Unaccompanied homeless pupils: Unaccompanied Youth Support Grant Program.

Grant mechanism changed from 'competitive formula grants' to 'formula grants,' removing the competitive element and making allocation purely formula-based.

Removed the prioritization provision (former subdivision (b)) that required the department to prioritize grants for applications demonstrating significant experience working with unaccompanied youth and existing partnerships with county welfare departments, continuums of care, or nonprofits.

Removed the requirement that the State Department of Education consult with the State Department of Social Services when administering the program.

Eligible use (A) was narrowed from a broad list of referral targets (including Youth Homelessness Prevention Centers, Foster Youth Services Coordinating Programs, homeless education liaisons, and foster care placement options) to a shorter list limited to community-based organizations, licensed youth shelter programs, county welfare departments, and local continuums of care.

Age eligibility language changed from '16 and 17 years of age' to '16 and or 17 years of age,' clarifying that youth who are either 16 or 17 qualify (not requiring both conditions).

Application requirement language softened from 'a detailed plan describing' to 'a description of,' and 'methods and metrics' was replaced with 'performance measures.'

The program's purpose shifted from providing temporary/transitional housing to providing broader supports (attendance, engagement, graduation, wellbeing) with housing as one component among many. The definition of 'transitional housing' was removed entirely.

Consortia of local educational agencies are now eligible to receive grants, not just individual LEAs.

Grants changed from purely competitive awards to a formula-based allocation: 30 percent of funds are distributed as base grants to all participating agencies, and the remaining 70 percent is allocated by a weighted formula (70% based on number of unaccompanied youth, 20% on concentrated need indicators like chronic absenteeism, 10% on structural scale and geographic barriers).

The eligible use for 'financial support, including subsidies, rental assistance, or direct payments' made to housing providers for securing housing was removed from the list of eligible grant uses.

A local educational agency must have identified at least one unaccompanied youth enrolled during the prior fiscal year (as reported in CALPADS) to be eligible to apply for a grant.

The requirement that LEAs partner with local housing authorities (nonprofits, continuums of care, health and human services departments, or homeless liaisons) to implement and operate transitional housing projects was removed.

Funding preference criteria changed: the Assembly version gave preference based on nonprofit partner characteristics (record of services, partnerships with transitional housing units, experience). The Senate version requires priority for applications demonstrating BOTH significant experience working with unaccompanied youth AND existing partnerships with county welfare departments, continuums of care, or nonprofits working on youth homelessness.

Application requirements were expanded to include the number of homeless children and youths and unaccompanied youth enrolled during the prior fiscal year as reported in CALPADS, and a description of existing partnerships between the LEA and other agencies or organizations.

Grants are specified to commence with the 2028-29 fiscal year and are subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act.

A new reporting requirement was added: the Superintendent must submit a report by October 31 of each fiscal year detailing final funding allocations to the Department of Finance, state board, and legislative policy and fiscal committees.

Program purpose broadened from funding 'transitional housing projects' to providing 'supports necessary to improve school attendance, pupil engagement, pupil graduation rates, and pupil wellbeing for unaccompanied youth who are 16 and 17 years of age, including connecting youth with resources to find stable housing.'

Program renamed from 'Unaccompanied Youth Transitional Housing Support Grant Program' to 'Unaccompanied Youth Support Grant Program,' dropping the 'Transitional Housing' qualifier.

The mandatory requirement for local educational agencies to partner with local nonprofits as a condition of receiving grant funds was removed. Partnerships are now described in application materials as 'as applicable' rather than required.

The consultation requirement for administering the program was narrowed from 'State Department of Social Services and county offices of education' to only 'State Department of Social Services.'

Eligible uses of grant funds were reorganized: the specific requirement for referrals to residential facilities with single-occupant units housing minors separate from adults was removed, and the explicit 'nutritious meals three times per day' language was simplified to 'food.' The list now emphasizes referrals to existing structures (county welfare, foster care placement options, Youth Homelessness Prevention Centers, Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs) and broader service connections.

Funding preference criteria changed from requiring all three of: effective services record, longstanding partnerships with residential facilities, and significant experience. Now requires both: significant experience working with unaccompanied youth AND existing partnerships with county welfare departments, continuums of care, or nonprofits working on youth homelessness.

The definition of 'Unaccompanied homeless youth' was replaced with 'Unaccompanied youth,' now defined as a homeless child or youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian per Section 11434a(6) of the federal McKinney-Vento Act. The separate definition of 'Transitional housing' was removed entirely.

