Transcript Successfully Transitioning Unaccompanied Youth to Higher

Successfully Transitioning
Unaccompanied
Youth to Higher Education
May 17, 2011
Dana Scott, Statewide Homeless Education Coordinator
Colorado Department of Education
Misti Ruthven, College Access Director
Colorado Department of Higher Education
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
Educational Rights Under
The McKinney-Vento Act
• Broad mandate for all school districts to remove barriers to
school enrollment and retention by revising policies and
practices
• Remain in the school of origin (if in best interest)
• Transportation to the school of origin
• Immediate enrollment
• Access to programs and services
• Access to dispute resolution procedures
McKinney-Vento Personnel
• Every State Education Agency has an Office of State
Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
– Collaboration responsibilities across agencies and with
communities
– Technical assistance to LEAs
– Compliance
– Professional development
– Data collection and reporting
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.
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
Who are Unaccompanied Homeless Youth?
2010-11 FAFSA
On or after July 1, 2009, were you homeless or were you at risk of being
homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2009, did your high school or school district
homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was
homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2009, did the director of an emergency shelter or
transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was
homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2009, did the director of a runaway or homeless
youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an
unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of
being homeless?
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
Verification Partners
2010-11 FAFSA
HUD-funded Shelters:
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) administers funding for homeless shelters and
services under Title IV of the McKinney-Vento Act. These
funds are distributed to communities through a competitive
grant process. For more information, see:
http://www.hudhre.info
Verification Partners
2010-11 FAFSA
RHYA-funded Shelters:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
administers the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act
programs. These programs provide funding for Basic
Centers, Transitional Living Programs, and Street Outreach
Programs that serve runaway and other unaccompanied
homeless youth. For more information, see:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb
Verification Partners
2010-11 FAFSA
McKinney Vento Homeless Education Liaisons
• Each school district in the US is mandated to appoint a
liaison
• See State Coordinator List in your packet
Verification Partners
2010-11 FAFSA
Financial Aid Administrators
• If a student does not have, and cannot get, verification from a
liaison, RHYA provider, or HUD provider, a financial aid
administrator must make a determination of
homeless/unaccompanied status
• This is NOT professional judgment or a dependency override
• A student living in a dormitory who would otherwise be
homeless should be considered homeless
• A student fleeing abuse and living in homeless living
situations may be considered homeless even if the parent
would provide a place to live
Application and Verification Guide - 3
• No prescribed documentation for financial aid evaluation of
living arrangements, but it must demonstrate that student
meets the definition
• Determination may be made on the basis of a documented
interview with the student if no written documentation is
available
• FAAs may rely upon a determination from another school that a
student met definition
Verification for Subsequent Years
2010-11 FAFSA
• Have the student’s circumstances changed?
• Would they be in similar circumstances w/o financial aid?
• Verification may be done through a simple phone call or email
exchange with the student.
• 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.
Higher Education & K-12 Partnership
• Convene Task Force
– Stakeholders
– Best Practices
• Liaison and Higher Education Trainings
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Financial Aid
Admissions
Student Services
Faculty
Task Force on Higher Ed for UHY
• 4 Meetings
– Established expectations and acknowledged barriers
– Discussed impact to higher education
– Identified goals
• Stakeholders
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Higher Ed
Pre-Collegiates
Service Providers
K-12
McKinney-Vento
State Agencies
Task Force Goals
• Identify and create process standards between all
parties including colleges/universities, high school
and McKinney Vento liaisons
• Develop best practices in transitioning homeless
students into higher education
• Identify a SAFE, single point of contact at each
college/university to interface with students.
• Create a tip sheet in working with unaccompanied
homeless youth
Recommendation #1
• Identify a safe, single point of contact (SPOC) at
each college/university to serve homeless
unaccompanied youth. Add contact info on
college/university printed materials and websites
- 3-pronged approach
- Network
- Streamline verification
Recommendation #2
• Develop a streamlined process to other services
within college/university
− Academic Advising/Support
Services
− Learning Disability Services
− Mentoring Programs
− Housing Programs
− Student Services
− Self-Advocacy
– Financial Literacy
– Life Skills
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Mental Health
Admissions
Financial Aid
Student Services
Retention
Student Life
Recommendation #3
• Centrally store personal documentation for homeless
unaccompanied youth through a confidential, statesupported Website accessible by the youth over their
lifetimes
− SSN
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Immunization Records
Driver’s License
GED or Diploma
High School Transcripts
Health Exams
Selective Service
Birth Certificates
ACT/SAT
Taxes
Recommendation #4
• Single form for unaccompanied homeless youth
verification within same school year for use by all
stakeholders
- Streamline form
- Form sharing
- Electronic forms
- Documentation expectations
Recommendation #4
• Single form for unaccompanied homeless youth
verification within same school year for use by all
stakeholders
- Streamline form
- Form sharing
- Electronic forms
- Documentation expectations
Road Show
• 92 presentations to counselors, liaisons, college & university
professionals, teachers, paraprofessionals and legislators
• 17 conference calls w/ state, regional & national stakeholders
• 7 states interested in replicating Colorado’s model
• California, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia,
Washington
• 7 full-day SPOC trainings
• 5 media interviews (including Chicago Tribune)
• 4 presentations to national professional associations
• 4 homeless education liaison trainings
• 4 food banks established
• 3 national webinars
• 2 mentor programs
Supporting Documents
• FAFSA Tips for Unaccompanied Youth
• Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access
College Financial Aid
• Income Tax and the FAFSA for Unaccompanied
Homeless Youth
• Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Verification For the
Purposes of Federal Financial Aid
• http://www.naehcy.org/higher_ed.html
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Contact Information
Dana Scott
Colo Dept of Ed, McKinney-Vento
(303) 866-6930 (phone)
[email protected]
Misti Ruthven
Colo Dept of Higher Ed
(303) 324-7950 (phone)
[email protected]