Orange County Grand Jury • 2022-2023

Newport-Mesa Board of Education Ashley Anderson • Michelle Barto*

Published: May 19, 2023 7 pages

View Original PDF

⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 16 findings

Many children experiencing homelessness Disagree. The NMUSD includes the mandatory are not identified as such and therefore do Respondent housing questionnaire in the district's not receive the support and benefits disagrees yearly registration and data authorized by the McKinney-Vento Act. wholly or confirmation process. All NMUSD partially with parents/guardians must complete this the finding (see questionnaire as part of the annual right for data confirmation process for their explanation) child/children. Based on housing questionnaire responses, a parent or guardian self-identifies current housing, the school office staff designates the family as McKinney- Vento in the Aeries Student Information System (SIS), and School Staff (Office Staff, School Community Facilitator, etc.) makes personal contact with many families who may be vulnerable to homelessness to offer additional resources and support. District Office staff are also available to consult on cases if questions or unique needs arise and to support with the housing status identification process.

The lack of mandatory McKinney-Vento Disagree. The NMUSD Staff is provided annual Act training of school site office staff, Respondent training both through our District counselors, and teachers contributes to a disagrees McKinney-Vento Liaison and through failure to identify children experiencing wholly or the annual District mandatory Keenan partially with homelessness. trainings (included with bully the finding (see prevention, suicide prevention, child right for abuse reporting, etc.). The McKinney- explanation) Vento Liaison also provides more intensive training for school office staff (school administrative assistants, school office assistants, registrars, attendance technicians, secondary support specialists, and school community facilitators) and site administrators, counselors, school social workers, health assistants, and nurses. This training emphasizes identifying students potentially experiencing homelessness, legal requirements under McKinney-Vento, and resources/support available to students. Agree. The

There is disparity in the application of McKinney-Vento regulations across Respondent Orange County public school districts agrees with the which results in unequal access to finding educational benefits for children experiencing homelessness.

The majority of McKinney-Vento Disagree. The In Newport-Mesa, the McKinney- Liaisons are in full-time positions, but Respondent Vento Liaison position has historically because their work includes multiple non- disagrees been held by an administrator in the wholly or McKinney-Vento responsibilities, most do District Office, with it being a primary not have sufficient time to do the work partially with responsibility; however, more funding specifically for support to students required by the McKinney-Vento Act. the finding (see experiencing homelessness would right for always be welcomed. explanation)

Many McKinney-Vento Liaisons lack Disagree. The The previous NMUSD McKinney- needed experience due to a high turnover Respondent Vento Liaison held the position for 4 disagrees years. She was well-trained due to her rate in those positions. wholly or participation in a variety of partially with opportunities, including Orange the finding (see County Department of Education right for (OCDE) Homeless Outreach explanation) Promoting Educational Success (HOPES) meetings, CA Homeless Education Technical Assistance Center (HETAC) webinars, CA Department of Education conferences, and the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) annual conference. The District Homeless Liaison collaborates with the OCDE and CDE Homeless Liaisons for questions and support when needed.

McKinney-Vento Act training is not Disagree. The The Federal McKinney-Vento Act mandatory for the majority of McKinney- Respondent requires that McKinney-Vento Vento Liaisons. disagrees Liaisons are trained to support wholly or McKinney-Vento students. The partially with Federal Program Monitoring Program the finding (see (FPM) Instrument for Homeless right for Education is an accountability tool to explanation) ensure this is happening. The annual Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS) also asks if the Homeless Liaison has attended or participated in training within the past two years. This provides another accountability measure to ensure that liaisons are trained. To fulfill the requirement, the District Homeless Liaison attends various trainings, meetings, webinars, and conferences.

Students experiencing homelessness who Disagree. The NMUSD is a PK-12 unified school are enrolled in an elementary district often Respondent district, with the Aeries Student do not continue to receive McKinney- disagrees Information System (SIS) being used wholly or Vento benefits when they move to a high universally throughout the District, school district because the Federal partially with and their status is maintained as part Educational Rights and Privacy Act the finding (see of their student record. Additionally, (FERPA) prevents the sharing of this right for with the housing questionnaire now information between districts. explanation) being an annual requirement during registration/data confirmation, it would be expedited that a student would be identified as McKinney- Vento even if they were coming from outside of NMUSD or leaving to go to another District.

