Onano Three School Orange Unified School District Office of Student & Community Services*

Many children experiencing homelessness are not identified as such, and therefore do not receive the support and benefits authorized by the McKinney-Vento Act. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District cannot verify that "many" children experiencing homelessness in Orange County are not identified as such and therefore do not receive McKinney-Vento services. As it relates to children experiencing homelessness in our District, the District partially disagrees with this finding because those who are identified do receive the support and benefits authorized by the McKinney-Vento Act. The District partially agrees with the finding because the District recognizes that not all children eligible for McKinney-Vento services are identified and receive such services. The District has processes and procedures to identify and serve McKinney-Vento students but recognizes that the District can always improve its process to identify and serve more McKinney-Vento students. Mission Statement: In partnership with our community, we will provide a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader. ON THINKIED SCHOOL ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Office of Student & Community Services 1401 North Handy Street • Orange, CA 92867-4334 ORANGE, CALIFOR 714-628-5424 • 714-628-4061 (Fax) www.orangeusd.org

The lack of mandatory McKinney-Vento Act training of school site office staff, counselors, and teachers contributes to a failure to identify children experiencing homelessness. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District partially disagrees that a lack of "mandatory" training necessarily contributes to a failure to identify children experiencing homelessness in Orange County. Orange Unified School District has processes and procedures in place to identify and serve McKinney-Vento students but recognizes that the District can always improve its process to identify and serve more McKinney- Vento students.

There is disparity in the application of McKinney-Vento regulations across Orange County public school districts which results in unequal access to educational benefits for children experiencing homelessness. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding whether there is a disparity across all districts in Orange County leading to unequal access to educational benefits and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with that portion of the finding. As it relates to our District, the District partially disagrees with this finding because those who are identified in Orange Unified School District do receive equal access to educational benefits. The District partially agrees with this finding because the District recognizes that not all children eligible for McKinney-Vento services are identified, therefore, may not receive such benefits.

The majority of McKinney-Vento Liaisons are in full-time positions, but because their work includes multiple non-McKinney-Vento responsibilities, most do not have sufficient time to do the work required by the McKinney-Vento Act. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding the workload of McKinney-Vento Liaisons throughout the county and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with that portion of the finding in general. As it relates to Orange Unified School District, the District's McKinney-Vento Liaison has multiple non- McKinney-Vento responsibilities. Mission Statement: In partnership with our community, we will provide a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader. AMERICA SCHOOL ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Office of Student & Community Services * 1401 North Handy Street • Orange, CA 92867-4334 ORANGE, CALIFOR 714-628-5424 • 714-628-4061 (Fax) www.orangeusd.org

Many McKinney-Vento Liaisons lack needed experience due to a high turnover rate in those positions. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding the experience and turnover rate for McKinney- Vento Liaisons throughout the county and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. As it relates to Orange Unified School District, the District disagrees with this finding because our McKinney- Vento Liaison has held this position for 10 years.

McKinney-Vento Act training is not mandatory for the majority of McKinney-Vento Liaisons. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information on whether McKinney-Vento Act training is not mandatory for the majority of McKinney-Vento Liaisons throughout the county and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. Orange Unified School District disagrees with this finding because our McKinney-Vento Liaison is fully trained and attends ongoing training provided by the Orange County Department of Education and California Department of Education.

Students experiencing homelessness who are enrolled in an elementary district often do not continue to receive McKinney-Vento benefits when they move to a high school district because the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents the sharing of this information between districts. The District partially disagrees with this finding. Because the Orange Unified School District is a unified school district serving grades TK-12, the District does not have firsthand information regarding this finding with districts that are not unified and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. Mission Statement: In partnership with our community, we will provide a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader. ORPOS TIMES D SCHOOL ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT Office of Student & Community Services ¥ 1401 North Handy Street • Orange, CA 92867-4334 ORANGE, CALIFOR 714-628-5424 • 714-628-4061 (Fax) www.orangeusd.org

McKinney-Vento funds depend on school districts submitting grant proposals, but not all districts have employees trained in writing grant applications, resulting in missed funding opportunities. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding this finding for all districts in Orange County and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. The District partially agrees with the finding because we do not have trained personnel for writing grant applications. However, the District uses other funding sources.

