The McKinney-Vento Act ensures that children and youth experiencing homelessness have equal access to a free, appropriate public education. GFACS complies with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and Georgia State Board Rule 160-5-1-.28.

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Under the McKinney-Vento Act, homeless children and youth are defined as those who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This includes students who share housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reasons; live in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternatives; reside in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; have a primary nighttime residence in a place not designed for human habitation; live in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations; or are migratory children meeting the above definitions.

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Under McKinney-Vento, students experiencing homelessness have the right to:

 

1.  Enroll in school immediately, even if they lack normally required documents such as proof of residency, immunizations, or school records;

2. to remain in the school of origin if it is in their best interest;

3. to transportation to and from the school of origin, if requested;

4. to free school meals;

5. to equal access to all school programs and services, including preschool, gifted, special education, English language support, and extracurricular activities;

6. to academic credit for full or partial coursework completed at a previous school;

7. and to a dispute resolution process if there is disagreement about eligibility, enrollment, or school placement. Students will be enrolled immediately while disputes are resolved.