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Who Can Enroll a Foster Student?

A student may be enrolled by either a representative from Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) or Child Protective Services (CPS); or an individual from the student’s foster placement, such as a foster parent or representative of the shelter.

Forms and Court Documents Needed to Enroll the Student

Proof of legal authority to enroll student;

Either DFPS Form 2085 (in any form); or a court order naming a DFPS Temporary Managing Conservator or a Permanent Managing Conservator;
These forms are protected under FERPA and must be stored securely.

One copy of Form 2085 should be placed in the student’s cumulative folder and the campus PEIMS clerk should retain a second copy.
Student must be coded with an at-risk indicator in PEIMS. Also, T.E.C. 7.029(b-1) requires districts to report a foster care indicator through PEIMS.

Certified copy of student’s birth certificate or other proof of identity (allow 90 days for children not born in the United States);
Student’s immunization records (student may be enrolled provisionally, even if he or she has not had the necessary immunizations); and
Student’s records from school most recently attended.
If the student is under 11, the name of each previous school attended by student and the records from those schools must be provided.
Students may either continue attending their current school or school in that feeder pattern, or enroll in the school in the attendance zone of their placement. If the student is to be enrolled based on location of his/her placement, standard proof of residency is required (lease, utility bill, or other document allowed by campus).

NOTE: If a student is involved with CPS, but not in conservatorship or substitute care, or is awaiting foster placement, the McKinney Vento Act applies.

Immediate Enrollment

The student should be enrolled immediately, any time of day, even if the student does not have all of the necessary paperwork. While it is requested that foster parents, placement agencies, and other residential facilities call ahead for enrollment, this is not required.
If required forms and records are not received 30 days after student is enrolled, district shall notify the police department and request a determination of whether the child has been reported missing.

Obtaining Records from Student’s Prior School

Student records must be transferred no later than 10 working days after the student enrolls in another school.
If necessary, contact the foster care liaison in the district the student attended for assistance. See the TEA website for list of liaisons.

Documents and IDs Required to Access Student and Student’s Records

The student’s attorney ad litem and guardian ad litem (including CASA representatives) may contact the school regarding the student’s educational status and needs. These individuals must have a court order or notification letter of assignment. The attorney ad litem is entitled to records related to the student, including school records, without a further order or release.
A student’s caseworker may access any educational records a parent could access for a student in DFPS conservatorship. To obtain the files, the caseworker only needs to provide the school with a badge showing employment with CPS.
When in doubt, ask to see either the court order or DFPS Form 2085 or contact the student’s caseworker.
The Uninterrupted Scholars Act permits educational agencies and institutions to disclose education records of students in foster care to state and county social service agencies or child welfare agencies.

What to Do When a Student Withdraws

Be sure the student’s caseworker or guardian is provided with all of the student’s records, including a transcript, and documentation of any educational services or referrals in place, such as 504 services, special education or gifted and talented.
Ensure the student’s new school receives the student’s record within 10 days of enrollment at the new campus.

Meeting the Student’s Needs

Students in foster care are presented with unique challenges including: separation from family, instability, incomplete or missing records, missed class time, special needs that have not been met, behavioral challenges, and safety concerns. It is important that the student feels welcomed and supported at the campus.
Maintain confidentiality as it is important the student not be labeled as a foster care child and that any related matters be discussed in private. Federal and state laws and policies require that a student’s status of being in DFPS conservatorship be kept confidential, except on a need-to-know basis.
Inform the student of safe places to go if the student needs emotional support such as, the counselor’s office, Principal’s office, Assistant Principal’s office, or Communities in Schools’ office.

Many resources are available to support foster care students as they pursue an education. Should you have questions, please contact Susana Majors at Susana.Majors@ccisd.us or 361-878-2571.

School Choices and Residency Requirements

Students may either continue attending their current school or enroll in the school in the attendance zone of their placement. Different high schools in Corpus Christi ISD provide different areas of focus, so encourage your student to seek out what most interests him/her. Find list of programs available.
If the student will be attending the school in the attendance zone where the foster parent resides, standard proof of residency is required (lease, utility bill, or other accepted document).
State law provides that students may continue to attend the school in which they were enrolled immediately before placement and may remain there through the highest grade offered by the school. Corpus Christi ISD however, allows students to remain in the school or within the school’s feeder pattern on a tuition-free basis even if placed outside the school or Corpus Christi ISD attendance zone. Unfortunately, the District is unable to provide transportation.

Resources Available to Foster Students

Free lunch- Foster students are categorically eligible for free meals in the National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. All that is required is DFPS form 2085, which is collected through Project Help (through each school's front office) and they verify the information.
Free Pre-K- Foster children are eligible for free Pre-K, if the child is at least three years of age and is currently in, or ever has been in, Texas foster care as a result of an adversarial hearing.

Children ages 3, 4, and 5 in the conservatorship of DFPS must be enrolled in:

A pre-kindergarten program offered through the public school; or
An early childhood education program offered through Head Start, if available. If a program is not available in the local community, caregiver must notify caseworker.
A caregiver who wishes to enroll the child in a private early childhood education program or a pre-kindergarten program must secure approval for exception to enrollment through the child’s caseworker, supervisor, and program director.
Learn more information about Corpus Christi ISD Pre-K enrollment

College and Dual Credit Tuition and Fees Waiver- The Texas tuition and fee waiver provides tuition exemptions at state-supported institutions of higher education to youth who enroll as an undergraduate or in a dual credit high school course if:

The student was under the conservatorship of DFPS either:

on the day before the student’s 18th birthday;
on or after the student’s 14th birthday, if the student was also eligible for adoption on or after that day;
on the day the student graduated from high school or received the equivalent of a high school diploma;
on the day before the date the student is adopted or permanent managing conservatorship is awarded to a person other than the student’s parent, if that date is on or after September 1, 2009; OR
during an academic term in which the student was enrolled in a dual credit course or other course for which a high school student may earn joint high school and college credit
AND the student enrolls before the age of 25.

For information on dual credit courses offered at Del Mar College visit Del Mar College.
Additional College or Vocational Training Funding- The Texas Education Training Voucher (ETV) provides additional money to former foster youth who enroll in a college or training program. Students can be eligible to receive up to $5,000 a year to help with housing, food, books, computer equipment, tuition and other expenses. This is in addition to the Texas tuition waiver program. To receive funds students generally must be:

- 16 or 17 and in DFPS foster care and likely to stay in care until student is 18;
- Not yet 21, but aged out of DFPS foster care; OR

Not yet 21, and were adopted from DFPS foster care after turning 16.

Resources:

Foster Care & Student Success, housed in Texas Education Agency’s Division of Federal and State Education Policy maintains resources and information to advance the education of student's impacted by foster care. The resources and materials provide guidance related to the unique circumstances surrounding students who are in the foster care system and attend Texas public schools. In Texas, nearly 16,000 school-age students are in foster care at any given time.

The Foster Care & Student Success web content is divided into the following areas:

Foster Care & Student Success Resource Guide

TEA developed a premier resource to support Texas schools in addressing the education of students in foster care: Texas Foster Care & Student Success Resource Guide (PDF). This guide is the product of collaboration with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the Supreme Court of Texas, and the Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families (Children's Commission). This e-guide and training manual contains a variety of key researched-based topics and calls attention to important matters related to the education of students in foster care. The guide promotes best practices and contains numerous tips, tools, resources, and links to more information.

Additional Links for Foster Care Support: