Transcript 2011-12 FAFSA Special Populations Financial Aid Update

Successfully Transitioning
Unaccompanied
Youth to Higher Education
Misti Ruthven, College Access Team
Colorado Department of Higher Education
May 17, 2011
FAFSA Eligibility
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US Citizen
Permanent Resident
Refugee or Asylum
Awaiting a green card w/ SSN
Special Populations
•Incarcerated
•Have Dependent
•Legal Guardianship
•Ward of the Court
•Emancipated
•Orphan or Foster Youth
•Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Independent Youth
•Orphan or Foster Youth
•Ward of the Court
•Emancipated
•Legal Guardianship
•Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Incarcerated Youth
•Dependent
•Federal, state, or local penitentiary, prison, jail
•Not half-way house, home detention or serve
only weekends
•No loans
•Eligible for FWS & FSEOG
•Pell (Local Only)
Students with Dependents
•Must be born before end of award year
•50% of support
•TANF
•SNAP (Food Stamps)
Legal Guardianship
•Must be in formal legal guardianship
•Common circumstances
•Misunderstanding/Confusion
Legislation
Defining Homelessness
• In September of 2007, President Bush signed into law the College Cost
Reduction and Access Act of 2007
• Included within this legislation are amendments to expand the definition of
independent student in FAFSA to include:
(1) unaccompanied homeless youth;
(2) youth who are in foster care at any time after the age of 13
or older, and;
(3) youth who are emancipated minors or are in legal
guardianships as determined by an appropriate court in the individual's
state of residence.
Emancipated
•Before reaching age of majority
•State-based
•Common circumstances
•Financial Aid/Tuition Classification
2009-2010 FAFSA
Independency & FAFSA
Total Number of Applicants for Independent Status 19,490,665
Total Number of Applicants who indicated a
homeless circumstance - 47,204
As determined by school liaisons: 15,190 applicants .08%
As determined by HUD provider: 11,950 applicants .06%
As determined by RHYA provider: 20,064 applicants .10%
How many youth experience homelessness on
their own?
• 1.6 to 1.7 million youth
• Public schools 956,914 homeless children/youth in
2008-2009
– 41% increase over past two years
– 69% increase for unaccompanied youth
Homelessness and Foster Care
What’s the Connection?
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22% of homeless children are put into foster care
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30% of children in foster care could return home if their
parents had access to housing.
Approximately 27% of homeless adults and 41% of
homeless youth report a foster care history.
25% of youth “aging out” of foster care experience
homelessness.
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Definition of Homelessness
• Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate
nighttime residence—
67% - Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing,
economic hardship, or similar reason
7% - Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping
grounds due to lack of adequate alternative
accommodations
22% - Living in emergency or transitional shelters
Who are Unaccompanied Homeless Youth?
Defining Homelessness
 Unaccompanied
 Not in the physical custody of parents
 Homeless
 Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
residence
 Youth
 Under 24 years of age
To Verify or Not Verify?
2010-11 FAFSA
• Verification is not required
• If choose to verify, authorized entities are:
– a McKinney-Vento Act school district liaison
– a HUD homeless assistance program director or their designee
– a Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program director or their
designee
– a financial aid administrator.
• Sample verification template at www.naehcy.org
Barriers to Higher Education
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Documents
Address
Computer access
Forms
Campus resources
Communication
Street names
Privacy Laws
HEOA 2008 and Homelessness
• Entities not using a cohort approach for GEAR UP must include
homeless children and youth and youth in foster care as priority
students.
• Entities using a cohort approach for GEAR UP should include
homeless children and youth and youth in foster care as priority
students.
HEOA 2008 and Homelessness
• TRIO programs must “identify and make available
services..including mentoring, tutoring, and other services
provided…” to:
– Youth in foster care
– Youth who left foster care after age 13
– Homeless children and youth
• All three groups are automatically eligible to participate in
Talent Search, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, and
Educational Opportunity Centers.
Contact Information
Misti Ruthven
Colo Dept of Higher Ed
303-866-2055
[email protected]