Homeless Education

SDCOE responds to, assists, and empowers all systems that support students who are in foster care or are experiencing homelessness. 

We are funded by the California Department of Education and U.S. Department of Education as well as other funding sources. Our staff is primarily located at the Casey Family Programs Youth Transition Center in Old Town with school success liaisons co-located and out-stationed county-wide within Health and Human Services Agency, Child Welfare Services offices. 

Our programs represent a partnership among San Diego County's key stakeholders focused on improving the educational outcomes of children and youth in foster care and those on probation ages 4 to 21, regardless of placement type,  as well as those students and families who are experiencing homelessness. 

The Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program Executive Advisory Council represents school districts, community colleges, child welfare services, probation, juvenile court, advocacy agencies, and substitute care providers, who oversee the development and implementation of all programming. These agencies work in close partnership with SDCOE to strengthen and enhance services to students in foster care. In addition, we coordinate services and provide support to the McKinney Vento homeless education liaisons and to homeless students and their families in our region's school districts.  

Homeless Education Services

• Professional Development and Technical Assistance: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act ensures educational rights and protections for children and youth experiencing homelessness. SDCOE's Homeless Education Services Program provides support and resources to the 42 school districts and more than 130 charter schools in the county, to serve their students experiencing homelessness. View a summary of our professional development and technical assistance resources.

• Higher Education Stakeholder Group: This group convenes to learn more about the work of local cross systems partners serving young people experiencing homelessness in San Diego County; create and maintain channels of communication and referrals across K-12 education, provider agencies, and higher education to support pathways for students; and facilitate the sharing of best practices and strategies in a peer learning environment.

• Project HOPE is a joint effort of the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), Homeless Education Services program and the San Diego Unified School District.  This Youth Services Navigation project seeks to bridge the gap between education and service provider systems. Learn more about this project. This effort is partially funded through a HUD grant from the Regional Task Force on Homelessness. View our Notice of Privacy Practices for information collected on this project.

• San Diego Youth Homelessness Consortium: The San Diego Youth Homelessness Consortium is a collaborative entity comprised of provider agencies and community stakeholders, designed to increase the effectiveness of the service delivery system in San Diego County for youth experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Contacts

• District Liaison Contact List (PDF)
• Charter Liaison Contact List (PDF)

Stuff the Bus

Last school year, more than 18,000 children were identified as homeless in San Diego County. Kids face many hardships. School supplies should not be one of them.

Every year, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) partners with the San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU®) to collect thousands of dollars in online donations to purchase much-needed pencils, pens, binders, crayons, backpacks, and more during the SDCCU Stuff the Bus campaign. 

The campaign, which traditionally occurs in July,  also partners with local iHeartMedia radio stations Star 94.1, JAM’N 95.7, and Channel 93.3 for special appearances and live interviews.

In 2021, the Stuff the Bus campaign raised more than $100,000 in monetary donations to help purchase more than 7,977 backpacks filled with supplies and 120 supply kits for San Diego County students. A portion of donations also went to San Diego Youth Services food programs for homeless youth. 

Thanks to our partners for their ongoing support: 

• Ralphs and Food 4 Less
• iHeart Media
• PassionPlanner
• Vessel

If you have questions, please contact Susie Terry.