School enrollment

[Guest]

I am 17, I left my house because it is not a safe place for me to be. I am living with a family member and want to know if it is possible for me to enroll in online schooling without the cops knowing where I am or finding me.

[ccsmod1]

Hi there,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. If you are looking for enrollment help and answers to your questions about your right to attend school as a runaway, you can reach out to the National Center for Homeless Educational Helpline at 1-800-308-2145. They would be able to help you with things like enrollment and possible answer legal questions as well.

Good luck. and we are 24/7 at 1-800-786-2929 if you ever need more help.

NRS

[Guest]

Hello. Im 15 about to be 16 in a month and I need help. Im planning on running away with my friend soon. My family is very dysfunctional and they are making my depression and anxiety much worse. They "try" to help, but their attempts are very limited and unhelpful. They refuse to try and understand what I'm going through and they threaten to turn me into the police or the hospital if I ever show signs of killing myself again. I've been extremely depressed and anxious for the past 5 years and when I opened up to my parents they put me on medicine. They verbally abuse me and let me have no freedom to be happy or try to make myself feel better. They ignore my problems and make fun of them. I once tried to kill myself and I went to the hospital and stayed in the ward for suicidal minors for 11 days. My family refuses to change or listen to me about my concerns for my health. My friend, on the other hand, gets physically and verbally abused daily. We are planning to runaway and seek shelter at his grandmas house, but we would like to continue school. I was thinking about online school, but I dont know if that would work. We have money saved up and we are planning to go by different names, but I'm not sure if we could enroll in online school. I have also received scholarships at my old school, and was curious if those would carry over if I ran away. I cannot live here any longer. Staying here is making my mental state and illnesses so much worse. I have considered suicide multiple times and would like to live in an enviroment that does not push me to the edge of living. Please help!

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
Thanks for posting today! We are here to help. It sounds like you are in a tough spot right now.
It sounds like you and your friend have thought a lot about this plan to run away. We are not legal experts, but in general, you have to be 18 to leave without permission and if you leave under 18, parents can file a runaway report with police. Any adult you stay with could also get in trouble for letting you stay there, so just be aware of that.
Some things to consider about leaving: will your friend's grandparents tell your parents where you are? How will you go about changing your names legally? What will happen if you get sick, need new clothes, food, school supplies, etc?
You mentioned wanting to continue school. That is really mature. As far as your scholarship transferring, usually those things are school-specific so if you went to a different school, it probably would not transfer over with you.
We are glad to hear you have gotten some help with your depression and anxiety. If you are interested in seeking counseling/therapy, you can check out samhsa.gov or call us and we can provide you some referrals. If you are ever in danger of hurting yourself again, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also 24/7 both by phone and online: 1-800-273-8255, suicidepreventionlifeline.org

We are always here to help. you are brave for reaching out today, that is a hard thing to do! Call (1-880-786-2929) or live chat with us anytime!

[Guest]

he im 14 and planning on running away. I already have a place to stay for when i actually do runaway. I can honestly run away right now but the only problem is that im home schooled but i still want to finish school after i run away. I asked my parents to put me in regular school but they refuse to. (this is not the only reason i want to run away) my parents are in a cult and are forcing me to participate in it and im bisexual but they are complete homphobes. they have also mentioned to me that if i dont want to get "baptized," i might as well leave. they dont know that im planning on leaving. I am in Indiana and i was wondering if there was any way that i can enroll myself into high school.

[ccsmod9]

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS we know it can difficult to seek out help and try to find options before making any kind of decision. Our hope is to help in any capacity we can to help you solve the situation you find yourself in.
So just as a reminder we are not legal experts but from what we can share, since you are 14 you are considered a minor and therefore your parents have full legal custody of you. This means if they want they can report you missing to the police and the police will bring you back to them. However you do not deserve to be mistreated by anyone. If you feel your safety is in danger please know you have the right to call the police and report what has been going on. Your safety should always come in first. If you do happen to run away know you can us as well to find shelters, pantries, etc. As far as high school since you are still a minor applying to high school it would be difficult or next to impossible.
Again we know that it took bravery to reach out and seek help. Know that we are here 24/7 and we are confidential so if you have any more questions or concerns you want to run by us feel free to call us at (1-800-786-2929) or online at (www.1800runaway.org) using our chat option.

[Guest]

Hi, I’m currently 17 & I am enrolled in school in California. I will be 18 in 2 months. I would like to enroll myself into my school’s learning center which means i’d go to school for 2 hours every day while still getting packets of homework. Being that I’m almost 18, Can i enroll myself into the learning center without a parents signature before turning 18?

