Homeless and Foster Liaison
KLA Homeless and Foster Liaison
619-263-9266 Ext. 2028
Duties
Each LEA liaison for homeless and foster youth shall ensure that:
- Homeless children and youths are identified by school personnel through outreach and coordination activities with other entities and agencies;
- Homeless children and youths are enrolled in, and have a full and equal opportunity to succeed in, schools of that LEA;
- Homeless families and homeless children and youths have access to and receive educational services for which such families, children, and youths are eligible, including services through Head Start programs (including Early Head Start programs) under the Title 42 United States Code Section (U.S.C.) 9831 (42 U.S.C. Section 9831) et seq. early intervention services under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), and other preschool programs administered by the LEA;
- Homeless families and homeless children and youths receive referrals to health care services, dental services, mental health and substance abuse services, housing services, and other appropriate services;
- The parents or guardians of homeless children and youths are informed of the educational and related opportunities available to their children and are provided with meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children;
- Public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths is disseminated in locations frequented by parents or guardians of such children and youths, and unaccompanied youths, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and soup kitchens, in a manner and form understandable to the parents and guardians of homeless children and youths, and unaccompanied youths;
- Enrollment disputes are mediated in accordance with paragraph (3)(E);
- The parent or guardian of a homeless child or youth, and any unaccompanied youth, is fully informed of all transportation services, including transportation to the school of origin, as described in paragraph (1)(J)(iii), and is assisted in accessing transportation to the school that is selected under paragraph (3)(A);
- School personnel providing services under this part receive professional development and other support; and
10. Unaccompanied youths—(I) are enrolled in school; (II) have opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic standards as the State establishes for other children and youth, including through implementation of the procedures under paragraph (1)(F)(ii); and, (III) are informed of their status as independent students under section 1087vv of Title 20 and that the youths may obtain assistance from the LEA liaison to receive verification of such status for purposes of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) described in section 1090 of Title 20.
LEA liaisons also have special obligations to support children and youth experiencing homelessness who are not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian (unaccompanied youth). LEA liaisons must help unaccompanied youth select a school of attendance, receive transportation to and from the school of origin, and obtain a prompt and fair resolution of any disputes. LEA liaisons must also inform unaccompanied youth of their status as “independent” students for the purpose of applying to FAFSA and help verify their status.
The McKinney-Vento Act requires that LEA liaisons be able to carry out the duties described in the law. A careful reading of all the duties described in the law reveals the difficulty of a single staff member being able to carry out all of these duties without significant support.
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/hs/cy/homelesslistserv.asp
Counseling support for Students experiencing shelter insecurity
Chris Nickeson - Secondary School Counselor 619-263-9266 Ext 3016
Diane Cervantes - Primary School Counselor 619-263-9266 Ext 3015
Jesse Jimenez – Behavior Specialist 619-263-9266 Ext 3022