Bend-La Pine Schools Education Center
Family Resources
At Bend-La Pine Schools, we connect families with a variety of supports and community resources to help in times of need. Our goal is to ensure every student and family has access to the tools, information, and assistance they need to thrive.
Family Access Network (FAN)
FAN Advocates are available to assist all families with children birth through graduation. If you have questions about Oregon Health Plan, food, clothing, rent or utility help, please reach out to your FAN Advocate. Advocates are available via a phone, email, or text. Their goal is to make sure that your child has everything they need to be ready to learn.
McKinney-Vento Houseless Program
The McKinney-Vento Act’s Students Navigating Houselessness Education Program ensures that children and youth navigating housing instability are provided a free, appropriate public education, despite lack of a fixed place of residence or a supervising parent or guardian. The state public school admission statute assuring the right of homeless and other children and youth in similar circumstances to enroll in schools is ORS 339.115(7).
If you are experiencing housing difficulties you may qualify for additional services from Bend-La Pine Schools. Please call 541-355-1037 or text 541-246-7409.
If you live in any of the following situations:
- Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship.
- In a shelter or transitional housing.
- In a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation.
- In a car, park, garage, or similar space not intended for sleeping.
You may qualify for certain rights and protection under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.
Eligible students have the right to:
- Receive a free, appropriate public education.
- Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
- Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), if that is their preference and is feasible.
- If the school district believes that the school selected is not in his/her best interest, then district must provide the student with a written explanation of its position and inform the student of his/her right to appeal its decision.
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested.
- Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the students' needs.
Foster Care
Foster care is defined as substitute care for children placed by the Oregon Department of Human Services or a tribal child welfare agency away from their parents and for whom the department or agency has placement and care responsibility, including placements in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, child care institutions and pre-adoptive homes.
Educational stability is a key component in a foster care student’s success. At the federal and state level, laws have been passed that require local and state child welfare and education agencies to fully and faithfully understand and implement legislation focusing on continuity and stability in a foster care student’s education.
If you are needing assistance, you may contact our Foster Care Point of Contact by calling 541-355-1037 or text 541-246-7409.
Students in Foster Care have a right to:
- Receive a free, appropriate public education.
- Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents normally required for enrollment.
- Enroll in the local school; or continue attending their school of origin (the school they attended before the student was placed into foster care or the foster care placement of the student changed).
- Receive transportation to and from the school of origin.
- Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to the students' needs.