Chico Unified staff outline supports for homeless and foster students and announce $6.3 million preliminary community‑schools award

Jamie, the district’s foster and homeless liaison, told the Chico Unified School District board on May 1 that the district has expanded identification and services for students experiencing homelessness or in foster care, and that the work relies heavily on a team of targeted case managers.

Jamie said the district recognizes multiple McKinney‑Vento categories — families in shelters, motels, doubled‑up households, vehicles or unsafe dwellings — and that identification is increasingly driven by training and outreach. "We have four shelters that house our families that have children," Jamie said, and added the district coordinates closely with case managers at the Jesus Center, Esplanade House, Aurora House and Salvation Army programs to maintain seamless educational supports.

The liaison outlined how McKinney‑Vento status is determined and kept: families complete a housing questionnaire and staff reassess annually; services continue through the school year in which a family regains permanent housing. She also described foster‑care criteria (an open case and a…