Bibb County Schools receive $1.5M as district faces high poverty levels

Georgia school districts are getting a major boost this year, with more than $30 million being given out to support students living in poverty and to expand mental health services, according to the state department of education.

Bibb County Schools is among the biggest recipient, securing $1.5 million — the second-highest award in the state — to help deliver critical resources to students who need them most.

More than $15.2 million has been earmarked specifically for economically disadvantaged students throughout the state, with intentions to remove nonacademic barriers to learning and ensure parents are active participants in service delivery, the department said in a news release.

The state’s latest allocation is part of the fiscal year 2026 budget, with districts having begun to receive disbursements in September.

Officials say the support is vital in Macon-Bibb’s public school system, where 97.9% of its student population is classified as economically disadvantaged and every school in the district holds a Title I designation, a federal designation for campuses with high concentrations of low-income families, according to recent state data.

The Georgia General Assembly defines “economically disadvantaged students” as those eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch program through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) direct certification, which is used to measure student poverty levels.

How Georgia schools qualify for poverty funding

To qualify for the poverty funding, school districts must have more than 40% of its students eligible for the direct certification program. The program allows school districts that participate in the national school lunch program to directly certify children whose households rely on SNAP or other assistance agencies for free meals at school, without having to submit an application.

For this fiscal year, 80% of Bibb County students were considered directly certified, according to the Georgia Office of Student Achievement data. The district’s direct certification levels have increased in the past four fiscal years.

The funding can be used for a range of initiatives, including interventions for at-risk students, extended or summer learning opportunities, transportation, access to advanced coursework, exams waivers, postsecondary readiness programs and resources to support teachers, the department of education said.

“This funding to support students in poverty and strengthen mental health services will make a real difference in the lives of our young people,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said in a statement. “Local educators know their students best, and this investment allows them to meet needs in a way that reflects their community, in partnership with parents—whether that’s through extra academic support, increased access to opportunities, or services that address nonacademic barriers to learning.”

Funds for middle and high school mental health services

In addition to the poverty funding, Bibb County Schools — and every middle and high school statewide — received an additional $20,000 to improve mental health services, according to the department of education.

Districts can use these funds to contract with local mental health agencies, work with telemedicine providers, hire mental health professionals, or purchase curricula and intervention materials designed to provide direct mental and behavioral health services to students.

Mental health challenges are also prevalent among Macon youth, with prior Telegraph reporting noting that rates of mental health issues outpace state averages.

The Bibb County School District has not said whether it has received the funds or how it plans to use them to support students.

Woods credited members of the Georgia General Assembly and Gov. Brian Kemp were for making the funding available.

Which Middle Georgia school districts received funding

Here is a list of Middle Georgia school districts that also received funding for economically disadvantaged students:

• Baldwin County Schools: $306,551
• Cirrus Charter Academy: $58,229
• Crawford County Schools: $151,167
• Twiggs County School District: $101,535