(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature of federal funds provided to the state pursuant to either the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11301 et seq.) or the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2), or moneys from the General Fund, or a combination of funds from any of those sources, the department may allocate one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to up to three county offices of education in different regions throughout the state for purposes of establishing technical assistance centers to foster relationships between community partners and local educational agencies in each region. The department shall determine the county offices of education that will be designated technical assistance centers through a competitive process that provides each county office of education with the opportunity to apply to become a technical assistance center. In making this determination, the department shall take into account geographic diversity and concentrations of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths.

(b) The responsibilities of a technical assistance center established pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

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(1) Creating, and facilitating the implementation of, training materials that outline the needs and challenges of, and barriers facing, homeless children and youths, unaccompanied youths, and their families.

(2) Developing and disseminating best practices for small, midsize, and large counties to support the educational progress and academic outcomes of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths.

(3) Assisting counties and local educational agencies in the process of ensuring accuracy in the identification of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths in local pupil information systems and using this data to report educational outcomes for homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youths who receive support services.

(4) Fostering relationships between community partners and local educational agencies in each region.

(c) Technical assistance provided by a technical assistance center pursuant to this section shall be provided consistent with the statewide system of support established pursuant to Section 52059.5.

(d) Technical assistance centers shall only be operative for the duration of the federal grant period for the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief – Homeless Children and Youth Fund, established pursuant to Section 2001(b)(1) of the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2), estimated to end June 30, 2024.

(Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 394, Sec. 5. (AB 27) Effective September 29, 2021.)