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SUPPORTING
UNACCOMPANIED
HOMELESS YOUTH IN
ACCESSING HIGHER
EDUCATION
Christina Dukes, Program Specialist,
[email protected]
Jennifer Martin, Senior Content Development
Specialist, mar [email protected]
FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS
 The McKinney-Vento Act and Policy Guidance,
available at http://center.serve.org/nche/m-v.php
 The Application and Verification Guide (AVG),
available at
http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/higher_ed.php
Slide 2
WHO ARE UNACCOMPANIED STUDENTS?
 2-step process
1. Does the student’s living arrangement meet the McKinney Vento Act’s definition of homeless?
2. Once homelessness is determined, is the student
unaccompanied?
 Unaccompanied = “not in the physical custody of a
parent or guardian”
 Students can be eligible regardless of whether they
were forced from the home or left the home
 Youth or parents may or may not disclose the full
nature of the family issues; these are often very
personal discussions
Slide 3
HIGHER EDUCATION BASICS
 College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA)
 FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid
 EFC = Expected Family Contribution
 Dependent Student
 Must report parent information on FAFSA
 EFC is calculated based on parents’ and student’s income and
assets
 Independent Student
 Does NOT report parent information on FAFSA
 EFC is calculated based on student’s income and assets
 Youth = age 21 or younger; age 22-23 can be
independent by dependency override
Slide 4
CLASSIFICATION AS “INDEPENDENT”
Independent if ANY of these are true:
 Married
 24 Years Old
 Veteran Or On Active Duty
 Graduate Student
 Has a Legal Dependent (child/other)
 Orphan/Ward of the Court/In a Legal Guardianship
 Legally Emancipated Minor
 In foster care at age 13 or older
 Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
 Independent by Professional Judgment
Slide 5
DETERMINING INDEPENDENT STUDENT
STATUS FOR UHY
Determinations can be made by:
 Local liaison (graduating high school seniors)
 Runaway and Homeless Youth Act funded shelter
director or designee (where youth received services)
 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
funded shelter director or designee (where youth
received services)
 College Financial Aid Administrator
 Local Liaisons and State Coordinators can play
an advocacy role in cases where they are not
making the official determination
Slide 6
INDEPENDENT STATUS FOR
UNACCOMPANIED STUDENTS
CCRAA uses the McKinney-Vento definition of
homeless
Includes a student living in the dorms if
he/she would otherwise be homeless
Includes a homeless student fleeing an
abusive parent, even if the parent would
provide housing and support
Slide 7
2012-2013 ONLINE FAFSA
Slide 8
2012-2013 ONLINE FAFSA
Slide 9
2012-13 PDF FAFSA
Slide 10
NOTES FROM THE 2012-13 PDF FAFSA
Slide 11
2011-12 APPLICATION AND
VERIFICATION GUIDE
Guidance on verification by FAAs
 Verification of “yes” answers on the FAFSA is not
required unless there is conflicting information
 FAA may verify the status with a documented
interview with the student
 Encourages discretion and sensitivity when gathering
information
 Some information may be confidential (e.g.,
protected by doctor-patient privilege)
 Child welfare or police reports are not necessary
 Recommends consulting with local liaisons, State
Coordinators, NCHE, school counselors, clergy, etc.
 Eligibility determinations may be appealed to the
school or the U.S. Department of Education
Slide 12
DETERMINATION VS. VERIFICATION
 Determination refers to making the original decision that a
student meets the definition of unaccompanied homeless
youth and, therefore, qualifies as an independent student
 Verification has a specific meaning in the “ FAA world”:
 Verification is the process of checking, through the submission of
documentation, that an applicant correctly reported information on
the FAFSA. If a student has been selected for verification, it is
generally because either ED or the school thinks that information has
been reported inaccurately
 Other useful terms:
 Confirmation
 Documentation
Slide 13
TAX ISSUES
 Tax issues and FAFSA issues operate in separate domains
 The IRS’ definition of “dependent” for tax purposes is
dif ferent that the FAFSA’s definition of “dependent” for
financial aid purposes
 A youth should file a tax return if they are required by the tax
code to do so
 It is possible for a student to meet the definition of
“independent” for financial aid purposes but meet the
definition of “dependent” for tax purposes, thereby enabling
the parent to claim the student as a dependent legally
 If a parent commits tax fraud in any way, the student is not
liable for this; they would only be held liable if they
participated actively and knowingly in the fraud
Slide 14
FIRST STEPS
 Connect with “team members”: Higher education,
homeless education, other educators (guidance
counselors, social workers, etc.), pre -collegiate
associations (GEAR UP, TRIO, etc.)
 Have an updated list of local liaisons available to
share with team members
 Have a list of HUD and RHYA shelters available
 Have the UHY excerpt of the AVG “at the ready”
Slide 15
FIRST STEPS (CONT)
 Use available templates: NAEHCY determination
documentation template and NCHE FAA
Documentation Tool
 When talking with a higher education audience,
team up with a higher education member so they can
“talk the talk”
 Homeless education issues may be very new to FAAs
and other team members; be prepared to be patient
and help them “learn the ropes” – you’ll catch more
flies with honey…
 Want to get involved in NAEHCY Higher Education
Committee efforts? Let us know!
Slide 16
TIPS
 When using the determination documentation template with
service providers, address HIPPA concerns by having students
sign giving consent to share information with institutions of
higher education
 Fill out a template for all graduating seniors, even if they
aren’t sure if they’ll continue on to higher education; give a
copy to the student, the local liaison, and the guidance
counselor working with the student
 Ensure students have e -mail addresses; can get free accounts
through yahoo.com or gmail.com, if needed
 Ensure students use their legal names that appear on vital
documents, not their “ street names”, on all financial aid
paperwork
Slide 17
MORE INFORMATION
NCHE website:
http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/higher_ed.php
http://center.serve.org/nche/best/higher_ed.php
National Association for the Education of Homeless
Children and Youth:
http://www.naehcy.org/higher_ed.html
http://www.naehcy.org/tk/tk.html
National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administrators:
http://www.nasfaa.org/
Slide 18
REGIONAL AND LOCAL CONTACTS
 Regional and State Associations of Student Financial Aid
Administrators
http://www.nasfaa.org/States/Directory_of_Associations.aspx
 NACAC (National Association of College Admission
Counselors) Af filiates
http://www.nacacnet.org/AboutNACAC/Governance/sra/Page
s/default.aspx
 Council for Opportunities in Education Member Associations
http://www.coenet.us/ecm/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Memb
er_Associations
 State College Goal Sunday Associations
http://www.collegegoalsundayusa.org/studentsFamilies/wher
e.htm
Slide 19
RESOURCES
 NCHE Higher Education Brief
www.serve.org/nche/briefs.php
 NCHE/NASFAA Higher Education Poster
www.serve.org/nche/pr/he_poster.php
 NAEHCY Determination Template: Unaccompanied Homeless
Youth Verification For the Purposes of Federal Financial Aid
www.naehcy.org/higher_ed.html
 NAEHCY: Income Tax and the FAFSA for Unaccompanied
Homeless Youth
www.naehcy.org/higher_ed.html
 NCHE/NAEHCY FAA Tool: Available soon
Slide 20