Homeless Education Technical Assistance Centers

Legislative Authorization

On Thursday, March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) into law. In recognition of the extraordinary impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on children and youth experiencing homelessness, the ARP included an unprecedented $800 million to support the specific needs of homeless children and youth via the ARP Homeless Children and Youth (ARP-HCY) Fund. State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) must use ARP-HCY funds to identify homeless children and youth, to provide homeless children and youth with wrap-around services to address the challenges of COVID-19, and to enable homeless children and youth to attend school and fully participate in school activities. The California Department of Education (CDE) will be using a portion of its ARP-HCY I to fund Homeless Education Technical Assistance Centers (HE TACs).

For more information about ARP-HCY funds, please see the ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief HCY Fund web page.

For more information on the HE TACs, please visit the California HE TAC website , which offers training and events, along with resources and guidance. The resources provided are from the various levels – federal, state, and most importantly, local.

Purpose

The HE TACs have been selected to provide support and technical assistance to other county offices of education (COEs), in a regional approach, to ensure they have the capacity, resources, and tools required to support their LEAs with the implementation of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Act. The provisions of this Act are designed to improve the identification, educational stability, access, support, and academic achievement of children and youth experiencing homelessness.

Each HE TAC has been given specific counties to work with to build relationships and assist with regional needs. They also will be working together on statewide activities over the next three years.

Each HE TAC has the capacity, resources, and expertise to carry out the following activities to build the capacity of both COEs and LEAs. The HE TACs’ responsibilities include, but not limited to:

• Create, facilitate, and disseminate the implementation of training materials and resources that outline the needs, challenges and barriers of children and youth experiencing homelessness

• Develop and disseminate:
  
  
  • Strategies for identification, re-engagement to in-person instruction, participation in before- and after-school programs, and other enrichment activities
    
    
  • Best practices for counties to support the educational progress and academic outcomes for children and youth experiencing homelessness cradle to college and career
    
    
  • Sample templates, forms, and procedures as defined in state and federal legislation for consistent use within and across county programs to promote collaboration
    

• Assist COEs to participate in the continuous improvement process by using support service and educational outcome data for students experiencing homelessness
  
  
• Deliver ongoing workshops and training, both in-person and web-based, for COEs to assist in the application of uniform practices, including identification and wraparound services in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

HE TACs were also required to award a subgrant or contract to a community-based organization (CBO) that is well-positioned to identify children and youth experiencing homelessness in historically underserved populations such as rural children and youth, Tribal children and youth, students of color, children and youth with disabilities, English learners, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth (LGBTQ+), and pregnant, parenting, or caregiving students experiencing homelessness, and connect them to educationally-related support and wraparound services. More information regarding the CBO’s is forthcoming.

Funding Description

ARP-HCY funds are to be expended and/or obligated by September 30, 2024. The CDE allocated $1.5 million to each HE TAC, starting in the 2021–22 school year, and plans of continuing this funding level each year through the 2023–24 school year. Continued HE TAC funding is contingent on the State Budget Act.

For additional information on funding, please see the HE TAC Funding Results.

HE TAC Leads

HE TAC Regions