At a recent Bulloch County Board of Education meeting, there was a presentation on the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act. As of May 1, 2025, 380 students have been served under this act in Bulloch County. Learn more about this assistance program and its benefits below.
Many of Bulloch County's 'homeless' students aren't living on the streets—they're sleeping in their cars or motels, doubled up with relatives or constantly moving from place to place, their unstable housing conditions often hidden in plain sight.
Recognizing that homelessness can take many forms beyond what most people imagine, the McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act—a federal law enacted in 1987 requiring the participation of all public schools—defines homelessness broadly to ensure students receive the care, support and education they both need and deserve.
Under this act, homelessness is defined as lacking a fixed, regular or adequate nighttime residence—lacking any one of the categories below qualifies a student for eligibility:
- Shelter
- Emergency/transitional shelter
- Hotel/motel/campground
- Abandoned in hospitals
- Temporarily living with another family due to economic hardship
- Vehicle of any kind
- Abandoned Building
- Other substandard housing
- Migratory children in one of the above circumstances
If students suspect they are eligible, they need to contact their school counselor first, who will serve as a primary point of contact and refer the student for screening and assessment. School social workers will then conduct confidential screenings to determine eligibility based on the student's living situation.
After assessment and confirmed eligibility, students will receive a resource folder that details program information. However, eligible students and families have a right to opt out of the program if they so desire.
Once eligibility has been accepted, the student will receive support including:
- Immediate enrollment regardless of documentation, residency or other barriers
- School placement is allowed either at the student's previous school or at the school they are currently living in
- Transportation to and from school is provided when possible
- Access to services other students receive including gifted services, special education, 504 support and extracurricular activities
- Essential supplies and resources including hygiene kits, school supplies, bookbags and clothing vouchers for Fostering Bulloch
- Free breakfast and lunch during the school hours
- Waivers for required fees
- Confidentiality and privacy protections
- Additional academic enrichment and career development opportunities
- FAFSA waivers
- Information and referral to community resources
- Local liaisons, who are appointed to every public school to work with homeless students and their families
Confidentiality is a key pillar of the McKinney Vento Act's support system, designed to protect students and their families privacy and living situation, only being shared with school personnel who need it to provide appropriate services.
The true goal of the McKinney Vento Act aims to bring stability to the lives of students experiencing homelessness by minimizing disruptions in their education, easing financial strain and equipping school staff with the tools to offer meaningful and effective support.
For more information and support, click here to visit the Bulloch County Schools resource page.
