Highly Mobile Student Services
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Mission
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Waco ISD’s office of Highly Mobile Student Services serves students who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness. Our staff works with local educational agencies and the greater Waco community to implement educational and support services for students in mobile living situations. We are entrusted with the task of helping to remove barriers and to provide support that assists students to stay in school and graduate on time. This help is offered in a variety of ways. We hope that this website will help you to understand the services we offer in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act and the State of Texas. We also hope that you will share this information so that together we can build a strong foundation for our students.
Services for Homeless Youth
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Who is eligible?
Homelessness is defined as having a lack of fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes children or youth who are living in:- Motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations;
- Shelters, transitional housing, or are awaiting foster care placement;
- Shared housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons;
- A nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;
- Cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.
Eligible students have the right to:
- Receive a fee, appropriate public education
- Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment
- Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents
- Enroll in the local school or continue attending their school of origin
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested
- Receive educational services comparable to other students, according to the student's needs
What services may be provided?
- Immediate enrollment assistance
- Assistance with acquiring needed documents, immunizations, etc
- School of origin transportation
- Assistance with school supplies, uniform, or other basic needs
- Referrals to community resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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How is eligibility determined?
- Students are identified via the online school enrollment process according to their living situation or circumstances.
- School personnel may refer students for assessment to determine eligibility
- Parents may contact the Highly Mobile Students Services for assessment to determine eligibility
Highly Mobile Student Services staff identify families and assess to determine eligibility on a case by case basis.
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How long are students and families eligible to receive services?
The supports and services provided will continue to the end of the current school year. Eligibility is re-assessed every school year.
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How do I know which campus an eligible student can attend?
Students who qualify for McKinney Vento Services may attend their:
- School of origin: campus they were attending when they became unhoused OR
- School of location (based on current residence): To determine school of location, utilize this link: Find My School
Services for Youth in Foster Care
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- Transition assistance
- Excused absences for court-ordered appointments
- Partial credit accrual
- Information on college tuition fee waivers
- Immediate enrollment
- Attendance in the School of Origin
- School of Origin transportation, if requested
- Free eligibility for Pre-K
Department Supervisor
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Julianne Heldt, MA, LPC
Supervisor, Highly Mobile Student ServicesDistrict Homeless & Foster Liaison
julianne.heldt@wacoisd.org
Office: 254-755-9433
Contact Us
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Waco ISD
Highly Mobile Student Services
501 Franklin Ave.
254-755-9433