Disagree. The McKinney-Vento funds depend on school NMUSD evaluates every grant districts submitting grant proposals, but Respondent opportunity presented to determine if not all districts have employees trained in disagrees it is an appropriate fit for the needs of writing grant applications, resulting in wholly or the District. If it is, the District works missed funding opportunities. partially with with a contracted grant writer to the finding (see respond and apply for that grant. right for explanation)

School districts that do not apply for Disagree. The NMUSD evaluates every grant grants which fund programs benefiting Respondent opportunity presented to determine if children experiencing homelessness miss disagrees it is an appropriate fit for the needs of potential revenue opportunities. wholly or the District. partially with the finding (see right for explanation)

F10

McKinney-Vento is an unfunded federally Disagree. The In NMUSD, Title I funds allocated to mandated program; however, school Respondent support McKinney-Vento students are districts which qualify and apply for Title disagrees evaluated and assessed annually in I, Part A funds may obtain revenues that wholly or partnership with the Department of Special Projects. can be used for children experiencing partially with homelessness. These funds are insufficient the finding (see right for to meet the needs of the school districts explanation) supporting children experiencing homelessness. Disagree. The

F11

A lack of reliable transportation for Transportation is a barrier for some children experiencing homelessness often Respondent McKinney-Vento families. The results in chronic tardiness and District mitigates this barrier by disagrees absenteeism. wholly or providing transportation for McKinney-Vento students on District partially with the finding (see bus routes, OCTA public bus passes, right for and door-to-door transportation in select cases for students living outside explanation) of the District boundaries or for students with unique needs. Chronic Absenteeism Rates of Homeless

F12

Agree. The Respondent Students are disproportionately high in agrees with the comparison with the Chronic Absenteeism finding Rates of All Students and Socio- Disadvantaged Students. Agree. The

F13

Children experiencing homelessness in Orange County perform at a lower level Respondent on standardized tests and have a lower agrees with the graduation rate than All Students and finding Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students. Agree. The The percent of Homeless Students

F14

Respondent graduating who failed to meet state agrees with the standards on English Language Arts and Math tests is significantly higher than it is finding for All Students and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students. The Orange County Department of Disagree. The There is a tendency by school districts to

F15

Education (OCDE) conducts regular Respondent operate in isolation, which prevents disagrees Homeless Outreach Promoting productive collaboration on addressing the issue of children experiencing wholly or Educational Success (HOPES) network meetings for Districts to have homelessness and the challenges of their partially with the finding (see the opportunity to collaborate and education. right for exchange ideas. Collaboration at these explanation) meetings is contingent upon Districts attending and participating, and NMUSD has committed to both.

F16

A significant lack of affordable permanent Agree. The housing contributes to many families Respondent being caught in the cycle of homelessness. agrees with the finding Please see below for the responses to each required Recommendation as requested in the Orange County Grand Jury report: The ABC's of Educating Children Experiencing Homelessness in Orange County, and attached cover letter dated May 19, 2023. R#

Recommendations 11

R1

All Orange County school districts should Recommendation NMUSD Staff is already provided develop a "Back to School" plan which has been annual training through our District includes mandatory McKinney-Vento Act implemented McKinney-Vento Liaison and the training for all district and school annual District mandatory Keenan administrators, teachers, office staff, and trainings (included with bully counselors by December 31, 2023, and prevention, suicide prevention, child annually thereafter. abuse reporting, etc.). The McKinney-Vento Liaison also provides more intensive training for school office staff (school administrative assistants, school office assistants, registrars, attendance technicians, secondary support specialists, school community facilitators) as well as site administrators, counselors, school social workers, health assistants, and nurses. This training emphasizes the identification of students potentially experiencing homelessness, legal requirements under McKinney-Vento, and resources/support available to students. This will continue. Participation in Orange County Recommendation
R2

NMUSD District Staff has been Department of Education (OCDE) prioritizing these trainings already has been McKinney-Vento Act training programs and has historically attended. The implemented for all Local Education Agencies (LEA) District McKinney-Vento Liaison McKinney-Vento Liaisons should be will continue to participate moving mandated by October 1, 2023, and forward. annually thereafter.
R3

