Video: Gas prices hitting schools that bus homeless kids

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SEATTLE – The rising cost of fuel is hitting homeless children who are part of a program that ensures they can keep going to the same school even though they don't have a place to call home.

Under the McKinney Vento Act, the federal government allocates funds to each state to transport homeless children to school.

This school year, Washington state received $800,000. It sounds like a lot until you break down the costs.

Thirty school districts in Washington applied for aid this school year. Based on size, each district receives approximately $35,000.

This school year, the Kent School District spent $469,000 to transport 461 homeless students.

"We have been required to transport kids as far away as Tacoma, Everett, Mukilteo and, at one time, Poulsbo," said Kent Schools Transportation Supervisor Don Walkup.

To put that in perspective, Kent budgeted just over $1 million to transport all 11,000 of its students that need transportation.

The situation is so dire, the Kent School District superintendent sent a letter to Sen. Patty Murray outlining the issues and the costs.

Washington state has been part of the program since 1987 and the need keeps growing. In the 2005-2006 school year, there were 13,942 homeless children. In 2006-2007, that jumped to 16,853.