The jury decided to conduct their study because they felt the county’s survey did not accurately identify all homeless youth. The discrepancy between the numbers comes from differing criteria for each count, according to the jury’s report.
“The confusion created by the difference in definitions also contributes to an undercount of children experiencing homelessness which led the Grand Jury to determine that the nonprofits’ and subject matter expert’s estimate of 30,000 is closer to the real number,” according to the report.
The county’s results identified 722 homeless youth—roughly a quarter of the county’s entire homeless population count of 3,057.
Meanwhile, the Orange County Department of Education is required by law to identify all minors without a place to regularly sleep at night as homeless under the 1987 McKinney-Vento Act.
The McKinney-Vento Act expands the definition of “homeless” to include minors living on the streets, in encampments, living in shelters, motels, cars, or campgrounds, as well as those sharing housing with other families or living in substandard housing due to loss of housing or economic hardship.
“With this report the Grand Jury shines a spotlight on the true, and significantly higher, number of children experiencing homelessness in Orange County,” the jury’s report stated.
The law also requires school districts to work with students to remove barriers that prevent homeless youth from attending school.
Such barriers include not having transportation, an area to study and do homework, as well as a lack of basic survival needs such as food and hygiene tools, according to a department spokesperson.
In Orange County, school districts designate certain staff to be “liaisons” who can assist students by waiving fees, providing students access to after-school activities, and providing referrals to resources such as housing assistance, childcare, medical care, food banks, school supplies, and clothing.
However, the jury’s report found that liaisons said it was difficult to fulfill their duties helping homeless students, as many have multiple responsibilities.
In a June 2022 survey of county liaisons conducted by the department, 40 percent of respondents reported that their McKinney-Vento work comprised less than 10 percent of their work.
In addition, liaisons said lack of funding and support staff makes their work more challenging to accomplish.
The grand jury recommended school districts expand liaisons’ staff and write more requests for grants to support liaisons’ work with homeless students.
Additionally, the jury recommended that districts maintain communication with the county to keep officials abreast of homeless youth numbers and academic scores.
The jury suggested all county districts develop a “Back to School” plan which includes mandatory annual McKinney-Vento Act training for all district and school administrators, teachers, office staff, and counselors by Dec. 31.
A spokesperson for the department told The Epoch Times in a statement that it “welcomes research, feedback and input that can help refine our services.”
“As we carefully review the grand jury’s findings and recommendations, we will continue to work closely with our educational partners at all levels to amplify best practices, track our progress and make data-informed decisions that produce the best possible outcomes for all learners,” the statement said.
The next step, the spokesperson said, is for districts and other agencies to comment to the presiding judge of the Superior Court within 90 days of the report’s publication to indicate whether they agree with the findings and how they plan to move forward based on the recommendations.
