Thank You, THEO

More than twenty years ago, THEO: the Texas Homeless Education Office, joined the Dana Center family of programs.

Working in collaboration with the Texas Education Agency and the Region 10 Education Service Center, THEO’s small but fiercely dedicated staff has worked tirelessly to equip local educational agencies (LEAs) with the information they need to ensure all children and youth experiencing homelessness can access a free and appropriate public education in the state of Texas.

On August 30, 2019, the THEO staff will hand over their responsibilities to the Region 13 Education Service Center, which will pick up the reins of administering the McKinney-Vento Act in the state of Texas.

We at the Dana Center are saddened to see THEO’s service come to an end.

THEO has been a relentless advocate for the legal rights of homeless children and youth and a voice for these students, who are among our most vulnerable.

Over the years, THEO staff developed resources to support districts in complying with the law and in supporting youth experiencing homelessness. The small but mighty staff of 6

• delivered hundreds of workshops and trainings across the state and nation;
• responded to calls on a hotline that operates around the clock every single day to ensure no request was left unaddressed; and
• served as the go-to resource for the 1,100+ school districts in the state of Texas—in “regular” school years as well as in times of hurricanes and other crises that displaced hundreds of thousands of families.

The THEO staff have been recognized by their national counterparts as leaders in the field, a model to emulate.

Please join us in thanking THEO for their service.

If you are in need of resources for students experiencing homelessness, you may still find them at theotx.org.