Given that most LEA McKinney-Vento Recommendation NMUSD has already evaluated this Liaisons are responsible for a number of has not yet been need and has reorganized the other duties, and do not have sufficient implemented but structure of support for McKinney- time to do their McKinney-Vento required will be in the Vento students, including school work, school districts should identify ways future (see right office staff and school mental staff. to increase support and/or staff to address for timeline) the numerous tasks of the Liaisons by October 1, 2023. By January 1, 2024, for children
R4

Recommendation A student's McKinney-Vento status experiencing homelessness to receive has not yet been is currently maintained as part of uninterrupted McKinney-Vento benefits, implemented but their student record. For the 2023-24 Orange County school districts should add will be in the school year, an option will be added a section to their mandatory enrollment future (see right to the annual registration and data school form enabling parents/guardians to for timeline) confirmation process for families to give permission for their school to share check that they permit us to share information regarding their child's information with another District if McKinney-Vento status with other they change the district of districts that their child may be attending. attendance.
R5

By October 1, 2023, each Orange County Recommendation Currently, NMUSD contracts with school district should develop and has not yet been an outside consultant to respond to maintain a centralized list of district implemented but any grants that are being applied for. employees with grant application writing will be in the To fulfill this requirement, the capability so that they are prepared to future (see right approved grant writers list will be apply for available grants to assist in for timeline) readily available to all District staff. educating children experiencing homelessness.
R6

By October 1, 2023, a joint task force Recommendation NMUSD supports the should be formed by the OCDE comprised has been recommendation for OCDE and will of a district-level administrator from each implemented send a representative to join the Orange County school district and County task force. leadership from non-profit organizations who serve homeless families, to address absenteeism, low test scores, and low graduation rates of children experiencing homelessness.
R7

To address one of the primary barriers to Recommendation This recommendation pertains to the the education of minors experiencing will not be County of Orange and not to homelessness, the County of Orange implemented (see NMUSD. should develop a plan to increase the right for number of family shelters, permanent explanation) supportive housing, and low-cost/long term housing for families by January 1, 2024. By May 1, 2024, each Orange County
R8

Recommendation NMUSD District Staff will work school district administration should has not yet been closely with the Executive Cabinet develop, and present to the District Board implemented but team to develop this plan and to of Education, a plan to lower the will be in the present it to the NMUSD Board of Absenteeism Rates of homeless students. future (see right Education by the required date. for timeline)
R9

By May 1, 2024, each Orange County Recommendation NMUSD District Staff will work school district administration should has not yet been closely with the Executive Cabinet develop, and present to the District Board implemented but team to develop this plan and to of Education, a plan to improve the will be in the present it to the NMUSD Board of performance of homeless students in future (see right Education by the required date. English Language Arts and Math. for timeline)
R10

The Orange County Superintendent of Recommendation This recommendation pertains to the Schools should provide information from requires further Orange County Superintendents of the School Accountability Report (SARC) analysis (see Schools, not NMUSD. to the Board of Supervisors identifying the right for number and describing the performance of explanation of children experiencing homelessness in scope, Orange County public schools. This data parameters, and 6 should include the aggregate of students in month timeline of each district who are experiencing analysis) homelessness, their chronic absenteeism rates, and the high school graduation rate, and the percent who meet or exceed state standards in English and Math, starting October 31, 2023, and yearly thereafter.
R11

By July 1, 2024, the County Board of Recommendation This recommendation pertains to the Supervisors should identify and pursue requires further County Board of Supervisors and not sustainable financial funding to support all analysis (see to NMUSD. Orange County school districts with right for enrolled children experiencing explanation of homelessness, in their effort to scope, successfully meet the unfunded Federal parameters, and 6 mandate to equitably educate these month timeline of children. analysis) Thank you. Sincerely, Christy Flores Christy Flores Director Engagement, Partnership, & Expanded Learning cflores@nmusd.us (714) 424-3691

* This report's PDF did not contain easily extractable text and required Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for analysis. There may be minor errors in the extracted findings and recommendations due to OCR limitations with scanned documents.