BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS Education Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

Sechita McNair, right, and sons Derrick McNair-White, 6, center, and Malachi McNair-Nesbitt, 6, left, ride an escalator to the train on June 11, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

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

November 13, 2025

When families are evicted, it can lead to major disruptions to their children’s schooling. Federal laws call for provisions to help homeless and evicted kids stay at their schools, but families don’t always know about them — and schools don’t always share information. Having to relocate also can deprive kids of support networks that are key to their success. One mother, Sechita McNair, to find new housing in her rapidly gentrifying Atlanta neighborhood. After an eviction, she drove extra hours for Uber and borrowed money, eventually securing a lease in the right neighborhood so her eldest son could stay at his high school.

Bianca Vázquez Toness, an AP education writer, takes notes while reporting in a classroom in Aurora, Colo., Aug. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Getting the story: How an AP reporter chronicled a sensitive story about school and eviction

November 13, 2025

AP reporter Bianca Vázquez Toness has heard teachers worry that the most pernicious challenges their students face, like poverty or housing insecurity, are beyond the realm of what schools can fix. So she focused on how the rising cost of housing and the prevalence of eviction could undermine a young person’s ability to thrive in school and in life. Research shows schoolchildren threatened with eviction are more likely to transfer to another school. Often, they end up in a school with less funding, more poverty and lower test scores. They’re more likely to miss school, and those who end up transferring are suspended more often.

Derrick McNair-White, left, Malachi McNair-Nesbitt, and Elias Washington, right, do a puzzle together in family therapy on June 9, 2025, in Decatur, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

She wanted to keep her son in his school district. It was more challenging than it seemed

November 13, 2025

When families are evicted, kids’ schooling is often disrupted. Many evicted families go from living in a school district that spends more money on students to one that spends less. For Sechita McNair, an out-of-work film industry veteran, an eviction launched her on a year-long quest to find new housing in her rapidly gentrifying Atlanta neighborhood. Her family didn’t take vacations, and her van was repossessed. But after driving extra hours for Uber and borrowing money, she managed to secure a lease in the right neighborhood so her eldest son could stay at his high school. Despite challenges, McNair is determined to provide her children with better educational opportunities and access to city resources.

Julie Nicoll shows shows an undated photo with her grandson Xavier Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Naples, Fla. Julie and her husband have spent more than $20,000 in legal fees trying to get him released from a youth detention center. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Takeaways from AP’s investigation into online school for incarcerated teens

August 13, 2025

Florida has moved the education of students in juvenile detention online, despite evidence that many students struggled with online school during the pandemic. The state contracted with Florida Virtual School to bring uniform standards to juvenile justice classrooms. However, an AP investigation shows this approach has been disastrous for some students. Incarcerated teens report difficulty understanding their work and getting help, leading to frustration and behavioral issues that extend their detention. They have also struggled to continue their education after release from detention. Some students have faced challenges re-entering local schools or continuing with Florida Virtual School, complicating their educational journey further.

Cayden Gillespie sits on a bench at a local park Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. Gillespie spent months in juvenile detention after pleading guilty to two felony charges. While in custody the state of Florida provided online learning instead of in person classes which students, parents and staff say has been disastrous. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

In juvenile detention, these students say they’re not learning — and it’s keeping them incarcerated

August 13, 2025

Florida shifted to virtual learning for youth in juvenile detention — and parents and students say it’s been a disaster. The state adopted this approach for incarcerated youth, despite evidence that online learners struggled during the pandemic. Officials said they chose Florida Virtual School, known for its rigorous standards, in part to help students reintegrate into public schools. But students find the coursework difficult to understand. They say they have little support from qualified teachers, and their special education plans aren’t being met. This frustration often leads to behavioral issues, extending students’ time in detention, sometimes by months or more.

BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS Education Writer.

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

Getting the story: How an AP reporter chronicled a sensitive story about school and eviction

She wanted to keep her son in his school district. It was more challenging than it seemed

Takeaways from AP’s investigation into online school for incarcerated teens

In juvenile detention, these students say they’re not learning — and it’s keeping them incarcerated

Finance.