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Where do I report school closures and facility damage?
Please complete the Emergency Closure Form in Sentinel. After logging into Sentinel, this can be found by clicking on District Calendar under the LEA Toolkit on the left-hand side of the page. Once in the District Calendar, the Emergency Closure Form can be found in the top-right corner of the page.
 

Where can I learn about disaster-related resources?
Disaster response resources are available at:

• - This site offers resources for families while simultaneously supporting local emergency managers with response efforts.

• (TCHATT) provides telemedicine or telehealth programs to school systems to help identify and assess the behavioral health needs of children and adolescents and provides access to mental health services. TCHATT is available to every school system in Texas. Interested schools should contact: tcmhcc@utsystem.edu.

• HHSC disaster response information:
   

What waivers are available to districts and charter schools that close or operate with low student attendance due to a disaster?
If your school system must close or has low attendance due to a disaster, you may be eligible to apply for two specific waivers. Those waivers are for Missed Instructional Days and/or Low Attendance Days. You can find information related to these waivers on the State Waiver Types - Attendance page. The applications for these waivers are located in the ����ͷ��appL Waivers application.
 

Are students displaced by a disaster considered homeless?
Yes, students displaced by disasters may be considered homeless under the , but not automatically. Determinations must be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on whether the students’ living arrangements meet the Act’s definition of homelessness. The McKinney-Vento Act defines students experiencing homelessness to include children and youth who are living in shelters, motels, cars, parks, public spaces, or temporarily with others due to loss of housing or economic hardship. These students are entitled to the same protections and services as other students experiencing homelessness. Students who qualify under this definition must be provided with comparable services as outlined in , including transportation services, educational services, and meals through school federal nutrition programs.
 

Can Texas students enroll elsewhere if their home district is closed?
Yes, Texas students displaced by a disaster can enroll in another school district if their home district is closed, under both federal and state law.

Students who are experiencing homelessness due to displacement by disasters and qualify under the federal are protected under its provisions. In Texas, in accordance with , students experiencing homelessness may enroll in any school district in the state, regardless of where they are temporarily residing, ensuring continued access to education during times of crisis.

Students experiencing homelessness have the right to immediate enrollment in school, even if they lack typical documentation such as proof of residency or immunization records. School districts are required to provide transportation to and from the school of origin upon request. Students experiencing homelessness are also entitled to receive free school meals, academic support, special education services, and other comparable services available to their peers. 

A child who is not experiencing homelessness can enroll in another district if their home school district is closed but will reopen under an adjusted calendar. However, if the child returns to his/her home district when it reopens, he or she will follow the district's adjusted calendar and may ultimately go to school for longer than 180 days. This situation is no different than when a child moves from one district to another during a normal family move.
 

Can incoming homeless students be served separately from resident students? 
No, homeless students may not be served separately from the general student population. Federal law under the strictly prohibits the segregation of homeless students in separate schools or programs based solely on their housing status. 

School districts are not permitted to create separate “shelter schools” or isolated classrooms for homeless students, except in very limited and temporary circumstances. The Act allows for certain services to be provided separately only “for short periods of time”, and only when necessary to address health and safety emergencies or to offer “temporary, special, and supplementary services that meet the unique needs of homeless children and youth”. Even in these cases, the services must not result in long-term separation or unequal access to educational opportunities. The overarching goal of McKinney-Vento is to ensure that students experiencing homelessness are fully integrated into the school community and have equal access to the same academic programs, extracurricular activities, and support services as their housed peers.
 

What transportation requirements apply to homeless students?  
During disaster displacement, McKinney-Vento eligible students are entitled to transportation services under both federal and Texas state law, with specific provisions to ensure their uninterrupted access to education (); Texas Education Code (TEC), § 42.155(d)). This transportation must be arranged immediately upon enrollment, even if the student lacks documentation, and must be provided at the request of a parent, guardian, or the local homeless liaison in the case of an unaccompanied youth. 

In Texas, school districts are funded for transportation based on the prior year’s data. However, if a district transports eligible homeless students during the school year, it will receive reimbursement for those additional services during the final funding reconciliation, which occurs in the fall following the close of the school year. To qualify for this funding, the student’s temporary residence at the time of classification must be two or more miles from the campus or located within a district board-designated hazardous traffic area if under two miles. Districts must also provide comparable transportation services to those offered to housed students and coordinate with other districts when students cross district lines. The law requires that transportation arrangements do not create barriers to enrollment, attendance, or participation in school activities. Flexible transportation solutions, such as school buses, public transit, or contracted services, may be used to meet these requirements.
 

Will school districts and charter schools receive additional lunch program support for homeless students?
Yes, school systems in Texas may receive additional lunch program support for homeless students during times of disaster. If a district experiences a significant influx of students experiencing homelessness due to a disaster, it may automatically increase its entitlement under the federal Free and Reduced-Price Lunch Program. This means that schools do not need to wait for a new funding cycle to receive support, and they can adjust their program participation and funding levels based on the increased need. 

For additional information regarding child nutrition, visit the . Additionally, under federal law, homeless students are categorically eligible for free school meals. These provisions ensure that displaced students and students experiencing homelessness continue to receive nutritious meals.
 

