Bill > HB1682

This bill, known as the "Homeless Student Stability and Opportunity Gap Act," aims to improve educational outcomes for homeless students by establishing a competitive grant system funded by the state to supplement federal dollars, specifically from the McKinney-Vento Act, which provides assistance to homeless youth. The grants will be awarded to school districts with high needs to enhance their capacity to identify homeless students, provide them with support services like education liaisons, and help them maintain housing stability and improve academic achievement. The bill also introduces a separate grant program administered by the department, in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction, to partner school districts with eligible organizations like local governments or non-profits to offer rental assistance, transportation, emergency shelter, and housing stability case management to unaccompanied youth or very low-income households. Furthermore, it mandates that school districts with over ten unaccompanied youth establish a point of contact in middle and high schools to identify and connect these students with the district's homeless student liaison, and requires all school staff to be encouraged to review training materials on identifying and supporting homeless students. Importantly, the bill authorizes school nurses, counselors, or homeless student liaisons to provide informed consent for non-emergency healthcare for homeless minors who are not under the supervision of a parent or guardian, and exempts them from liability for such care.