contact your child’s school or your STH Regional Manager below for support.

Get Help

Every school has a school-based Students in Temporary Housing Liaison. Reach out to your school principal, social worker or guidance counselor to find out who the Liaison is for your school.

The School-based STH Liaison can help you with:

  • Enrolling your child
  • Understanding your transportation options
  • Finding resources to support your child's education

Every district has a Regional Manager who makes sure schools are supporting students in temporary housing. Find the Regional Manager that supports your child’s school district below.

Regional Managers can help you with:

  • Connecting with your child’s school
  • Enrolling your child
  • Understanding your transportation options
  • Finding resources to support your child's education

Connect with a Regional Manager

Once you know your district, you can reach out to the person who works with it using the list below. You can also find a list of central staff for inquires about capacity building, policy, partnerships or borough-based issues.

Bronx

District 7

Madeline Warden
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458

Ruth Aybar
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458

District 8

Ruth Aybar
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458

Sheryl Smith
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458

District 9

Madeline Warden
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458

Shaquieta Boyd
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458
718-741-7049

District 10

Stephanie Dyer
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458
718-741-7783

District 11

Sheryl Smith
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458

District 12

Bak Harris
One Fordham Plaza, Room 816
Bronx, NY 10458
646-416-0364

Brooklyn

District 13

Wayne Harris
131 Livingston Street, Floor 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-3562

District 14

Wayne Harris
131 Livingston Street, Floor 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-3562

District 15

Wayne Harris
131 Livingston Street, Floor 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-3562

District 16

Sydone Thompson
131 Livingston Street, Floor 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-4054

District 17

Fahmeeda Saleem
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1B
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-758-7635

District 18

Lucia Figueras
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1
Brooklyn, NY 11230
(646) 995-0121

District 19

Wayne Harris
131 Livingston Street, Floor 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-3562

District 20

Lucia Figueras
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1
Brooklyn, NY 11230
(646) 995-0121

District 21

Fahmeeda Saleem
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1B
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-758-7635

District 22

Fahmeeda Saleem
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1B
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-758-7635

District 23

Sydone Thompson
131 Livingston Street, Floor 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-4054

District 32

Lucia Figueras
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1
Brooklyn, NY 11230
(646) 995-0121

Manhattan

Districts 1

Cecilio (Bo) Diaz
333 Seventh Avenue, Floor 7
NY, NY 10001
917-339-1698

Districts 2

Iris Gersten
333 7th Avenue, 7th Floor, NY, NY 10001
917-339-1718

Districts 3

Iris Gersten
333 7th Avenue, 7th Floor, NY, NY 10001
917-339-1718

Districts 4

Cecilio (Bo) Diaz
333 Seventh Avenue, Floor 7
NY, NY 10001
917-339-1698

Districts 5

Rakeyah Evans
333 7th Avenue, 7th Floor
NY, NY 10001
212-330-9449

District 6

Rakeyah Evans
333 7th Avenue, 7th Floor
NY, NY 10001
212-330-9449

Queens

District 24

Cecilio (Bo) Diaz
333 Seventh Avenue, Floor 7
NY, NY 10001
917-339-1698

District 25

Cecilio (Bo) Diaz
333 Seventh Avenue, Floor 7
NY, NY 10001
917-339-1698

District 26

Cecilio (Bo) Diaz
333 Seventh Avenue, Floor 7
NY, NY 10001
917-339-1698

District 27

Fahmeeda Saleem
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1B
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-758-7635

District 28

Sydone Thompson
131 Livingston Street, Floor 4
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-935-4054

District 29

Lucia Figueras
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1
Brooklyn, NY 11230
(646) 995-0121

District 30

Cecilio (Bo) Diaz
333 Seventh Avenue, Floor 7
NY, NY 10001
917-339-1698

Staten Island

District 31

Fahmeeda Saleem
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1B
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-758-7635

Central Staff

Brittany Taylor, Director of Regional Support
Districts 5-12
1230 Zerega Avenue, Room 6
Bronx, NY 10458
646-416-0364

Charlene Mitchell, Director of Regional Support
Districts 13-23, 24-30, 31, 32
1780 Ocean Avenue, Room 1B
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-758-7722

Rebekha Askew-Morris, Director of Clinical Services
1230 Zerega Avenue, Room 6
Bronx, NY 10458
718-828-2644

Sharon Dhillon, Director of Regional Support
Citywide Program Implementation
333 7th Avenue
NY, NY 10001

Regional Coordinators

Dashawn Roberts
Regional Coordinator – Bronx and Washington Heights
(718)828-2208

Marygrace Ponzio
Regional Coordinator – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island
(718) 391-6845

Need help connecting with the right staff person?

Email STHInfo@schools.nyc.gov to get connected.

Bronx Regional Coordinator:
Dashawn Roberts, DRoberts13@schools.nyc.gov, (718) 828-2208 

Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island Regional Coordinator:
Marygrace Ponzio, MPonzio@schools.nyc.gov, (718) 391-6845 

Don't know your school district? Call 311 and ask for a representative. Tell them: You are looking for the school district; and where you are currently living.

Or go to Find a School:

  • Type your current address
  • Click Search

SMART Week

NYC public schools are having their first ever SMART Week: Students Making a Real Transition is happening November 14-18, 2022.

SMART Week (November 14th-18th, 2022) celebrates recognizes our students in temporary housing as they make transitions in their lives by bringing awareness, understanding and empathy about homelessness and how it impacts families at your school.

The STH Team is working with schools to engage students and families in activities, discussions and service during SMART Week to create a more welcoming environment in their school.

If you have any concerns about your child participating in these discussions, please contact your school.

Find out more

General Information

Student Resources

Family Resources

E.G. v. City of New York (WiFi Case): Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement

You or your child might be a member of a proposed settlement class if you or they are a student enrolled in any NYC public or non-public school, you live or lived in a shelter for families with children during the COVID-19 pandemic, and you had problems connecting to online remote school because you had problems with accessing the internet. Copies of the court-ordered notice and the proposed settlement are available on the E.G. v. City of New York (WiFi Case): Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement page.