The office of Student Services serves Foster students and students experiencing homelessness. The Department of Family and Protective Services oversees students in foster care. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, ensures the educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness.

 Homelessness is defined as having a lack of fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and includes:

• children or youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement;

• children and youth who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons;

• children or youth who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodation for human beings;

• children or youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings.

In order to assure that students in homeless situations have the opportunity to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school: the following services may be explored

• Immediate enrollment assistance

• free school meals

• transportation services for school of origin

• school of origin

You can enroll your child even if you are missing immunization records, school records, and proof of residency

• Is transportation available for my child to stay in the same school?

• Will someone help us transfer records quickly when we move?

• Is there a pre-school program?

• Should my child be tested for special education?

• Can my child receive free meals at school?

• Are school supplies available?

• Are there after-school study halls or tutoring available?

• Are special counseling services available for my child?

• What about students in Foster Care? See Foster Care Service

Texas law makes it easier to graduate high school and get access to vital documents for youth experiencing homelessness. Info Texas youth need to know from School House Connection :

1. Graduating high school: https://bit.ly/3xvSftf  

2. Get vital docs for free: https://bit.ly/3uADnrw

To file a formal dispute under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (“Act”), please fill out this form completely and submit it by hand-delivery, e-mail, or U.S. Mail to the District’s liaison for homeless students (see contact information below). The Texas Education Agency recommends that you submit the form as soon as possible, and within 15 days of receiving the written explanation of the District’s decision.  If a dispute arises over school selection or enrollment in a school, the child shall be immediately admitted to the school in which enrollment is sought, pending resolution of the dispute.  The student will remain attending the school where enrollment is sought during the entire dispute resolution process.

 If you need assistance filling out this form or if you have other questions, please contact the liaison for homeless students.

Dumas ISD Liaison for Homeless Students
Name: Cindy Rhoades
Address/Location: DISD Administration Building, 421 West Fourth Street. Dumas, Texas 79029
Phone number: 806-935-6461
E-mail: cindy.rhoades@dumasisd.org

Click here to access the Dispute of Eligibility Form and for more information

DISD Board Policy FDC - Admissions: Homeless Students

Foster Care Pamplet

Información para Jóvenes en Edad Escolar

Information for School-Age Youth

Información para Padres de Jóvenes en Edad Escolar

Information for Parents of School-Age Youth

DUMAS ISD’s office of Student Services serves students who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness.  Our staff works with the 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 supports that assist students to stay in school and graduate. 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.

• Immunizations

• Social Security number

• Health physicals

• Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)