Programs-Education

Education Rights Project:
Educational Advocacy for Homeless Children

The Education Rights Project defends the right of homeless children to a decent education and works to build capacity within the public school and shelter systems to meet the educational needs of homeless children

For most families, the journey from losing their home to finding new housing lasts one to two years. During the many transitions from one shelter to the next, children can miss weeks or months of instruction and may attend several different schools, with a devastating impact on their academic achievement and self-esteem. Making things worse, the issues facing the family often make it more difficult for parents to advocate for their child's education or encourage their child's educational achievement.

The Education Rights Project staff work to resolve school-related issues, provide crisis intervention for children, represent families at Department of Education hearings, and provide counseling to children and parents.

It also provides professional development to the social service staff at family shelters and to administrators, guidance counselors, and teachers in public schools to increase the capacity of all agencies serving homeless families to understand their responsibilities under federal and local law and to properly address the needs of homeless students.

Go to Resources and find fact sheets that will help homeless families understand their children's educational rights, make the best decisions for their children, and learn about other services available.