Application requirements changed: the old version required a description of the LEA and its partnering nonprofit, while the new version requires a description of the LEA, a description of existing partnerships (as applicable), and a detailed plan describing how funds will be used to identify eligible pupils and the types of supports to be provided.

The geographic limitation restricting grants to counties in the San Joaquin Central Valley, northern region, and southern region of California was removed entirely, making the program available statewide.

The program was renamed from the Unaccompanied Youth Transitional Housing Program to the Unaccompanied Youth Support Grant Program, reflecting a broader focus on support services beyond just housing.

Eligible youth are now explicitly limited to those who are 16 and 17 years old AND not in foster care. The previous version only specified age 16-17 without excluding foster youth.

Local educational agencies must now partner with one or more local housing authorities, including but not limited to nonprofit organizations, continuums of care, local health and human services departments, or homeless liaisons. The previous version only required partnering with local nonprofits.

New application requirements were added: LEAs must submit applications including a description of the agency and its partners, a detailed plan for fund use, and methods and metrics for measuring progress toward program goals. The department may establish additional application criteria.

Eligible uses of grant funds were substantially expanded. New categories include authorizing school staff to establish referrals to existing structures (county welfare departments, Youth Homelessness Prevention Centers, Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs), basic needs supports to maintain school attendance, and financial support including subsidies, rental assistance, or direct payments made to nonprofit organizations or housing providers.

Funding preference criteria were changed from requiring nonprofits to demonstrate all listed characteristics to demonstrating any of them, as determined by the department, giving the state more discretion in award decisions.

New annual reporting requirements: awarded LEAs must report on expenditure of funds, number and characteristics of youth served, services and housing provided, and measurable outcomes related to housing stability, school attendance, and educational attainment. After the five-year cycle, the department must submit a report to the Legislature recommending whether to expand or make the program permanent.

A new provision allows the department to implement the section through management bulletins or similar letters of instruction, bypassing formal Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking requirements.

New definitions were added for 'Program' and 'Transitional housing.' The definition of 'Unaccompanied homeless youth' was updated to explicitly reference the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act definitions of 'homeless children and youths' and 'unaccompanied youth.'

Grant funds are now explicitly stated to be available for expenditure for five years from the date of receipt, clarifying the spending window.

The program is now explicitly a pilot program rather than a general competitive grant program, and it requires local educational agencies (school districts, county offices of education, charter schools) to partner with local nonprofits to deliver services, instead of the state directly providing grants.

A new legislative findings and declarations section was added, citing statistics including California's 10,173 unaccompanied youth (more than one-third of the national total), 286,853 enrolled homeless pupils in 2023-24, and demographic data showing 74 percent were in grades 9-12.

A new age restriction limits the program to unaccompanied homeless youth who are 16 and 17 years of age, narrowing the previously broader scope that covered all unaccompanied homeless minors.

New Section 54810(b) specifies eligible uses of grant funds: referrals to residential facilities with single-occupant units housing minors separate from adults; provision of clothes, nutritious meals three times per day, and public transportation stipends; educational support services and tutoring through LEA agreements; case management, employment training, independent living skills, and health services; and subsidies or rental payments for residential facilities.

New Section 54810(c) establishes that funding preference is given to local educational agencies partnering with nonprofits that demonstrate a record of effective service delivery to unaccompanied homeless youth, longstanding partnerships with residential facilities, and significant experience working with this population.

New definitions added: 'local educational agency' (school district, county office of education, or charter school), 'nonprofit' (nonprofit public benefit corporation), and a revised definition of 'unaccompanied homeless youth' tied to identification during the academic year at the selected reporting level.

The amendment to Section 35160 (a nonsubstantive change to school district local authority) was removed entirely from the bill.

The fiscal committee vote changed from 'no' to 'yes,' meaning the bill now requires approval by the Assembly Fiscal Committee before passage.

A new competitive grant program called the Unaccompanied Youth Transitional Housing Program is created, administered by the State Department of Education in consultation with the State Department of Social Services and county offices of education. The program provides five-year grants to fund transitional housing projects for unaccompanied homeless youth.

The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting that the bill now carries state fiscal implications due to the new grant program.

The grant program is geographically limited to three regions: one or more counties in the San Joaquin Central Valley, one or more counties in northern California, and one or more counties in southern California.

New definition of 'unaccompanied homeless youth' as a minor who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Section 35160 still receives minor grammatical corrections (removing redundant 'any,' changing 'which' to 'that'), consistent with the original nonsubstantive intent of that portion of the bill.