Community Development Agency
www.santa-ana.org/community-development
Item # 4
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Joint School Collaboration City Council Subcommittee Staff Report December 2, 2024
TOPIC: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: Services to Homeless Students TITLE:
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: Services to Homeless Students
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Receive and file.
DISCUSSION
The McKinney-Vento Act (Act) offers homeless students a variety of rights, including the right to:
•Receive transportation to and from school and extracurricular activities at no cost, •Remain enrolled at their school of origin and
•Enroll in school, even if students cannot present proof of residence or immunization.
The Act ensures that homeless students have the same educational opportunities as other students. Homeless is defined as children and youth living in the following circumstances:
•Shared housing due to economic hardship,
•Motels or hotels,
•Public or private places not designed for sleeping,
•Trailer parks or campgrounds,
•Cars, parks, and abandoned buildings,
•Shelters, or
•Emergency or transitional shelters.
A homeless student has the right to remain in their school of origin for the duration of their homelessness, if it is in the best interest of the student, and it is parent requested. School of origin is defined as:
• The school that a child or youth attended when permanently housed, • The school in which the child or youth was last enrolled, or • A school that the child or youth has had some sort of connection to within the last 15 months.
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: Services to Homeless Students December 2, 2024
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5 The City’s shelter operator Illumination Foundation was assisting with providing transportation of homeless students to and from school when homeless parents were unable to arrange for transportation with their own vehicle. On August 8, 2024 City Homeless services staff met with Michele DeJournett Executive Director, Support Services at the City Shelter. Since that time Ms. DeJournett and her staff have met with homeless parents and students to determine the need for transportation for the SAUSD students living at the City Shelter. At that time there were 18 children attending the following schools:
•Pio Pico Elementary
•Riverdale Elementary
•Fremont Elementary
•Santiago Elementary
•Romero-Cruz - TK to 8th Grade
•Mendez Intermediate
City staff is requesting SAUSD transportation services for homeless SAUSD students living at the City Shelter to and from the City Shelter pursuant to 42 USC 11432(g)(1)(J)(iii)(I), which states:
“If the homeless child or youth continues to live in the area served by the local educational agency in which the school of origin is located, the child’s or youth’s transportation to and from the school of origin shall be provided or arranged by the local educational agency in which the school of origin is located.”
While public transportation is a cost-effective way to get students experiencing homelessness to and from school, these commutes are often hours-long, taxing and inconsistent. The City is glad that transportation to the schools has been occurring in the morning from the City Shelter through the use of HopSkipDirve services. The HopSkipDrive Platform users a network of CareDrivers who are substantially vetted.
Pickup notes and multi-factor authentication ensure students and CareDrivers safely find each other and alerts are provided for each stage of the ride in real time. Parents or caregivers on the child’s account also get alerts for added visibility and safety. The use of HopSkipDrive has been occurring for the past three (3) months; however, transportation for homeless students from the SAUSD schools back to the City Shelter after school is not occurring. The City is requesting that SAUSD provide transportation for the homeless students both to and from their schools.
EXHIBIT(S)
None
Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director of Community Development Agency
Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager