Transcript Presentation Title

MASFAA 2013
October 6th – 9th, 2013
Indianapolis, Indiana
Assisting Easily Overlooked
Students: Undocumented
Foster Youth &
Unaccompanied Homeless
Youth
Presenters
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Mark Delorey, Western Michigan University
Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY
Cyekeia Lee, NAEHCY
Best Practices Discussion
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A little bit from us
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A little bit from you
“Shirt-sleeve” Definitions
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Undocumented: not a U.S. citizen or
permanent resident. Lacks paperwork
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Foster youth: removed from their parents
as the result of abuse or neglect
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Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Under
22, not living with parents, lacking fixedadequate-regular housing
Three Groups
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What do they have in common?
What are the differences?
Are the groups distinct?
Undocumented
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Plyler v. Doe: education for all K-12
14th Amendment: Equal protection for “all
persons”
Undocumented
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Not eligible for federal (or state?) aid
State resident tuition at state schools?
(California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota,
Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and
Washington)
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Private aid search
Undocumented
Some schools…
• Charge resident tuition without state
requirement – Board approval
• Deny admission
• Do not award any institutional aid
• Provide considerable institutional and
private funding
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Undocumented
Development, Relief, & Education for Alien Minors
(DREAM Act)
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Original sponsors Hatch & Durbin in 2001
NOT yet passed, ONLY 57 votes in senate
Path to citizenship
Financial aid eligibility
Undocumented
Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals
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DACA
Entered the U.S. before turning 16, etc.
Executive order in June, 2012
Work permit and Social Security Card
Undocumented
DACA continued…..
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Drivers licenses
Safe from deportation
Not Title IV aid eligible
Not a clear path to citizenship
Undocumented
What’s next?
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On our campuses
In the U.S.
Undocumented
What are you doing that is working well?
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Foster Care Alums
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Removed from the care of their parents
and…
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Refugees granted asylum
and…
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Victims of human trafficking – T Visa
Foster Care Alums
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Western Michigan University Seita Scholars
◊ Full
tuition scholarship
◊ 35 – 1 ratio of full time “campus coaches”
◊ Extensive University and community support
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Foster Care Alums
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Education & Training Voucher
Refugee Education Training Voucher
◊ $4,000
to $5,000 annually
◊ Federal Chaffee Funding from HHS
◊ Gen 13-18: Extended Foster Care Payments
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Not counted as resource or as untaxed income
Foster Care Alums
What are you doing that is working well?
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Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
(UHY)
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Automatic Independent status
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U = Not in the presence of their parents
and…
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H = Lacking fixed - adequate - regular
housing
and…
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Y = 21 and younger
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
(UHY)
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Determination is made by:
◊ School
district homeless liaison
or…
◊ Director
of a homeless shelter
or…
◊ Director
or…
◊ FAO
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of a runaway shelter
UHY
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Crucial points to understand:
This is NOT a PJ, dependency override
Verification isn’t required (conflicting info)
DETERMINATION not a DECISION
No valid reason to ask “Why?”
UHY
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If we could ask why:
◊ Physical,
sexual, emotional, substance abuse
◊ Sexual orientation, pregnancy
◊ Moving and can’t bring you with me (us)
◊ Shelter can’t accommodate teens, boys
◊ Other…..
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NAEHCY Resources
NAEHCY Higher Education Hotline:
855-446-2673
http://www.naehcy.org
Cyekeia Lee, Higher Education Liaison, [email protected]
FAFSA Tips for Unaccompanied Youth Without Stable Housing
Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access College
Financial Aid Brief
 Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Toolkits, FAFSA Week:
http://naehcy.org/tk/cl.html
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UHY
What are you doing that is working well?
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Common Needs
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Understanding, compassion
Go the extra mile, and then a little further
Help students find resources on campus
Recognize that trust may be difficult
Closing Thought
“Too often we underestimate the power of a
touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear,
or the smallest act of caring, all of which
have the potential to turn a life around.”
― Leo Buscaglia
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