Poverty is an unbelievably complex issue. And few stories express this sentiment as well as Dansani’s story, “When Dasani Left Home.” It paints the picture of a girl trying to escape poverty by attending a boarding school on full scholarship in Hershey, Pennsylvania. In short, the school that seems like a perfect fit is missing one important thing for Dasani - her family. There is tension between the good that will come from removing her from her circumstances versus the harm of separating her from her loved ones. 

But what if we could give children living in high poverty communities better education opportunities while also allowing them to stay with their families? We know children can’t leave the baggage of the streets and their neighborhoods behind when they go to school. But what if we could also change the financial circumstances they are entrenched in?

Dasani’s story makes sense. For her, moving to a new school environment where she is more likely to thrive is a commonly desired solution for children living in poverty. There is research showing positive outcomes of moving poor families out of cities and into new places such as relatively wealthy suburbs. Some housing policies are designed to do this. The move often has life-long positive outcomes for children given better educational opportunities. It also removes families from the harsh realities of concentrated poverty. For Dasani, the opportunity she was afforded gave her a piece of that - a better school - but left her without familial support. And this lack of connection ultimately led to her deep struggle.

But removing a child from their familiar context is not the only issue. Many have pointed out that even if it were desirable, not every child living in poverty can attend a boarding school or be moved to a wealthier neighborhood. It’s unrealistic. There is a need for a policy that alleviates neighborhood poverty while also improving educational opportunities in that community.

And this issue is exactly what our research and work argues. Assigning public schools based on residence actually pushes middle-class families out of urban areas with low quality public schools, further concentrating poverty. But allowing families, living in poor communities, to choose their school rather than attending the poor performing schools will improve lives, improve the schools, and improve these areas of concentrated poverty.

Want more details about how this policy might work? Check out this article to learn more, and contact us if you’d like to advocate for this opportunity in your own community. Dasani had to choose, and ultimately, her choice led to a complex struggle between future and family. Why not give more students an opportunity to stay connected to their roots while also giving them wings?