It messes you up to be changin' schools all the time. Teachers have different ways of teaching, and it takes a while to get used to each one. Then it's hard to make new friends every time you move, and to leave the old ones. This year I've been to three schools already. I started out at my home school. Then we moved in with my aunt and I went with her kids. When her landlord told us to leave, we moved into a shelter in the middle of the city, so now I go to Lincoln School. I don't like it, but what are you gonna do"

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Anita likes school, and if she hadn't had to change schools three times in one year, she might have been a good student. But it's very hard to attend regularly and get good...