National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth 2011 Annual Conference F INANCIAL AID AND COLLEGE ACCESS

Slide 2 M EET NCHE, NASFAA, AND C OLLEGE G OAL S UNDAY  The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance and information center in the area of homeless education;  The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) supports the training, diversity, and professional development of financial aid administrators; advocates for public policies and programs that increase student access to and success in postsecondary education; and serves as a forum for communication and collaboration on student financial aid issues;  College Goal Sunday brings together financial aid professionals from colleges and universities along with other volunteers to help college-bound students and their families complete the FAFSA;

Slide 3 S ESSION GOALS You will:  Gain an understanding of the higher education life cycle  Receive tools and resources to assist unaccompanied homeless youth access higher education  Receive information and resources to develop higher education networks

Slide 4 B ARRIERS TO H IGHER E DUCATION  Lack of financial means to live independently and safely  Inability to be financially self-sufficient once enrolled in college  Limited housing options, especially in small towns or rural areas  Struggling to balance school and other responsibilities  Lack of adult guidance and support  Lack of access to parental financial information and support  Failure to access available support systems

Slide 5 T HE S CHOOL ’ S C HARGE  Institutions of higher education first and foremost are educational agencies  Their primary responsibility and goal is to enroll and educate in accordance with federal law, which supersedes state and local law  Institutions of higher education do not need to understand and/or agree with all aspects of a student’s home life to educate him/her and comply with federal educational mandates

T HE HIGHER EDUCATION LIFE CYCLE

Slide 7 A DMISSIONS PROCESS Issues posing challenges to unaccompanied homeless youth:  Application fees  Transcripts  Addresses  Supplying personal documents

Slide 8 F INANCIAL A ID AND FAFSA B ASICS  Families are expected to contribute to higher education costs to the extent to which they are able (“expected family contribution” or EFC)  FAFSA  Cannot be filed before January 1st preceding the academic year in which the student wishes to enroll  For dependent students, filling out the FAFSA requires income and asset information for both the student and a parent, and a parent signature  For independent students, no parental signature or income and asset information is needed

Slide 9 I NDEPENDENT S TATUS FOR U NACCOMPANIED S TUDENTS  College Cost Reduction and Access Act  Independent student status on the FAFSA for unaccompanied homeless youth and self- supporting youth at risk of homelessness  Can apply for aid without parental signature or consideration of parental income  Must be determined by: Local liaison RHYA-funded shelter director or designee HUD-funded shelter director or designee College Financial Aid Administrator

Slide 10 I NDEPENDENT S TATUS FOR U NACCOMPANIED S TUDENTS  CCRAA uses the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless; also includes a student living in the dorms if he/she would otherwise be homeless  At risk of homelessness: “when a student’s housing may cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate”  Includes a homeless student fleeing an abusive parent, even if the parent would provide housing and support

Slide – 12 FAFSA

Slide – 12 FAFSA

Slide 13 T HE R OLE OF THE FAA  FAA = Financial Aid Administrator  According to the Application and Verification Guide, if a student does not have, and cannot get, documentation from a Local Liaison, RHYA provider, or HUD provider, a financial aid administrator must make a determination of homeless/unaccompanied status  This is not an “exercise of professional judgment” or a “dependency override” for youth 21 and younger; this is determining the independent student status of an unaccompanied homeless youth  For the 2011 – 2012 FAFSA cycle, process independent status for UHY as a dependency override; this issue will be resolved for the 2012 – 2013 FAFSA cycle

Slide A PPLICATION AND V ERIFICATION G UIDE  Updated Application and Verification Guide released in Spring 2011  Borrows language from NCHE’s Determining Eligibility brief  Student can use the college’s administrative address as his/her mailing address  UHY may be 21 or younger or still enrolled in high school on the date he/she signs the FAFSA  = dependency override for independent status  24 or older is automatic independent status

Slide – 12 A PPLICATION AND V ERIFICATION G UIDE  Provides guidance on verification by FAAs  Verification is not required unless there is conflicting information  Permits a FAA to verify the status with a documented interview  Encourages discretion and sensitivity when gathering information Some information may be confidential (e.g. protected by doctor-patient privilege) Child welfare reports are not necessary  Recommends consulting with Local Liaisons, State Coordinators, NCHE, school counselors, clergy, etc.  Eligibility determinations may be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education

Slide 16 F INANCIAL A ID O FFICE ENVIRONMENT  Having to do more with less  Increased administrative burden  Competing roles  Serving students  Enforcing U.S. Department of Education regulations and policies

Slide 17 COMPLETE 2009 – 2010 N UMBERS  Numbers for January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, FAFSA application period  Total Number of Applicants for Independent Status – 8,807,210  Total Number of Applicants who indicated they were an unaccompanied homeless youth – 33,232 (.38 % of total independent applicants) Determined by Local Liaisons: 10,549 applicants Determined by HUD provider: 5,219 applicants Determined by RHYA provider: 10,238 applicants Multiple responses: 7,226 applicants

Slide 18 COMPLETE 2010 – 2011 N UMBERS  Numbers for January 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011, FAFSA application period  Total Number of Applicants for Independent Status – 12,149,074  Total Number of Applicants who indicated they were an unaccompanied homeless youth – 33,039 (.27 % of total independent applicants) Determined by Local Liaisons: 13,789 applicants Determined by HUD provider: 9,991 applicants Determined by RHYA provider: 5,659 applicants Multiple responses: 3,600 applicants

Slide 19 Partial 2011 – 2012 N UMBERS  Numbers for January 1, 2011 through August 31, 2011, FAFSA application period  Total Number of Applicants for Independent Status – 10,028,391  Total Number of Applicants who indicated they were an unaccompanied homeless youth – 22,296 (.22 % of total independent applicants) Determined by Local Liaisons: 13,267 applicants Determined by HUD provider: 4,679 applicants Determined by RHYA provider: 3,664 applicants Multiple responses: 686

