District reports rising numbers of students in unstable housing, outlines supports

Wellness staff told trustees on March 10 that the district has seen a notable increase in students living in unstable housing and outlined district supports under the McKinney‑Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

Craig Gibbs, the district wellness coordinator, summarized qualifying conditions and the district’s identification process and said staff are running two annual queries to find students who may qualify. "Anybody that's McKinney‑Vento has a right to immediate enrollment," Gibbs said, explaining that enrollment should happen even without records.

Mental health specialist Emily Bellegarde described the needs assessment process and the kinds of supports the district and community partners provide — from clothing and hygiene assistance to transportation and tutoring — and reported that staff had completed 132 needs assessments and connected families to more than 525 community resources to date. She read excerpts from student interviews to illustrate barriers such as lack of reliable Wi‑Fi, long shelter commutes and stigma in school settings; one student told staff, "When I first moved out of my house and into a shelter, it was hard to do schoolwork because there was no wifi."

Presenters emphasized partnerships — including local nonprofits and Feeding the Foothills — and described efforts to connect families with CalFresh, food banks and other services to reduce summer and holiday gaps in access to meals. Trustees thanked the presenters and discussed follow‑up questions about where numbers are concentrated and potential causes for the increase.

Staff asked the board for continued support of wellness centers and community partnerships that help students stay enrolled and on track.