HIGHLY MOBILE STUDENT SERVICES

  • The office of Highly Mobile 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. 
    Waco ISD Homeless Liaison
    Dr. Kathy Mustacato Wigtil
    254-755-9433
    kathy.wigtil@wacoisd.org 


    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
    • School of Origin

    Enroll your child in school.

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

    Keep copies of critical records:

    • Immunizations
    • Social Security number
    • Health physicals
    • Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

    Ask questions

    • 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 Services

     

Department Supervisor



  • Dr. Kathy Mustacato Wigtil
    Supervisor, Highly Mobile Student Services

    District Homeless & Foster Liaison

    kathy.wigtil@wacoisd.org

    Staff Directory

    Office: 254-755-9433

    You can also text to: 254-307-1255

     

     

     

Contact Us

Mission

  • 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 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.