Homeless Students Need More Help

Agree The ACOE recognizes, as the Grand Jury McKinney-Vento liaisons face report states, that McKinney-Vento liaisons significant time restraints fulfilling often have multiple program their duty to assist homeless responsibilities and may be unable to students in Alameda County. devote all of their time to homeless student supports.

Disagree The ACOE agrees that the work of liaisons McKinney-Vento liaisons lack Partially may not be as visible as it should be, visibility within their organizations particularly to district leadership. But to effectively impact school visibility varies from district to district. In districts’ service for homeless addition, many factors contribute to the students. effectiveness of services for homeless students; lack of visibility of liaisons is just one possible factor. Districts are responding to a variety of student needs, with shifting priorities, resources, and funding.

Agree State and federal laws do not mandate that Teachers in Alameda County are teachers be trained or certified to identify not required to be trained or homeless students. certified to identify homeless students.

Agree In its role as convener and trainer of Efforts to identify homeless district McKinney-Vento liaisons, the students throughout Alameda ACOE ensures that liaisons are fully County are inconsistent from trained. Each district determines which district to district, including additional district personnel will receive differences as to which school training, which can result in district employees receive inconsistencies across districts. training on identifying homeless students and how they are trained.

Agree The ACOE supports wrap-around Wrap-around services provided at a services at a single geographical single geographical location, such as location, when that location is those provided at the Union City Family accessible to students and their Center, offer tremendous value to families. homeless students and their families and are a critical component in assisting with the difficulties associated with homelessness.

Disagree The ACOE agrees that partnerships Partnerships with Community-Based Partially with Community-Based Organizations Organizations are an effective way for are essential, but Community-Based school districts and schools to Organizations also need to be fully overcome funding deficiencies for the funded to provide effective services. provision of services for homeless Partnerships with Community-Based students. Organizations are not a work-around for deficient funding.