Data and Donuts: CDE Homeless Education Data Office Hours

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About Data and Donuts

The California Department of Education (CDE) partners with the California Homeless Education Technical Assistance Center (HETAC) to host monthly Data and Donuts homeless education data office hours throughout the school year. In these sessions, attendees dig into homeless education data with CDE and become better equipped to leverage data to inform their work.

DATA AND DONUTS SESSION RECORDINGS AND MATERIALS

2025-2026 School Year

Topics: Homeless Education and the Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS)
Join presenters to learn how the Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS) supports McKinney-Vento Act requirements and the role of homeless liaisons in accurate reporting. We'll review key homeless education data areas, including training, board policy, housing questionnaire usage, and Title I. | View recording (Recorded 1/15/2026) | Download handouts

Topics: Statewide Survey Data, Healthy Kids Survey Data, and A Data Toolkit
Join presenters to explore current data on the health and well-being of California's youth experiencing homelessness, as well as where to access similar state and local data. Presenters also review results from a statewide survey of homeless education liaisons to understand current needs, successes, and challenges in supporting students and families experiencing homelessness. Presenters also provide a toolbox of videos and Google Folders to help navigate the many aspects of data tied to students experiencing homelessness. | View recording (Recorded 12/17/2025) | Download handouts

2024-2025 School Year

Topic: Addressing Barriers for Homeless Students
Join presenters to discover how tailored educational programming (CTE and Pathways), targeted strategies to address chronic absenteeism, and improved transportation access are breaking down barriers for students experiencing homelessness. | View recording (Recorded 4/10/2025) | Download handouts

Topic: Strengthening Identification and Support
Join presenters to explore the role of the housing questionnaire (HQ) in identifying students experiencing homelessness as well as best practices for HQ implementation, data collection, and using the HQ as a tool to ensure all students receive the support they need to succeed. | View recording (Recorded 3/13/2025) | Download handouts

Topic: DataQuest and Dashboard Updates: 2023-24 Insights
Join presenters to unpack the latest homeless education data from the 2023-24 school year, highlighting key trends and outcomes for students experiencing homelessness. Learn how to navigate DataQuest and the California School Dashboards to uncover critical insights that support this vulnerable population and drive impactful decisions. | View recording (Recorded 2/13/2025) | Download handouts

Topic: Frequently Asked Questions
Hear responses to frequently asked questions about homeless education data and explore related scenarios that have come up throughout the school year. | View recording (Recorded 12/12/2024) | Download handouts

Topic: High School Seniors Experiencing Homelessness and Graduation Rates
Learn about the unique challenges faced by seniors experiencing homelessness as they strive to graduate high school and explore related data points and initiatives. | View recording (Recorded 11/07/2024) | Download handouts

Topic: Youth-Driven Data
Hear from subject matter experts about how they have been incorporating youth voice to raise awareness and address youth homelessness. | View recording (Recorded 10/10/2024) | Download handouts

Topic: Census Data
Explore the importance of identification and recertifying students experiencing homelessness prior to Census Day. Review Census data from the previous year and practice calculating the percentage of students who are eligible for free and reduced priced meals with students who are identified as homeless. | View recording (Recorded 9/12/2024) | Download handouts

Topic: Data Refresher
Explore a high-level overview of the latest homeless student data and learn updates about California data collection and reporting. | View recording (Recorded 8/20/2024) | Download handout

2023-2024 School Year

Topic: Voices from the Field: What's Working?
California local educational agencies (LEAs) share how they're leveraging data strategically. | View recording (Recorded 4/11/2024) | Download handouts

Topic: Voices from the Field: What's Working?
California local educational agencies (LEAs) share how they're leveraging data strategically. | View recording (Recorded 3/14/2024) | Download handouts

Topic: Homeless Education Data by Dwelling Type
Learn to navigate the Homeless by Dwelling Type data report to better understand the housing needs of students experiencing homelessness. | View recording (Recorded 2/08/2024) | Download handouts

Topic: Downloadable Data Files
Brush up on your Excel skills and practice using downloadable data files. | View recording (Recorded 12/14/2023) | Download handouts

Topic: Funding and Data
Learn more about funding streams and using data to track and advocate for funding. | View recording (Recorded 11/09/2023) | Download handouts

Topic: Collaboration with Data
Learn about existing data partnerships and resources and how LEAs can utilize them. | View recording (Recorded 10/12/2023) | Download handouts

Topic: Census Day
Learn about Census Day and the importance of identifying homeless students before the first Wednesday of October. | View recording (Recorded 9/14/2023) | Download handouts

Topic: Data Refresher
Review of key topics from previous Data and Donuts sessions. | View recording (Recorded 8/10/2023) | Download handouts

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