Report 2019-104 Recommendation 10 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 #10 To: San Bernardino City Unified School District

To comply with federal law and best practices, San Bernardino should, before academic year 2020-21, ensure that school staff who provide services to youth experiencing homelessness receive training as federal law requires. Further, as set forth in best practices, the LEA should provide this training at least annually, and the training should include the definition of homelessness, signs of homelessness, the impact of homelessness on youth, and the steps an LEA should take once school staff has identified a youth as possibly experiencing homelessness.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2022

Each school year, a training video and power point presentation is provided to each school site and applicable department with instructions on who is mandated to receive the training, how to provide evidence of participation in the training, and opportunities to provide feedback, questions and requests for additional training and support. The A.T.L.A.S. team responds to questions, feedback and follow- up requests.

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

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021

Due to school closures caused by the pandemic, SBCUSD requested an extension to June 30, 2021 to fully implement this recommendation. The A.T.L.A.S. department is creating a webinar and a plan to provide training to all school staff who provide services to youth experiencing homelessness, as federal law requires.

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

1-Year Agency Response

Due to COVID-19 and the school closures since March 13, 2020, practices, policies and procedures of existing systems have been modified. SBCUSD has had transition to 100% virtual interaction with students, staff and families. Therefore, SBCUSD is currently working on a webinar training that will be provided to all school site administrators and department administrators with information and instructions on implementation of the training for all staff who provide services to youth experiencing homelessness. We are requesting an extension to June 30, 2021, to allow for the proper training of staff to meet this recommendation.

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

SBCUSD has coordinated a committee of department and program leads to create a plan that will ensure that all state and federal required trainings are provided to district staff as determined by legislation. Included in this plan is that all district staff directly serving students in homeless situations will receive mandatory training as stipulated above. Future committee meetings and collaboration with union representation will determine explicitly how and when this professional development will be offered.

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

All Recommendations in 2019-104

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.