Takeaways from AP’s story on the links between eviction and school

In the wake of eviction, one Atlanta mother’s fight for her children’s education underscores a nationwide crisis affecting thousands of families. Sechita McNair, an out-of-work film industry veteran, spent a year searching for housing that would allow her eldest son to continue attending his high school after their eviction.

McNair’s journey reveals the hidden educational costs of housing instability. After being evicted from their Atlanta apartment, she and her three children temporarily relocated to a suburban neighborhood 40 minutes away, moving from a school district that spends nearly $20,000 per student annually to one spending $7,000 less per child.

Federal law includes provisions designed to protect students experiencing homelessness or eviction, allowing them to remain in their original schools regardless of address changes. These students also qualify for free transportation. However, McNair reports that the Atlanta school district failed to inform her about transportation assistance until after the school year had ended, highlighting a communication gap that affects vulnerable families.

“It’s a support desert,” McNair said of the suburban neighborhood where her family initially landed after eviction. Despite its manicured lawns and brick colonials, she missed the resources available in Atlanta – libraries, public transportation options, rental assistance agencies, and community support networks that make raising a family possible without extended family support.

The housing search proved exceptionally difficult due to the eviction on McNair’s record. After months of driving for Uber and borrowing money, she finally secured a lease in Atlanta’s rapidly gentrifying Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. At $2,200 monthly, it was the only “semi-affordable” option available to a single mother with a recent eviction.

Even after signing the lease, complications continued. Shortly after moving in, McNair discovered the apartment had been sold in a short sale. The new owners wanted her to leave, but after consulting attorneys, she was able to assert her right to stay.

The housing struggle has had profound effects on her 15-year-old son Elias’s education. Still processing the trauma of his father’s death in 2023 – he collapsed from a heart attack during Elias’s basketball practice – the teenager failed two classes last year. His mother feared switching schools would further jeopardize his academic progress.

When Elias began skipping school this fall, McNair briefly attempted homeschooling, but quickly discovered it wasn’t feasible. The homeschooling program required parents to pick up their children after group sessions instead of allowing them to use public transit or e-scooters, which conflicted with McNair’s work schedule driving for Uber to make ends meet.

After consulting with an Atlanta school official, who advised against transferring districts mid-term, McNair re-enrolled Elias at his original high school. “I was running around doing so many other things just so we have a place to live, or taking care of my uncle, that I didn’t put enough of my energy there,” she explained, reflecting on why she hadn’t pushed harder for help with Elias’s education sooner.

Housing instability creates cascading challenges for families. While McNair drives for Uber at night to pay rent, Elias is responsible for his younger brothers. His all-night gaming habit quickly drew teacher concerns after school resumed. “I should be home making sure Elias gets to bed on time,” McNair said through tears. “But I have to work. I’m the only one paying the bills.”

McNair’s experience illuminates how evictions can undermine educational stability, which research shows is crucial for academic success. When families are forced to relocate due to housing insecurity, children often lose access to both educational resources and vital support networks, creating barriers that extend well beyond the classroom.

Despite continuing challenges, McNair remains determined to provide better educational opportunities for her children, demonstrating the lengths to which parents will go to maintain stability for their children in increasingly unaffordable urban centers across America.