Report 2019-104 Recommendation 16 Responses

Report 2019-104: Youth Experiencing Homelessness: California's Education System for K-12 Inadequately Identifies and Supports These Youth (Release Date: November 2019)

Recommendation #16 To: San Bernardino City Unified School District

To comply with federal law and best practices, San Bernardino should, before academic year 2020-21, distribute information about the educational rights of youth experiencing homelessness in public places, including schools, shelters, public libraries, and food pantries frequented by families of such youth, as federal law requires. Further, to mitigate families' and youth's hesitance to disclosing their living situation the LEA should include the protections set forth in federal and state laws in the information it distributes.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2022

In August of each school year, A.T.L.A.S. liaisons visit all school sites to ensure state provided posters are present and visible in front offices. Flyers with information on the educational rights of youth experiencing homelessness are provided at local motels and shelters. Flyers are also provided to district offices who serve students and families daily. Flyers are also provided and available at city and district events. Information and flyers are also posted on the district website. The A.T.L.A.S. liaisons will continue to distribute flyers with information on the educational rights of youth experiencing homelessness to community partners and agencies throughout the school year.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

The state-provided posters that San Bernardino explained that it used do not contain the protections available to youth experiencing homelessness. As such, it has not fully implemented this recommendation.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021

In August of 2021, A.T.L.A.S. liaisons visited all school sites to ensure state provided posters were present and visible in front offices. Flyers with information on the educational rights of youth experiencing homelessness were provided at local motels and shelters. Flyers were also provided to district offices who serve students and families daily. Flyers are also provided and available at city and district events. Information and flyers were also posted on the district website. Due to the continued risk of exposure to COVID, public places are limiting access in many areas. The A.T.L.A.S. liaisons will continue to distribute flyers with information on the educational rights of youth experiencing homelessness to community partners and agencies throughout the school year.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

Due to COVID-19 and SBCUSD school closures since March 13, 2020 as well as the closure of many public places, including public libraries, food pantries and other public places frequented by families of students in homeless situations, implementation of this recommendation has been limited. Flyers with information on the educational rights of students experiencing homelessness were created in three languages. The process of creating the information took much longer than normal due to the current pandemic. In addition, schools are all closed to the staff and students. Public agencies and organizations were contacted to determine if they were open and asked if information could be shared and distributed. We will continue to distribute as places allow and open. Due to school closures, information will be posted on the outside of school buildings.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

Despite several follow-up contacts by State Auditor staff, San Bernardino did not provide a response to this recommendation. As a result, the State Auditor staff entered a response of "Not Fully Implemented" on San Bernardino's behalf.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: No Action Taken

We reached out to San Bernardino several times to update its response to this recommendation. However, San Bernardino failed to provide a response. We look forward to San Bernardino's one-year response to update the status of its implementation of this recommendation.

60-Day Agency Response

A supplemental sticker will be placed on all state provided posters with information on protections for students and families set forth in federal and state laws.

Planning and preparation is currently underway. Assignment of staffing and calendaring of regular visits to school sites and community agencies is being coordinated.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2019-104

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.