Lancaster ISD provides advocacy and support services to students and families in transition. 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. 

The Director works in partnership with a network of service providers, shelters, food pantries, clinics, and other community agencies and connects homeless families to these resources. The LISD McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Program supports students and families by educating school staff, performing community outreach, and removing barriers to school attendance and academic progress. 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:

• Enrollment Assistance

• Free School Meals

• School Uniforms

• School Supplies

• Transportation Services

• School of Origin

Director of Student Services

Dr. Marlon Waites
marlonwaites@lancasterisd.org

Department of Student Services
Phone  972-218-1510

Bethlehem  Foundation
214-371-3407

Lancaster  Outreach Center
972-227-0138

New  Beginning  Center
972-276-0057

Red  Cross
214-678-4800

Salvation  Army–Dallas  (Social  Services)
214-424-7000

Salvation  Army  –  Dallas  (Family  Violence)
214-424-7112

Dallas  Urban  League
214-915-4600 

Youth  and  Family  Counseling  Agencies:

Child  and  Family  Guidance
214-351-3490

Pastoral  Counseling Center
214-526-4525

Children First
972-264-0604

Rapha
972-257-0449

Dallas  Metrocare
214-331-0107

Salesmanship
214-915-4700

Texas  Youth  Hotline
800-989-6884 

University of  North  Texas
972-780-3646

Youth  Advocate
214-821-6505