The mission of Project Heart, Homeless Education Program, is to provide Manatee County students living in housing transition, the adequate support with enrollment, attendance and any academic need to succeed in school.

Project Heart assists students who lack a fixed, adequate and stable nighttime residence such as students living in the following situations:

• In a shelter
• In a motel or campground due to lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
• In a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
• Doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship

Project Heart assists students who lack a fixed, adequate and stable nighttime residence such as students living in the following situations:

• A free, appropriate public education.
• Education in a mainstream school environment.
• Participation in the school food service program.
• Prompt resolution of disputes regarding educational placement.
• No isolation or stigmatization due to their homeless status.
• Consideration of parent’s requests regarding placement at the school of origin or the zoned school.
• Educational, social, athletic, and school related services offered to other students.

Services available through this program include: 

• School enrollment
• School supplies and uniforms (depending on funding)
• School stability
• School related expenses
• Graduation or GED fees (depending on funding)
• Post high school planning
• Community resources

District Homeless Liaison Duties
Policy 5111.01 - Homeless Students

Project HEART is working with Hope Pathways of Manatee County (HPMC) to assist homeless families.

Learn more about HPMC.

HPMC Assistance Request Form

Project HEART is working with Unite Us, a social care platform that helps the community get connected to local nonprofit resources based on their needs. This helps fill the gaps for homeless families so they can reach stability quicker.

Florida House Bill (HB) 1577 became effective on July 1, 2022. This bill enacted the following:

• Revised the definition of homeless youth for the purposes of Florida tuition exemption.
• Requires school districts and postsecondary institutions to provide postsecondary transition counseling to homeless students identified through McKinney-Vento.
• Requires the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to conduct a study on the effectiveness of services provided to homeless students in Florida.
• Requires school districts to provide information cards to certified homeless unaccompanied youth, which include the youths’ rights as well as certification information.

The certification card will help the student attend to medical needs and get birth certificate records. Florida Statute 743.067 provides that this certified youth may consent to medical care; dental care; behavioral health care services, including psychological counseling and treatment, psychiatric treatment, and substance abuse prevention and treatment services; and surgical diagnosis and treatment, including preventative care and care by a facility licensed under chapter 394, chapter 395, or chapter 397 and any forensic medical examination for the purpose of investigating any felony offense under chapter 784, chapter 787, chapter 794, chapter 800, or chapter 827, for himself or herself, or his or her child if the certified youth is unmarried, is the parent of the child, and has actual custody of the child.