If my non-Title I campus qualifies for Title I funding after enrolling homeless students, can the district amend its ESSA Consolidated federal grant application?
Yes, if the original ESSA Consolidated Federal Grant Application has been approved and a Notice of Grant Award (NOGA) has been issued, the district may submit an amendment. If your district has not yet received a NOGA, you should contact the Division of Grants Administration at grants@tea.texas.gov. 
 

If my district has additional enrollments of homeless students, can the district amend its ESSA Consolidated federal grant application to increase its Title I homeless reservation?
Yes, if your district experiences an increase in the number of students identified as homeless, you can amend your ESSA Consolidated Federal Grant Application to increase the Title I, Part A homeless reservation. Federal law requires districts receiving Title I funds to reserve a portion specifically to support homeless students, in addition to the regular campus allocations. This reserved funding helps ensure that students experiencing homelessness have access to the services they need, such as academic support, transportation, school supplies, and other essential resources. If the original reservation amount is no longer sufficient due to rising enrollment, your district should work with its ESSA Consolidated Application negotiator in the Grants Administration Division to submit an amendment and ensure continued compliance and support for these students.
 

What services can my district provide to homeless students using of federal ESSA funds?
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), school districts can provide a wide range of services to support students experiencing homelessness, especially when those needs arise from disasters such as fires, floods, or hurricanes. These services may be funded through Title I, Part A, which requires districts to reserve funds specifically for homeless students, regardless of whether they attend a Title I school. Allowable services include both educational and non-traditional supports that help students overcome barriers to learning. These services must be reasonable, necessary, and not available from other public or private sources (e.g., food banks, public clinics, or PTA funds). Additionally, McKinney-Vento funds may also be used to support immediate enrollment, transportation, and school stability, and to ensure access to comparable educational opportunities.

Title I, Part A: All homeless students are eligible to be served with Title I, Part A funds regardless of the campus they attend. The students can receive any traditional instructional services as well as non-traditional types of Title I services.

Title I, Part C–Migrant: A student who moves across school district lines in the state due to a disaster evacuation is not considered a migratory student. Migratory Education Program (MEP) eligibility is based on a child’s moves with or as an agricultural or fishing worker across school district lines due to economic necessity. If the student was previously identified as migratory in his/her home district, the parents may reach out to the current school district regarding MEP services.
 

What types of non-traditional Title I services are allowable to the students in homeless situations caused by the evacuation due to a fire, flooding, hurricane, or other disaster?
Districts may use Title I, Part A funds to provide non-traditional services to students experiencing homelessness due to disasters such as fires, floods, hurricanes, or other emergencies, but only if those services are not reasonably available from other public or private sources. Allowable uses of Title I funds in these cases may include purchasing school supplies and materials, eyeglasses, clothing required to meet school dress codes or uniform policies, medical and dental services, immunizations, and referrals to health and social service providers. However, it’s important to note that both Title I, Part A and McKinney-Vento funds have clear restrictions. These funds may not be used for expenses such as rent, utilities, hotel or motel stays, medical costs for parents, clothing for parents, physical exams for athletic participation, or athletic uniforms. These limitations are in place to ensure that federal funds are used specifically to support the educational needs of the student.
 

How does student homelessness due to a natural disaster affect my district's requirement under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)?  
During a natural disaster, student homelessness does not remove a school system’s obligations under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). However, FERPA does include specific provisions that allow for limited disclosure of student information in emergency situations. 

Under FERPA, schools generally cannot release personally identifiable information (PII) from a student’s education records without written consent from a parent or eligible student. However, in the event of a health or safety emergency, such as a natural disaster, schools may disclose PII without consent to appropriate parties if the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or others. Additional information is available in this on disclosures related to emergencies and disasters.
 
School systems may not release the names of students affected by a disaster to the media or to individuals who do not have a legitimate need to know. Any disclosure must be limited to those who require the information for health or safety reasons. Additionally, schools should consult with legal counsel before releasing any student information to ensure compliance with FERPA and to protect student privacy.
 

What services must students in special populations receive?
A school system should make every effort to ensure that students eligible to participate in special education, gifted and talented, bilingual or English as a Second Language programs receive those services. Further, any student who is in a homeless situation is covered by the federal McKinney-Vento Act and is eligible to receive free school meals.
 

Is a school system receiving students with disabilities displaced by a natural disaster required to provide special education services?
Yes, despite this disaster, a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is required to be provided for all students with disabilities. If parents report a child has received services in the past, though records are not present, serve the student as though s/he has a disability and determine which services to provide using the best information available including student and parent interviews, and then follow the regular records request procedures to verify the student’s need for special education services.
 

Will students displaced by disasters be subject to truancy laws at some point?  
All school-age individuals are subject to compulsory attendance. However, evacuated students should be given a reasonable period of time to decide whether they will return to their former school district or enroll in another district. Truancy charges should not be filed until that decision can be made.
 

In the event of a disaster, can our school board hold an emergency meeting?
The Texas Open Meetings Act allows emergency meetings () in response to circumstances that constitute an imminent threat to public health and safety or reasonably unforeseen circumstances. Emergency meetings may be held by telephone conference () if convening a quorum in one location would be difficult. You should consult with local counsel to determine whether your circumstances warrant use of an emergency meeting.

Updated July 11, 2025