This article was originally published in Chalkbeat.
Some migrant families will get a reprieve from a widely criticized policy that pushes them out of New York City shelters every 60 days, often disrupting their children’s education.
Migrants living in urban shelters must reapply for beds every two months, sometimes requiring moves far from their original shelter. But officials announced Monday that families with children in grades K-6 will only have to move once — after their first 60 days in a city shelter.
After that, families can stay in the same shelter, although they still have to register again, a city hall spokesperson said.
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The decision to adjust the 60-day policy comes as the influx of migrants has decreased, prompting the city to close a number of emergency shelters. City officials argued that adjusting the 60-day policy would save money on school buses needed to transport students from new shelters to their original schools, though they did not provide specific estimates.
“The new policies we are implementing today will build on our successes, save millions of taxpayers and help even more immigrants take their next steps toward fulfilling their American Dream,” Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.
City officials also pledged to set up a centralized mail center for migrants to help them keep track of essential paperwork even if their addresses may change.
Advocates have long criticized city officials for forcing migrants to jump from shelter to shelter, which is especially difficult for families. Although students in temporary housing have the legal right to remain at their original school, families are often faced with a difficult dilemma: enroll at a campus closer to their new home, potentially disrupting their child’s education, or face longer commutes by public transport or brave the infamous city centers. unreliable yellow bus system.
It is unclear how many families will be affected by the adjustment to the 60-day policy. Nearly 14,000 migrant families have been given 60 days’ notice through Nov. 10, according to figures from Comptroller Brad Lander’s office. About 42% of them are still in the shelter system. City officials have not said how many families in the shelter system have children in grades K-6.
Several advocacy groups applauded the change to the 60-day policy, while saying it doesn’t go far enough.
“Allowing certain families to stay in the same shelter is a step in the right direction, but the city should end the 60-day limit for families and youth altogether,” said Jennifer Pringle, director of the Learners in Temporary Housing Project at Advocates. for children.
The new policy will continue to cause unnecessary disruptions for families who still need to move after their first two months in a city shelter, Pringle said. Most students living in shelters are chronically absent from school, and she believes eliminating the 60-day rule could increase school attendance.
Christine Quinn, the CEO of WIN, a supportive housing provider for families, urged the city to eliminate the 60-day policy. This approach leaves “countless families in a perpetual state of uncertainty, creating unnecessary instability and inflicting lasting trauma,” she said in a statement.
“We urge the city to move forward and end these cruel and senseless shelter restrictions and administrative transfers once and for all,” Quinn said.
The City Council’s immigration committee will hold an oversight hearing on the 60-day policy on Tuesday.
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site about educational changes in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
