BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session SB 1068 (Leyva) - Homeless children and youth: local educational agency liaisons: training materials ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: March 31, 2016 |Policy Vote: ED. 9 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: April 25, 2016 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill does not meet the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: This bill requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to provide specified informational and training materials to local educational agency (LEA) liaisons for homeless youth (liaisons), and adopt policies and practices to ensure that liaisons participate in professional development and other technical assistance programs. Fiscal Impact: The CDE estimates costs of about $50,000 to implement the requirements of this bill. (Federal Funds) SB 1068 (Leyva) Page 1 of ? Background: Existing federal law, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, requires state educational agencies to ensure that homeless children and youth have equal access to the same free public education as is provided to other children and youth. (42, USC § 11431, et seq.) Federal law requires each LEA to designate a staff person as a LEA liaison for homeless children and youth, and carry out specific duties, such as ensuring immediate enrollment, access to educational opportunities offered to other students, referrals to appropriate services, and providing notice of the rights of homeless youth. (42, USC § 11432) General rights for homeless children and youth under federal law establishes the choice of schools the youth is eligible to attend; prohibits a homeless youth from being required to attend a separate school; requires a homeless youth to be provided comparable services, including transportation services, educational services, and meals through school meal programs; and states that a homeless youth should not be stigmatized by school personnel. (42, USC § 11432) Effective July 1, 2016 the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) amends requirements that are a condition of receiving federal grants for states and locals to provide education of homeless children and youths under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. State educational agencies are required to provide professional development opportunities for LEA liaisons and LEA personnel to assist in identifying and meeting the needs of homeless youth. LEA liaisons must ensure that school personnel providing services to homeless youth receive professional development and other support. In addition, the state and LEAs are required to adopt policies and practices to ensure that LEA liaisons participate in professional development and other technical assistance activities, as specified. (42 U.S.C. § 11432). Existing state law requires a LEA liaison to ensure that public notice of the educational rights of homeless children and youths is disseminated in schools within the LEA liaison's LEA that provide services. (Education Code § 48852.5) Proposed Law: SB 1068 (Leyva) Page 2 of ? This bill requires the CDE to provide informational materials to LEA liaisons regarding specified topics including: 1. The educational rights of homeless children and youths under state and federal law as well as updates to these rights under current law; 2. The responsibilities of LEA liaisons; and 3. The resources available to schools to assist homeless children and youths. This bill also requires the CDE to provide training materials to LEA liaisons to assist them with providing professional development and other support to school personnel providing services pursuant to the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. This bill provides that these materials are intended to support LEA liaisons in meeting requirement of the ESSA (as described above). Finally, this bill requires the CDE to adopt policies and practices to ensure that LEA liaisons participate in professional development and other technical assistance programs, as specified, in accordance with the requirements of the ESSA (as described above). Related Legislation: AB 951 (Medina, 2013) required school districts that designate a liaison for homeless children and youths, as required under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, to ensure the liaison is properly trained regarding the rights of these children to receive educational services. AB 951 was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Staff Comments: New federal law requires LEAs to adopt policies and practices to ensure that liaisons participate in professional develop and other technical assistance activities, SB 1068 (Leyva) Page 3 of ? as specified. Initial estimates of the federal McKinney-Vento grant indicate California will receive additional funding that would likely be used to support these local requirements. -- END --