Education for Homeless Children and Youth

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. In Contra Costa County there are an estimated 2,600 homeless children and youth experiencing homelessness. The Contra Costa County Office of Education, Youth Services Department, provides support and resources to the 18 School Districts, CCCOE-Operated School Sites, and Charter Schools to implement McKinney-Vento. Technical assistance and training are also available to district homeless liaisons and other staff who are involved in working with homeless children and youth.

Homeless Situations

The term homeless children and youth means "individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This may include the following living situations:

  • Living in emergency or transitional shelters
  • Living in motels or hotels
  • Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings or other facilities not designed for regular sleeping accommodations for human beings
  • Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reason
  • Runaway or unaccompanied youth
  • Youth abandoned in hospitals 

Homeless Children and Youth Have the Right to:

  • Go to school, no matter where they live or how long they've lived there
  • Continue in the school last attended before they became homeless if that is their choice and is feasible
  • Receive transportation to school if they request such transportation
  • Participate in all programs for which they are eligible
  • Enroll in school without giving a permanent address, immunization records, or other required documents

Contra Costa County District Liaison List 

*Click to enlarge

Liaison List

Foster Care/McKinney-Vento Collaborative:

Youth Services facilitates the Foster Youth Services/Homeless Education Collaborative, a quarterly meeting for districts and service providers, to coordinate services and provide support to the Foster Youth and McKinney-Vento District Education Liaisons, foster and homeless students and their families.

 Date/Time Location
August 29, 2023 9:00 am - 2:00 pm Board Room
November 1, 2023 9:00 am -11:00 am Zoom
February 13, 2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am Zoom
May 22, 2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am Mt. Diablo Unified School District

Foster Youth Services/Homeless Education Collaborative Meeting Resource One Drive

No images found.

CONTACTS

TItle Name `Phone
Director, Youth Services Alejandra Chamberlain (925) 942-3300
Education Liaison I Gina Bills (925) 942-3363
Administrative Assistant III Dana Padilla (925) 942-3417
Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2023 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.