What other districts are doing Homeless student fights to stay put The special plight of homeless students. District homeless program wins accolades How federal law offers support. Kenza C. Baldwin and her three children have moved four times in the past two years, due in part to homelessness. Finally, she has landed a new apartment. The shy, impish boy is among a growing number of Cleveland Municipal School students who are dealing with the trauma of homelessness and school mobility.
Homelessness alone can make children aggressive, withdrawn or depressed.
Some regress and become overly dependent, studies say. Couple that with changing schools and the combination can diminish academic prospects for homeless students, studies conclude. The district has licked many school issues facing homeless students. However, keeping students in their original schools remains thorny. Federal law allows parents to choose where their children attend school, but the choice must be in the child s best interest and feasible.