Transcript The FAFSA: Bridging the Divide: Challenges for

Marcal Graham, Ed.D
University of Maryland Educational
Opportunity Center (UM-EOC)
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UM-EOC is one of few TRIO programs based in the
community situated in Prince George’s County,
Maryland.
Mission: Inform and assist adults interested in
enrolling in and pursuing post-secondary education
options and opportunities by providing admissions
and financial aid applications, advice, counseling and
related services.
Target population: Adults 19 and older who are low
income and first generation potential college students,
veterans, and individuals who reside in on of the
targeted communities in Prince George’s County.
UM-EOC has been around for 16 years.
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UM-EOC conducts extensive outreach in various
communities in Prince George’s County.
Partnership with various social agencies in the
county and PGCLS (Prince George’s County
Library System) has made UM-EOC even more
aware of the plight of homeless students in the
county because of obvious financial limitations
and living conditions. Sometimes we get referrals
from other partnering organizations to our office,
but you must go to areas homeless students
frequent which happen to be libraries.
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The Federal Pell Grant Program provides needbased grants to low-income undergraduate
students.
Submitting the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1st deadline is
critical to students trying to pay for college.
The FAFSA is the form required of any student
seeking federal financial aid, including student
grants, work study, and loans. The application
can also be used to apply for most state and
some private financial aid. (www.fafsa.ed.gov)
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All students are eligible to apply for student
financial assistance.
Students must apply each year in order to be
considered for financial aid!!
Many students do not apply for financial aid
because they believe that they are not eligible, or
do not understand how to fill out necessary
information on the FAFSA.
You can complete the FAFSA online. FAFSA
information should be completed based on the
information of the parent you lived with the most
during the last 12 months.
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If you are considered dependent, then your
parent/s will need to have completed their tax
information from the previous year in order to
fill out information on the FAFSA.
If parents are unable to provide this
information, complete as much of the FAFSA
as possible, it will guide them to a drop-down
menu that will say “will file” so continue filling
out the FAFSA document.
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Under the federal definition, an independent
student is one who meets at least one of the
following conditions:
Is 24 years old
Is a veteran of U.S. Armed Forces
Is an orphan or a ward of the court
Had legal dependents other than a spouse
Is married
Is a graduate or professional student
Was in foster care at age 13
Is homeless or an Unaccompanied Minor as
certified by an official government agency
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The language on the FAFSA for those who fit the
criteria for being homeless, “at any time on or after July
1, 2014, were you determined to be an unaccompanied
youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and
at risk of being homeless, as determined by a) your
high school or district homeless liaison, b) the director
of an emergency shelter or transitional housing
program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development, or c) the director of a
runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional
living program.” Answer yes or no
(Studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/filling-out/dependency)
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According to the FAFSA, “if you do not have a
determination that you are homeless, but you
believe you are an unaccompanied youth who
is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of
being homeless, answer {no} to the FAFSA
questions concerning being homeless. Then
contact your financial aid office.”
(studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa).
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Each state educational agency shall ensure that
each child of a homeless individual and each
homeless youth has equal access to the same
free, appropriate public education including
preschool, as provided to other children and
youth. (Subtitle B-Education for Homeless
Children & Youths, Section 721)
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
guarantees rights and services for homeless
youth who are endanger of dropping out or
school failure.
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Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act,
an unaccompanied youth is, “a youth not in the
physical custody of a parent or guardian. This means
that the youth is not living with a parent or guardian,
includes youth who are residing with a caregiver who
does not have legal guardianship and youth are living
on their own.” (National Center for Homeless
Education at Serve, page 1).
Homeless children or youth are” individuals who lack
a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and
not be in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.”
(McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act)
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In the law, Subtitle B of title VII of the
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq) in the
area of comparable service, “each homeless
child or youth to be assisted under this subtitle
shall be provided services comparable to
services offered to other students in school
selected under paragraph (3).”
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Homeless: Lack fixed, regular, and adequate
housing.
Self-supporting: When a student pays for his
own living expenses including fixed, regular,
and adequate living.
Unaccompanied: When a student is not living
in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
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According to FAFSA’s Application and
Verification Guide, “ A student is considered
homeless if he lacks a fixed, regular and
adequate housing. It includes temporary living
with other people because they had nowhere to
go; living in substandard housing, living in
motels, emergency or transitional shelters,
abandoned buildings, camping grounds, cars,
parks, living in dorms if the student would
otherwise be homeless.”
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Documentation by recognized third party
along with written documentation by student
done on a case by case basis.
Who makes this determination?
School district homeless liaison/advocates
State homeless education coordinator
Public & Private Shelter Providers
College Access Programs (TRIO and GearUp)
High School Counselors
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Under the McKinney-Vento Act, “every school
must appoint a local homeless education
liaison to serve as the key homeless education
contact in the district.
The local liaison monitors the implementation
of the McKinney-Vento Act within the district
ensuring that eligible children are indentified
and provided with rights and services to
which they are entitled” (National Center for
Homeless Education).
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Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) have
professionals onsite that assist high counselors. In
addition, they conduct home visits to make
determinations on the status of students.
These individuals are called PPW's (Pupil Personnel
Workers) and their jobs are similar to social workers
who monitor the needs of those individual homeless
students who are having difficulty with attendance,
appearance, grades and behaviors.
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What many transitional facilities provide in Prince
George’s County:
Objective is: 1)Housing Stabilization, 2)Employment,
3)Transition to Permanent
Housing Counseling & Placement
Substance Abuse, Mental Health, Medical/Dental
Counseling
Employment and Education Training Services
Life Skills
Financial Management
Follow-Up Counseling
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Most transitional housing programs try to
provide a safe structured living environment
and resources for homeless individuals.
Many require you to be alcohol and drug free
for at least 90 days.
Must not have any active warrants and not
registered as a sex offender.
Most programs have a maximum time of stay
not to exceed 24 months.
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Are homeless students in the right mindset (i.e. ask
questions and follow-through) to seek out help for the
FAFSA? Can they rise above the stigma?
Lack of access to school records and other paperwork
may be an issue.
Difficulty accumulating credits due to school mobility
What is the level of FAFSA assistance (i.e. high
counselors and advocates) for homeless students at
high and college level?
Lack of support from a caring adult and basic needs
being met (i.e. hunger, fatigue, poor health).