TCOE | Foster & Homeless Youth Education Services

Foster and Homeless Youth Education Services Program

Increasing educational outcomes for foster and homeless youth in Tulare County

What are Foster & Homeless Youth Education Services?

Foster and Homeless Youth Education Services support students whose education has been impacted by housing instability or involvement with the child welfare or probation systems. These services focus on removing barriers to enrollment, attendance, and academic success by promoting school stability, connection, and access to support.

Through the Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program and Homeless Youth Education Services, the Tulare County Office of Education partners with school districts, families, and community agencies to ensure students in foster care and students experiencing homelessness are supported, enrolled, and able to succeed in school.

Vision

The Foster & Homeless Youth Education Services Team vision is a future where students experiencing foster care or homelessness feel supported, valued, and connected to their schools, with full access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

Mission

The Foster & Homeless Youth Education Services Team mission is to support school districts and families through collaboration, advocacy, and responsive services that promote educational stability and success for students experiencing foster care or homelessness.

The Dream Center

On-site resources

• Shower and laundry facilities
• Emergency hygiene, clothing
• Laptops / internet access
• Homework area
• Resource library
• School supplies
• Bus tickets (if eligible)

Services offered at The Dream Center

Assistance in navigating school enrollment/post-secondary education for foster and homeless students
Assistance with applying for and accessing CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits
Assistance with obtaining employment (e.g., job search, help creating a resume)
Assistance in understanding your educational rights as a youth in foster care and/or youth experiencing homelessness
Linkage to the TKHA housing navigators
Referrals to community services
Public health education

Front of Dream Center Building

Collaborative Partners

Location: 1730 W. Walnut Ave, Visalia, CA 93277
Mailing address: PO Box 5091, Visalia, CA 93278
All staff e-mail: dreamteam@tcoe.org

Main Phone: (559) 302-3622
Main Fax: (559) 302-3653

The Dream Team

program coordinator

Courtney Venegas
Program Coordinator
courtney.venegas@tcoe.org
(559)302-3622 ext. 5156

Jacqueline Montañez-Barajas
Administrative Secretary
jacqueline.montanez-barajas@tcoe.org
(559)302-3622 ext. 5144

Misael Gomez
Program Secretary
misaelg@tcoe.org
(559)302-3622 ext. 5148

female fhys staff member wearing a blue blouse

Jaclyn Garcia
Project Specialist
jaclyn.garcia@tcoe.org
(559)302-3622 ext. 5163

Dream center female staff wearing a blue dress

Jamie McFarland
Project Specialist
jamie.mcfarland@tcoe.org
(559)302-3622 ext. 5177

Claudia Rodriguez
Project Specialist
claudia.rodriguez@tcoe.org
(559)302-3622 ext. 5161

Joe Martinez
Director of Psychological Services
jmartinez@tcoe.org
(559)302-3622 ext. 5164

Tammy Bradford
Assistant Superintendent - Special Services
tammy.bradford@tcoe.org
(559)730-2910 ext. 5120

Foster Youth

The TCOE Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program (FYSCP) provides support services for students who experience the trauma of being removed from their home, school instability, and multiple placements while in foster care. Our goal is to increase collaboration among child welfare, probation, education, and community agencies to improve the educational outcomes for students in foster care. FYSCP has project specialists assigned to school districts to establish networks, assist with challenges, and implement solutions in meeting the unique needs of students in foster care.

Services that we provide to districts and our community partners are:

Master list of resources [English, Spanish] for foster youth, caregivers, district liaisons, and community members
Current list of district foster youth liaisons within Tulare County
Guidance to school districts, placement agencies, and care providers in meeting the legal obligations and educational rights pertaining to foster youth
Collaboration with county departments and agencies, including Independent Living Programs
Protection of foster youth educational rights and assistance with immediate and appropriate, stable school placements
Training for all stakeholders on critical issues, including educational rights, legal mandates, best practices, and other school-related topics
Assistance with educational and motivational programs and events for a successful transition from foster care
Building awareness in schools and group homes on the understanding of laws, procedures, and needs for supporting a foster youth’s education
Maintaining Foster Focus, a database of foster youth students in Tulare County public schools, to ensure they receive appropriate educational supports and services as outlined in Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP)

Courtney Venegas
Program Coordinator
courtney.venegas@tcoe.org
(559) 302-3622 ext. 5156

Report Abuse at 1-800-331-1585

Transportation MOU - Tulare County CWS and Tulare COE

Homeless Youth

Homeless Youth Education Services coordinates with the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which addresses the problems that homeless children and youth face when enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. Our program ensures that students experiencing homelessness are enrolled and provided with comparable educational services and resources to achieve academic success.

The McKinney-Vento Act defines “homeless children and youth” as students who lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including children and youth who are:

Sharing the housing of others due to the loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals
Living at a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings
Migratory children qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above
Unaccompanied youth, including any youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian, such as runaways, or youth denied housing by their families

Educational Rights

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless children and youth have the right to:

Receive a free, appropriate public education
Enroll in school immediately, even if lacking documents that are normally required for enrollment
Enroll in school and attend classes while the school gathers needed documents
Enroll in the local school; or continue attending the school of origin (the school they attended when permanently housed or the school in which they were last enrolled), according to the student’s best interest

If the school district believes that the school selected is not in the student’s best interest, the district must provide the parent, guardian, or unaccompanied youth with a written explanation of its position and inform the parent, guardian, or youth of the right to appeal its decision.

Receive transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested
Receive educational services comparable to those provided to other students, according to each student’s needs
Receive free lunches for the duration of the school year
Receive equal access to education and have school fees waived

Homeless Children & Youth services also provides a master list of resources for homeless youth, caregivers, district liaisons, and community members to quickly access resources. Resources are available in English and Spanish.

Contact:

Courtney Venegas
Tulare County Office of Education
McKinney-Vento Education Liaison
(559) 302-3622 ext. 5156
courtney.venegas@tcoe.org

California State Homeless Coordinator
(916) 319-0383
homelessed@cde.ca.gov

Resources

AB740 Information
Graduation Exemption Waiver Flow Chart
Graduation Exemption Eligibility Notification Letter
California Foster Youth Fact Sheet
California Foster Youth Fact Sheet in Spanish
Foster & Homeless Children & Youth: Differences and similarities within the law
Transportation MOU for Foster Youth
What should school staff know when a foster youth arrives at school
Homeless Liaison Tool Kit
McKinney-Vento Flow Chart
McKinney-Vento Dispute Resolution
FHYE District Assignment List
English Padlet Master Community Resources
Spanish Padlet Master Community Resource
Breaking Barriers Referral
Housing Questionnaire - English
Housing Questionnaire - Spanish