School districts that do not apply for grants which fund programs benefiting children experiencing homelessness miss potential revenue opportunities. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding this finding for all districts in Orange County and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. As it relates to Orange Unified School District, the District partially disagrees because we use other funding sources. The District partially agrees with the finding because we do not have trained personnel for writing grant applications.

McKinney-Vento is an unfunded federally mandated program; however, school districts which qualify and apply for Title I, Part A funds may obtain revenues that can be used for children experiencing homelessness. These funds are insufficient to meet the needs of the school districts supporting children experiencing homelessness. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding this finding for all districts in Orange County and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. As it relates to Orange Unified School District, the District uses Title I funds to support our students experiencing homelessness. Mission Statement: In partnership with our community, we will provide a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader. ONANGE OF THREE SCHOOL ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Office of Student & Community Services * 1401 North Handy Street • Orange, CA 92867-4334 ORPHOE, CALIFOR 714-628-5424 • 714-628-4061 (Fax) www.orangeusd.org

A lack of reliable transportation for children experiencing homelessness often results in chronic tardiness and absenteeism. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information about whether the lack of reliable transportation for children experiencing homelessness in Orange County often results in chronic tardiness and absenteeism. As it relates to Orange Unified School District, the Transportation Department has a protocol and procedures to support homeless students arriving to and departing from school each day.

Chronic Absenteeism Rates of Homeless Students are disproportionately high in comparison with the Chronic Absenteeism Rates of All Students and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information on whether chronic absenteeism rates of homeless students are disproportionately high in comparison with the chronic absenteeism rates of all students and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Orange Unified School District partially agrees with the finding because chronic absenteeism rates of homeless students are disproportionately high in comparison with the chronic absenteeism rates of all students and socioeconomically disadvantaged students in our District.

Children experiencing homelessness in Orange County perform at a lower level on standardized tests and have a lower graduation rate than All Students and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information on whether students experiencing homelessness in Orange County perform at a lower level on standardized tests and have a lower graduation rate than all students and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Mission Statement: In partnership with our community, we will provide a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader. AND SCHOOL ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Office of Student & Community Services 1401 North Handy Street • Orange, CA 92867-4334 ORANGE, CALIFOR 714-628-5424 • 714-628-4061 (Fax) www.orangeusd.org Orange Unified School District partially agrees with the finding because children experiencing homelessness in our District perform at a lower level on standardized tests and have a lower graduation rate than all students and socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

The percent of Homeless Students graduating who failed to meet state standards on English Language Arts and Math tests is significantly higher than it is for All Students and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information on whether the percentage of homeless students in Orange County graduating who failed to meet state standards on English Language Arts and math tests is significantly higher than it is for all students and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Orange Unified School District partially agrees with the finding because children experiencing homelessness in our District perform at a lower level on standardized tests and have a lower graduation rate than all students and socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

There is a tendency by school districts to operate in isolation, which prevents productive collaboration on addressing the issue of children experiencing homelessness and the challenges of their education. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding this finding for all districts in Orange County and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. As it relates to Orange Unified School District, our McKinney-Vento Liaison collaborates with other neighboring districts and community-based agencies.

A significant lack of affordable permanent housing contributes to many families being caught in the cycle of homelessness. The District partially disagrees with the finding. The District does not have firsthand information regarding this finding for all districts in Orange County and, therefore, cannot agree or disagree with this finding. Mission Statement: In partnership with our community, we will provide a safe, equitable, and innovative culture of learning for each scholar to have a competitive EDGE as a leader. ON THINKIED SCHOOL ORANGE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Office of Student & Community Services * 1401 North Handy Street • Orange, CA 92867-4334 ORANGE, CALIFOR 714-628-5424 • 714-628-4061 (Fax) www.orangeusd.org As it relates to Orange Unified School District, we have families who are homeless due to the lack of affordable permanent housing.