Homeless Educational Services

Homeless Educational Services is designed to provide educational services with dignity and respect to students who meet the criteria for homelessness according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act. Students are required by law to have access to all services, programs and activities provided by Tift County Schools.

What is the McKinney-Vento Education Assistance Act?

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act is the federal law that governs the educational rights of children and youth in homeless situations. This act reauthorized under in 2001 as Title X Part C, No Child Left Behind Act.

What does it mean?

The McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act says, if you:

  • live in a shelter

  • in a motel, hotel, campground, car or abandoned building

  • share the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, lack of housing or economic hardship

  • live on the street

  • have runaway from home or been asked to leave your home

  • do not have a permanent address

  • are awaiting foster care placement

Then you have the right to:

  • immediately enroll in and attend school without having health or school records with you

  • remain in your current school or school of origin, even if you move out of the attendance zone

  • receive transportation to and from the school of origin

  • qualify for free or reduced lunch

  • participate in school activities for which you are eligible

  • contact the Homeless Liaison to resolve disputes that arise during the enrollment process

Links can be provided to the following:

To read the law in its entirety, you may visit by clicking here.

Homeless Liaison

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 reauthorized the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. The program is now referred to as the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvement Act of 2001. In an effort to strengthen accountability at both the state and local level, the reauthorization includes the requirement for every school district in the country to designate a homeless liaison.

The liaison is responsible for ensuring the identification, school enrollment, attendance, and opportunities for academic success of students in homeless situations. Some of these activities may be accomplished by the liaison, while others are accomplished by coordinating efforts of school social workers or other staff. By linking the students and their families to school and community services, the liaison plays a critical role in stabilizing students and promoting academic achievement at the individual, school, and district level.

Homeless Liaison Contacts

Grades Pre-K - 5:  April Homes, aholmes@tifttschools.com

Charles Spencer, J.T. Reddick, Len Lastinger and Matt Wilson Elementary Schools

Grades Pre-K - 5: Thomas Stevens, thomas.stevens@tiftschools.com

Annie Belle Clark, G.O. Bailey, Northside and Omega Elementary Schools

 Grades 6-8: Susan Swift, susan.swift@tiftschools.com

Eighth Street Middle and Northeast Middle Schools

Grades 9-12 and Sixth Street Academy: Haley Dillard, haley.dillard@tiftschools.com

Tift County High School and Sixth Street Academy