Rhode Island is the only state in the country that surveys its public school students to determine
which ones have caregiving responsibilities. In the meantime, The Apprenticeship Exploration
School, a charter high school in Rhode Island is already working one-on-one with students to
help them address their challenges balancing school and family caregiving. One of those
students is a recent graduate who had missed a sizable number of days during his senior year
and was at risk of failing. After a heart to heart, the principal discovered that the student was
exhausted from working late-night shifts of gig work to support his family. The principal worked
directly with the student to come up with accommodations and a remediation plan that helped
the student graduate and complete a school-based job training program that led to a well-paying
job. The student is now able to better contribute to his family’s care and financial needs. In this
short, the story will be recounted from both the principal and the student’s point of view.