Slide 20 S MALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Slide 21 R EVIEWING AND COMPARING BUDGETS AND AWARD LETTERS Important issues to consider:  Cost difference between institution types  Mix of aid types  Out of pocket expenses  Wise borrowing

Slide 22 S MALL GROUP DISCUSSION

Slide 23 C AMPUS S ERVICES FOR H OMELESS S TUDENTS 7 Domains Adapted from Casey Family Programs; Western Michigan University Seita Program

Slide 24 C AMPUS S ERVICES FOR H OMELESS S TUDENTS – W HAT H IGHER E DUCATION I NSTITUTIONS C AN D O  Create greater awareness among instructors, staff, and administrators  Share NCHE’s brief  Solicit campus support (UNC Asheville)  Place articles in newsletters, etc.  Add page to school’s website (Loyola)  Appoint a single point of contact for homeless students on each campus (Loyola)

Slide 25 A CCESSING C AMPUS S ERVICES ( CONT.)  Use education rights posters and brochures so students who fit the definition can identify themselves (NCHE)  Coordinate with liaisons for homeless education in nearby school districts  Create list of community resources  Assign each youth a mentor to ensure needs are met  Set up a campus clothing closet and food pantry (UCLA)

Slide 26 G OOD I DEAS

Slide 27 G OOD I DEAS

Slide 28 G OOD I DEAS UNC – Asheville Matrix

Slide 29 G OOD I DEAS Welcome Packs

Slide 30 I SSUES DURING PERIODS OF NONATTENDANCE  Housing  Dormitory open  Host homes  Adult support and connection  Ongoing followup by Student Services  Mentoring program in place  Basic needs (food, transportation)  Connection to community resources  Gift cards (campus service projects)

Slide 31 A PPLYING FOR AID IN FUTURE YEARS  Determining status  Importance of establishing a good relationship with the financial aid office

Slide 32 S MALL GROUP ACTIVITY

Slide 33 P REPARING FOR LIFE AFTER SCHOOL  Planning for loan repayment  Career preparation  Building basic life skills

D EVELOPING A HIGHER EDUCATION NETWORK

Slide 35 S OME T HINGS TO K EEP IN M IND  Higher education institutions are newer to addressing the needs of homeless students and resources in place to serve them  The provisions of the Higher Education Act that allow UHY to be determined Independent Students requires understanding of the MV definition of homeless and the process of determining eligibility  UHY often seek access to higher education through school and shelter advocates with whom they have had contact

Slide 36 A SSIST WITH THE F INANCIAL A ID P ROCESS  Reach out to the financial aid office  Offer to provide information, resources, training on homeless student populations  Know the regulations with regard to financial aid for homeless and unaccompanied youth  Ask about resources currently on the campus for homeless youth and other underserved populations  Assist in developing a statewide network

Slide 37 T OOLS TO S TART THE C ONVERSATION  Poster on Homeless Students and Higher Education (NCHE)  NCHE Brief on Access to Higher Education  NCHE Determining Eligibility Brief  NCHE-NAEHCY webinars  NAEHCY overview of CCRA and template for making a determination of Independent Student

Slide 38 C REATING A N ETWORK  Convene a meeting with local stakeholders from the McKinney-Vento K-12 and Higher Education communities  Share knowledge about your area of expertise  Higher Ed: Financial aid  Local Liaisons: McKinney-Vento definition and community resources for homelessness  Build an action plan for serving unaccompanied homeless youth that makes sense for your community  Examples of networks: Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina

Slide 39 H OMELESS -H IGHER E DUCATION N ETWORKING IN C OLORADO  SC contacted by staff in CO Dept. of Higher Education after passage of CCRA Act  Presented at each other’s meetings  Expanded partnership to bring stakeholders together and create a systemic way to support higher education access for UHY  Addressed jargon and organizational differences  Have SPOC at every college and university in CO  Use standardized process and form (NAEHCY template)  80 trainings across state in 18 months

Slide 40 H OMELESS H IGHER E DUCATION N ETWORKING IN N ORTH C AROLINA  Developed a plan – range of activities  Built on existing connections  Reached out; offered to do presentations  Invited people to the table; created awareness; identified resources each could offer; identified existing systems in place to utilize (newsletters, conferences, regional contacts)

Slide 41 L ESSONS L EARNED  Look for energetic, like-minded people  Be strategic – timing is everything!  Use data  Create awareness of homeless students  Build relationships  Understand the higher education climate and culture  Be persistent and celebrate incremental successes

Slide 42 W HAT T YPE OF C ONNECTION IS B EST

Slide 43 S MALL GROUP ACTIVITY

Slide 44 NAEHCY H IGHER E DUCATION S UBCOMMITTEE – S UPPORT FOR Y OU FOR N ETWORKING  Awareness  Development of partnerships with higher education service providers  Education  Presentations, trainings, webinars  Policy  Influencing guidelines and laws

Slide 45 NAEHCY H IGHER E DUCATION S UBCOMMITTEE -S UPPORT FOR N ETWORKING  Financial aid, UHY, higher education  Meet by phone every six weeks  Working groups  Webinar trainings  Conference presentations  Collaborations  Assistance to state networks

Slide 46 F OR MORE INFORMATION NCHE website: (AVG, ACT/SAT fee waivers, etc.) NCHE helpline: or National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators: Office of Postsecondary Education: Office of Federal Student Aid:

Slide 47 C ONTACT US  Diana Bowman,  Jennifer Martin,  Marcia Weston,