[ccsmod9]

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS we know it can difficult to seek out help and try to find options before making any kind of decision. Our hope is to help in any capacity we can to help you solve the situation you find yourself in.
Gathering from what you told us about your story because you are still only 17 you cannot represent yourself on paper. You would need your parent’s signature because they remain your legal guardian and have full custody as far as what you do. What might be the best option for you is to just postpone 2 months till you can sign for yourself. Another option that you might want to do is talk with a guardian about your situation and ambition to put yourself through the school’s learning center. Another possible option is to speak with a school representative to see if they can find some options for you.
Again we know that it took bravery to reach out and seek help. Know that we are here 24/7 and we are confidential so if you have any more questions or concerns you want to run by us feel free to call us at (1-800-786-2929) or online at (www.1800runaway.org) using our chat option.

[Guest]

You keep telling the teens that want too or have already ranaway about the Mckinney -Vento act but let me as a parent ask a question about it.
our daughter who is 17, ran away over a month ago and we have no idea where she is. Well this past Thursday we heard from the high school she was enrolled in (and has gone to this school district since Kindergarten and is now a senior) that they received a request from another school district and as of oct. 23 she was withdrawn from the school so how could she be enrolled in another school district if we didn't request to change her school and how do we get her transferred back?

[ccsmod9]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat at NRS since this is a more specific matter. We hope to here back soon as we look forward to getting the resources you and tips to your disposal.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

I have a problem I have tried talking to my mom about me going back to school currently I am 16 and doing flvs it’s a lot harder than me just attending school but she thinks I’m lying and want to have fun in school and skip but I truly just want to go back and do what I have to do is there any way that I can enroll myself into a school without either of my parents consent ?

[ccsmod7]

Hi there, thanks for reaching out today.

Sounds like you are looking to enroll yourself in school. Unfortunately, we are not legal experts and it can be hard t enroll yourself in school. While enrolling yourself might not be an option, if you are able to prove homelessness, you might be able to enroll yourself in school as a homeless youth. To learn more about this option you might reach out to the National Center for Homeless Education Helpline 1-800-308-2145.

Please do not hesitate to call or chat if you have questions, need resources, or need to talk. We can explore your situation, go over all your options, and come up with a plan and resources to deal with your situation over the phone or on live chat. 1-800-RUNAWAY; www.1800runaway.org.

We are looking forward to hearing from you soon, and wish you the best of luck.

[Guest]

~ s with questions ...
Im 17 and both of my parents are not available... my dad passed a earlier this year and my mom is nowhere to be found . im currently in Pennsylvania due to my dad passing & im staying with a cousin where she says she has custody of me , im in PA where i cant support myself cause i dont have a job . but i need to go back to Georgia. I was finacially stable down there with a great paying job, i was getting promoted , i was in school , i was a A B student. I had a family friend thats been there for me for a long time that was supporting me until i came to PA after my dad passing. Can i enroll my self in school at the age of 17 without parental consent ? & can i withdraw myself out of school in PA without parental consent ? School is a priority for me . and i dont want to be a drop out ...

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We understand how tough it can be to seek help and you are extremely brave in doing so. It sounds like you have been going through a lot with your dad passing and your mother nowhere to be found. You are so strong and it is amazing that school is your priority during this time.

Now we are not legal experts but it sounds like since your cousin has custody of you, she is considered your legal guardian until the age of 18. You can always look into emancipation if that is an option you are interested in. It is a bit of a longer process but it is not impossible. This may be something you might like to bring up with your cousin and see if they are open to helping you get emancipated that way you can move out on your own. Depending on how long you have before you turn 18, you might turn 18 before the process is complete but it is something to think about.

Since you were relocated to PA to live with your cousin, you may have a caseworker designated to your case. You can always contact them and maybe get together with your cousin and talk about the option of having an alternative living arrangement with a family friend back in Georgia. This would be a temporary arrangement until you turn 18 but that way it gives you the opportunity to finish high school in your hometown.

If you would like to talk more in depth about what has been going on and what your options can be, do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or start a chat with us at www.1800runaway.org. We are 24/7 and completely confidential. We are here for you and here to listen.

Best of Luck,
NRS

[Guest]

I need to know I am 17, 18 in April I ranaway in Canton Canton Ohio and I want to live my life as a normal person but I dont want to go back to home is there anyway I can be taken off the missing person's list and show how so schooling without going back home.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. If you have already left home, your legal guardian can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person's report and would be added to a national database. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor. If a runaway report is filed and you are located by the authorities you will most likely be returned home.

It's wonderful to see that you are so committed to furthering your education, it shows a lot of maturity. You still have the right to your education under what’s called the McKinney-Vento act. This act guarantees you the right to stay in your original school and be provided transportation to and from school (to the extent possible), enrollment in a school in your area, receive free school meals and to receive services like educational supports and basic needs. To find out more about how to take advantage of the McKinney-Vento act we suggest calling your school directly.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

Stay safe,
NRS

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