Foster Care Resources

The Lander County School District works to ensure that every child in foster care in our schools receives a quality education and the support they need to succeed academically. We strive to promote stability and consistency in the educational experiences of children, working collaboratively with schools, foster care agencies, and other community partners to identify and address barriers to academic success. Through advocacy, counseling, and other resources, we aim to empower children in foster care to achieve their full potential and thrive both academically and personally.

Foster Care Resources in LCSD

Foster Care Liaison

Jennifer Lords

Director of Wraparound Services and Early Childhood, Foster Care Liaison, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)

Director of Wraparound Services

School: (775) 635-2886 ext. 2031

Child in Transition Contact

Milena Parker

Clinical Intern, CSW-I

School: (775) 635-5436

Our Responsibilities to Children in Care

Provide guidance, support, and collaboration for educators addressing educational and career needs of foster care students.
Collaborate with child welfare agencies and school staff to ensure compliance with federal and state laws regarding the education of children in foster care.
Coordinate with foster care agencies and district personnel for the safe and efficient transportation of foster care students.
Assist with school transitions and ensure uninterrupted educational services, monitoring academic progress and attendance for foster care students.
Provide guidance and support for the well-being of students in foster care.

Collaborating with DCFS and Caregivers: Identification of Children in Care

When the Division of Child and Family Services places a child in a home that is not their family of origin, a placement letter is provided to Lander County School District. Then, the district liaison will notify the school counselor or social worker so that a child and family team meeting can be conducted to determine the academic plan for the student and a schedule for monitoring progress. When children are displaced from families of origin but are not formally placed in a foster care placement, school counselors and social workers will make reasonable efforts to connect with the families and caregivers to determine if school based academic or social-emotional support is needed to prevent disruption in education and learning.

MOU with DCFS

Academic Plans for Children in Foster Care

The Academic Plan serves as a comprehensive guide for planning, monitoring, and managing the educational development of students in foster care. The purpose is to determine the necessary assistance required to support their academic progress. The Academic Plan should be reviewed when a student enrolls in a new school or annually, ensuring that it remains current and aligned to the needs of students. Academic plans are created through regular collaboration with the Division of Child and Family Services to identify and track the academic progress of students receiving foster care. Academic plan requirements are discussed in NRS 388.155

NRS 388.155 Foster care children enrolled in elementary school; development of academic plan required; annual review and modification of plan; use of plan to manage pupil’s educational development.

The board of trustees of each school district shall adopt a policy for each elementary school in the school district to develop an academic plan for each pupil enrolled in the elementary school for whom the school is informed is a foster child. An academic plan must include consideration of the unique circumstances and educational background of the child and be developed with the goal of achieving academic success.
An academic plan must be reviewed and revised each year with appropriate modifications for the grade level of the pupil. A new academic plan must be developed for any pupil who transfers to an elementary school for whom the school is informed is a foster child.
An academic plan for a pupil must be used as a guide to plan, monitor and manage the pupil’s educational development and make determinations of any assistance that may be necessary to the academic success of the pupil.

(Added to NRS by 2011, 2668)

Academic Plan Template

High School Graduation

Students in foster care have the right to equal access to their education and schools have a responsibility to remove barriers to graduation (SB147). Lander County School District is responsible to review and adjust the student’s academic plan to maximize the accrual of credits and progress toward graduation. Academic plans for students in grades 9-12 are focused on helping the student’s achieve graduation and their post-graduation goals, including assistance with applying for financial aid and other resources in college.

Best Interest Determination

Lander County School District collaborates in meetings with the Division of Child and Family Services to determine the best interest of the child for remaining in their school of origin as required by NRS 388E.105

NRS 388E.105
Determination of best interests of child entering or in foster care regarding school to attend
considerations when determining best interests
required actions when child is to attend public school other than child’s school of origin
school not to refuse enrollment.

When a child enters foster care or changes placement while in foster care, the agency which provides child welfare services to the child shall determine whether it is in the best interests of the child for the child to remain in his or her school of origin. In making this determination, there is a rebuttable presumption that it is in the best interests of the child to remain in his or her school of origin.
In determining whether it is in the best interests of a child in foster care to remain in his or her school of origin, the agency which provides child welfare services, in consultation with the local education agency and the educational decision maker appointed for the child pursuant to NRS 432B.462, must consider, without limitation:
1. (a)The wishes of the child;
2. (b)The educational success, stability and achievement of the child;
3. (c)Any individualized education program or academic plan developed for the child;
4. (d)Whether the child has been identified as an English learner;
5. (e)The health and safety of the child;
6. (f)The availability of necessary services for the child at the school of origin; and
7. (g)Whether the child has a sibling enrolled in the school of origin.
8. (h) The costs of transporting the child to the school of origin must not be considered when determining whether it is in the best interests of the child to remain at his or her school of origin.
If the agency which provides child welfare services determines that it is in the best interests of a child in foster care to attend a public school other than the child’s school of origin:
1. (a)The agency which provides child welfare services must:
  1. Provide written notice of its determination to every interested party as soon as practicable; and
  2. In collaboration with the local education agency, ensure that the child is immediately enrolled in that public school; and
2. (b)The public school may not refuse to the enroll the child on the basis that the public school does not have:
  1. A certificate stating that the child has been immunized and has received proper boosters for that immunization;
  2. A birth certificate or other document suitable as proof of the child’s identity;
  3. A copy of the child’s records from the school the child most recently attended; or
  4. Any other documentation required by a policy adopted by the public school or the local education agency.

A DCFS Best Interests Determination form is used collaboratively by LCSD, DCFS and any other relevant parties to identify whether it is in the best interests of the foster child to remain in their School of Origin or, based upon a move to a new foster home, enrollment in the zoned school. If a dispute arises about the Best Interests Determination, DCFS will make the final decision regarding the child’s school which will be subject to court approval if any party objects.

Transportation Plans for Children in Foster Care

When a child's foster home placement is outside of the boundary of his/her school of origin, DCFS Office Education Liaison will notify the LEA within one school day and collaborate with the LEA to convene a best interest determination meeting within five (5) school days.

If it is determined that remaining in the school of origin is in the student's best interest, the LEA and DCFS will collaborate to establish the most cost-effective method of transportation available for the student within five (5) school days after the best interest determination is made. While the student's transportation plan is being finalized, DCFS and the LEA will immediately identify and provide temporary transportation for the child to ensure that there is no interruption or disruption in the child's educational programming.

LCSD will examine existing transportation options available to the student, including incorporating the student into an existing bus route, modifying an existing bus route, and other no-cost or low-cost options. Transportation will be provided by the LCSD if a no-cost solution is available.

LCSD will continue to pay what they would otherwise normally spend to transport a child to school. If LCSD can arrange or provide transportation at no or minimal cost, then we will arrange, fund, and provide that transportation. Examples include adding an additional stop to an existing bus route.

If there are additional transportation costs required, LCSD and DCFS will work together based on our agreements to identify resources to support child receiving foster care in being transported to and from the school determined to be in their best interest.