Financial Aid: Advising Special Populations 2016 MSCA Conference Presented by Valerie Jensen MASFAP Early Awareness Committee

Agenda for today Dependent vs Independent Students Dependency Overrides Homeless/Unaccompanied Youth Pregnant/Parenting Students Students orphaned or wards of the court or in foster care Students in legal guardianships Question and answer time

Dependent Students Cannot say “yes” to any of the dependency determination questions on the FAFSA Are required to provide parental income and asset information Have lower federal loan eligibility amounts

Independent Students Can answer “yes” to one of the dependency determination questions Not required to report parental income information Will likely be required to supply documentation to the schools to verify accuracy of information Have higher federal loan eligibility

Professional Judgments Professional judgment refers to the authority of a school’s financial aid administrator (FAA) to make adjustments to the data elements on the FAFSA and to override a student’s dependency status

Dependency Overrides Schools may use professional judgment to override a student’s dependency status Significant documentation is required in order to make this determination Schools will typically require two or more third party letters outlining the situation Student may be asked to provide pay stubs, utility bills, or other documentation of self-support

Homeless Youth The U.S Department of Education defines homeless youth as youth who “lack a fixed, regular, and nighttime residence” or an “individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is a) a supervised or publicly operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations; b)an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill; or c) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.” -youth.gov

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth An unaccompanied homeless youth is defined as a young person that lacks safe, stable housing and is not in the care of a parent or guardian. Live in a variety of temporary situations such as shelters, friends’ homes, cars, campgrounds, public parks, abandoned buildings, motels and bus or trains stations Many have run away or been forced from home due to dysfunctional family situations -naehcy.org

McKinney Vento A law that makes sure youth experiencing homelessness can attend school. It provides the student with many rights: The right to receive the assistance of the school district McKinney Vento homeless liaison The right to enroll in school and begin attending immediately, even if they cannot produce the documents

McKinney Vento The right to participate fully in school, including extra-curricular activities The right to continue attending their “school of origin” if that is in their best interest The right to receive transportation to their school of origin Automatic eligibility for free school meals -U.S. Dept of Ed

FAFSA Question The FAFSA will ask whether a student is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless in the dependency determination question. Accurately answering this question is the first step in helping to secure financial aid for students disadvantaged in this way.

Documentation Schools will need documentation to support the identification as homeless or unaccompanied youth on the FAFSA A letter on school letterhead from the homeless liaison identifying the student as homeless under McKinney Vento -OR- A letter from the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program A letter from the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program Institutional forms/worksheets

Resources National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (www.naehcy.org) www.youth.gov Dept of Ed Homeless Children and Youth fact sheet (www.2ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/160315ehcyfactsheet072716.pdf)

Pregnant/Parenting Students A student who now has or will have a child or children receiving more than 50% of from the student between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 If two unmarried students have a child together and are not living together, they may both be able to answer “Yes” to this question if one parent is paying child support to the other

Documentation Schools will require documentation to support the fact that student has a child or children and providing majority of financial support. Copy of child/children’s birth certificate(s) Documentation of current employment Documentation of housing (lease or utility bill) Documentation of child support Documentation of TANF, WIC, SNAP Institutional forms/worksheets

Orphans/Wards of the Court Answer yes to the FAFSA question if: Student had no living parent (biological or adoptive) at any time since turning 13, even if now adopted If student was in foster care at any time since turning 13, even if no longer in foster care as of the day of FAFSA completion If student was a dependent or ward of the court at any time since turning 13, even if no longer a dependent or ward of the court as of the day of FAFSA completion

Documentation Orphaned students: Dependent/wards of the court: Copies of each parent’s death certificate and a copy of student’s birth certificate or adoption paperwork Dependent/wards of the court: A copy of legal court documentation indicating student was or is a dependent or ward of the court at any time since turning 13 Students in foster care A copy of documentation of foster care status Institutional forms/worksheets

Legal Guardianship Students that are in a legal guardianship with someone other than a parent or stepparent should answer “Yes” to this question. Does not include guardianship to a biological parent resulting from divorce or separation agreement Power of attorney does not constitute legal guardianship A student that is still a minor and the court decision is no longer in effect should not answer “yes” to the question

Documentation A copy of the approved petition for guardianship, a court order or other similar legal papers Institutional forms/worksheets

Contact Information Valerie Jensen Assistant Director, Counseling and Outreach Student Financial Services Saint Louis University vjensen@slu.edu 314-977-2347