Valley Stream schools are obligated to educate students who live in illegal apartments within the district. Those students are considered legal residents, even if their housing is not. That issue is for the local municipality to solve, such as the village or town.

Sal Costanzo, Valley Stream’s director of code enforcement, said once a year the village asks the districts for a list of all students and their addresses. If they notice that a lot of students share an address in common that is supposed to be a single family house, that could be a sign of an illegal apartment.

Residency hotline

There is a hotline to provide tips on possible illegal students attending school in Valley Stream. The number is (516) 872-5677. Callers can remain anonymous.