assisting easily overlooked students: undocumented foster youth & unaccompanied homeless...

MASFAA 2013October 6th – 9th, 2013Indianapolis, Indiana

Assisting Easily Overlooked Students: Undocumented

Foster Youth & Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

Presenters Mark Delorey, Western Michigan

University Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY Cyekeia Lee, NAEHCY

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Best Practices Discussion A little bit from us

A little bit from you

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“Shirt-sleeve” Definitions Undocumented: not a U.S. citizen or

permanent resident. Lacks paperwork

Foster youth: removed from their parents as the result of abuse or neglect

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Under 22, not living with parents, lacking fixed-adequate-regular housing

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Three Groups What do they have in common? What are the differences? Are the groups distinct?

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Undocumented Plyler v. Doe: education for all K-12 14th Amendment: Equal protection

for “all persons”

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Undocumented Not eligible for federal (or state?) aid State resident tuition at state

schools?(California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Washington) Private aid search

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Undocumented

Some schools…• Charge resident tuition without state

requirement – Board approval• Deny admission • Do not award any institutional aid• Provide considerable institutional and

private funding

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UndocumentedDevelopment, Relief, & Education for Alien Minors

(DREAM Act)

• Original sponsors Hatch & Durbin in 2001• NOT yet passed, ONLY 57 votes in senate• Path to citizenship • Financial aid eligibility

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Undocumented

Delayed Action for Childhood Arrivals

• DACA• Entered the U.S. before turning 16,

etc.• Executive order in June, 2012• Work permit and Social Security Card

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Undocumented

DACA continued…..

• Drivers licenses• Safe from deportation• Not Title IV aid eligible• Not a clear path to citizenship

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Undocumented

What’s next?

• On our campuses• In the U.S.

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Undocumented

What are you doing that is working well?

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Foster Care Alums Removed from the care of their

parentsand…

Refugees granted asylumand…

Victims of human trafficking – T Visa

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Foster Care Alums Western Michigan University Seita

Scholars

◊ Full tuition scholarship◊ 35 – 1 ratio of full time “campus

coaches” ◊ Extensive University and community

support

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Foster Care Alums Education & Training Voucher Refugee Education Training Voucher

◊ $4,000 to $5,000 annually◊ Federal Chaffee Funding from HHS◊ Gen 13-18: Extended Foster Care

Payments• Not counted as resource or as untaxed

income

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Foster Care Alums

What are you doing that is working well?

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Unaccompanied Homeless Youth(UHY)

Automatic Independent status

U = Not in the presence of their parents

and… H = Lacking fixed - adequate -

regular housingand…

Y = 21 and younger

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Unaccompanied Homeless Youth(UHY)

Determination is made by:◊ School district homeless liaison

or…◊ Director of a homeless shelter

or…◊ Director of a runaway shelter

or…◊ FAO

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UHY

Crucial points to understand: This is NOT a PJ, dependency

override Verification isn’t required (conflicting

info) DETERMINATION not a DECISION No valid reason to ask “Why?”

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UHY If we could ask why:

◊ Physical, sexual, emotional, substance abuse

◊ Sexual orientation, pregnancy◊ Moving and can’t bring you with me (us)◊ Shelter can’t accommodate teens, boys◊ Other…..

NAEHCY Resources

NAEHCY Higher Education Hotline:855-446-2673

http://www.naehcy.org Cyekeia Lee, Higher Education Liaison, clee@naehcy.org FAFSA Tips for Unaccompanied Youth Without Stable Housing Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access College

Financial Aid Brief Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Toolkits, FAFSA Week:http://naehcy.org/tk/cl.html

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UHY

What are you doing that is working well?

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Common Needs Understanding, compassion Go the extra mile, and then a little

further Help students find resources on

campus Recognize that trust may be difficult

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Closing Thought

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

― Leo Buscaglia