‘Hear Our Voices’ Podcast: Navigating School, Childcare & Homelessness

The latest episode of the Family Homelessness Coalition s Hear Our Voices podcast features Kayla Mumtaz at the Alliance for Quality Tuition The conversation touched on how New York funds its schools what universal childcare would mean for struggling families and how parents can advocate for change A scene from the first day of school in New York City in Ed Reed Mayoral Photography Office Each year for nearly the last decade more than children in the city s society school system experienced homelessness meaning they lived in shelter at a motel or were doubled up in shared housing Homeless students and their families often face additional educational obstructions and disruptions This was a focus of the latest episode of the Hear Our Voices podcast which shares stories materials and information about family homelessness in New York City the podcast is produced by the Family Homelessness Coalition whose members include Citizens Committee for Children a City Limits funder Podcast host Kadisha Davis was joined by Kayla Mumtaz legislative affairs and area engagement specialist at the Alliance for Quality Schooling Mumtaz spoke about AQE s Schooling and Early Tuition Warriors programs which train parents on how to advocate for city and state agenda changes We invariably say at the Alliance for Quality Development that if you ve lived it you are an expert Mumtaz mentioned So you don t need a degree to tell you that something in your life is wrong and that you need to change it Among the changes the group is pushing for reforms to the state s Foundation Aid Formula which determines how much funding schools receive based on the necessities of the students they serve Foundation Aid Formula accounts for different things like poverty rates homelessness free school or reduced lunches things like that Mumtaz explained But it hasn t been updated in more than years something AQE is pushing the state to do now to account for increased housing insecurity and other criteria AQE also advocates for more affordable childcare calling for New York to move toward a universal childcare model Instruction doesn t start in kindergarten Mumtaz declared The state should be funding it because parents can get out of these situations that they re in if they have childcare They could work more They can get better jobs They can work flexible jobs They can go to college if that s what they decide to do They can do a lot more You can listen to the full podcast episode which was recorded in two parts below The post Hear Our Voices Podcast Navigating School Childcare Homelessness appeared first on City Limits