paving the way to college for students experiencing homelessness

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Christina Dukes - NCHE [email protected] Jennifer Martin – NASFAA [email protected] Jan Moore – NCHE [email protected] PAVING THE WAY TO COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

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Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness. Christina Dukes - NCHE [email protected] Jennifer Martin – NASFAA [email protected] Jan Moore – NCHE [email protected]. About NASFAA. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Christina Dukes - [email protected]

Jennifer Martin – [email protected] Moore – [email protected]

PAVING THE WAY TO COLLEGE FOR

STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Page 2: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

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.

ABOUT NASFAA

Page 3: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

What do you consider your current knowledge level to be regarding college access for homeless students?

1.Expert2.Average3.Beginner4.Ummm, what’s college access?

RAISE OF HANDS

Page 4: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Dealing with application expensesAdvanced Placement exam feesCollege entrance exam feesCollege application fees

Seeking financial aid and scholarshipsThe FAFSA for “accompanied” homeless studentsThe FAFSA for unaccompanied homeless studentsPrivate scholarships State-specific opportunities

Options for undocumented homeless students

SESSION OUTLINE

Page 5: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Take Advanced Placement (AP) tests, if applicableTake college entrance exam(s) (SAT and/or ACT)Complete and submit college applicationsComplete and submit the FAFSAComplete and submit applications for private scholarshipsMore information is available from the College Board:

“Applying 101”: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applying “Financial Aid 101”: https://

bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CHECKLIST

Page 6: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

FEE WAIVERS

Page 7: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Most four-year colleges in the United States and colleges in more than 60 other countries give students credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of AP Exam scores; however

Each college or university is allowed to set its own policy as to which tests they will accept for credit, how much credit they will give, and what score is required to get credit.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS:

Page 8: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

AP exam fee waivers are available for eligible students with no limit on the number of waivers per student

To qualify for an AP exam fee waiver: The student receives or is eligible to receive free or reduced price

lunch; The student's family receives TANF assistance; or The student is eligible to receive medical assistance under the

Medicaid programWaivers are administered at the school; speak with your

school’s AP Coordinator

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS

Page 9: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

A full AP exam waiver consists of: A federal contribution of $53/exam A College Board contribution of $26/exam A school’s waiving of their $8/exam fee

Some states may continue to charge a nominal feeMore information is available from the College Board:

Fee reductions for AP Exams: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/waivers/guidelines/ap

2013 Details by State: AP Exam Fee Assistance: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/ap/coordinate/details-state

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS:

Page 10: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

To qualify for an ACT fee waiver, the student:Must be enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th gradeMust be a U.S. citizen (if testing abroad) or be testing in the

U.S., Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territoryMust meet one or more of the following indicators of

economic need: Student is receiving free/reduced lunch Family income is below the USDA reduced-price lunch level Student is enrolled in TRIO or a similar program Family lives in subsidized housing or receives public assistance Student is experiencing homelessness Student is living in a foster home Student is a ward of the state or is an orphan

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE ACT

Page 11: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Student can use the waiver to take the ACT up to two timesThe waiver is sent to high schools each summer; students must access

the waiver from the school counselor, not from ACTThe waiver must be signed by the student and school counselorThe waiver covers the basic test fees, including sending the test

score(s) to up to four colleges; does not cover late registration fees or change fees

Additional information is available at http://www.actstudent.org/faq/feewaiver.html

A sample 2012/2013 fee waiver is available at http://media.act.org/documents/feewaiver.pdf

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE ACT

Page 12: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

To qualify for an SAT fee waiver, the student must: Be enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade (SAT) or in grades

9-12 (SAT Subject Tests) Be a U.S. citizen (if testing abroad) or be testing in the U.S., Puerto

Rico, or a U.S. territory Meet one or more of the following indicators of economic need

(same as for the ACT) Student is receiving free/reduced lunch Family income is below the USDA reduced-price lunch level Student is enrolled in TRIO or a similar program Family lives in subsidized housing or receives public assistance Student is experiencing homelessness Student is living in a foster home Student is a ward of the state or is an orphan

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE SAT

Page 13: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

The waiver must be obtained from the student’s high school counselor or an authorized agency, not from the College Board

To be valid, the waiver must be completed by the high school guidance counselor

The student can receive up to four waiver cards: Up to 2 waivers for the SAT and 2 waivers for SAT Subject Tests

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE SAT

Page 14: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

The waiver covers the basic test fees, including sending the test score(s) to up to four colleges; up to four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms, and a $40 discount for the Official SAT Online Course; does not cover late registration fees or change fees

College application fee waivers should be included with the students’ college applications and sent to colleges included in the Directory of Colleges Cooperating with the SAT Program Fee-Waiver Service

Additional information is available at http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM:THE SAT

Page 15: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

College Board program (mentioned on previous slide)National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC)

form To be completed with the help of the high school counselor For graduating high school seniors entering college in the fall Based on income and/or the counselor’s knowledge of the family’s

circumstances Same eligibility criteria as the ACT and SAT waiver programs

Additional information from the College Board: http://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/applications/fee-waivers

Additional information from NACAC: http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Pages/default.aspx

COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES

Page 16: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Most colleges follow the College Board’s and NACAC’s guidelines for determining application fee waiver eligibility; however, individual institutions may have their own fee waiver policies that vary

Some colleges do not charge application fees for students that apply online

NCHE does not recommend using McKinney-Vento subgrant funds or Title IA set-aside funds to pay for AP exam, college entrance exam, or college application fees, as waivers are available

COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES

Page 17: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

QUESTIONS?

Page 18: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

THE FAFSA

Page 19: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

RAISE OF HANDS

Describe your experience working with unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY) to access

federal financial aid?1.I have worked with UHY; our efforts were successful2.I have worked with UHY; our efforts were met with resistance3.I have not yet worked with UHY on financial aid issues4.Ummm, what’s an UHY?

Page 20: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid

The official FAFSA web address is http://www.fafsa.gov

Students applying for federal aid must complete a FAFSA for each school year for which they are seeking federal aid

FAFSA BASICS

Page 21: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

A new FAFSA is released each January for the upcoming school year

Example: 2013-2014 FAFSAReleased in January 2013Valid for students attending school for Fall 2013 and Spring

2014Treatment of the Summer term depends on the school

FAFSA BASICS

Page 22: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

EFC = Expected Family ContributionBased on the information submitted

on the FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education will calculate the EFC

Dependent StudentMust report parent information on FAFSAEFC is based on parents’ and student’s income and assets

Independent StudentDoes NOT report parent information on FAFSAEFC is based on student’s income and assets

CALCULATION OF FEDERAL AID

Page 23: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

“Accompanied students” experiencing homelessness fill out the FAFSA as dependent students Living arrangement meets the M-V

definition of homeless In the physical custody of a parent or

guardian

MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS:DEPENDENT OR INDEPENDENT?

Page 24: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness fill out the FAFSA as independent students Living arrangement meets the M-V definition of homelessNot in the physical custody of a parent or guardian21 or younger or still enrolled in high school on the date

he/she signs the FAFSA “At risk of homelessness”: when a student’s housing may

cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate, for example, a student who is being evicted and has been unable to find fixed, regular, and adequate housing.

MCKINNEY-VENTO STUDENTS:DEPENDENT OR INDEPENDENT?

Page 25: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Provide information on parent income and assets and their own income and assets

Need parent signatureThe EFC is based on family income and assets; as such, even

though they fill out the FAFSA as dependent students, homeless students from low-income families will likely qualify for a beneficial aid package

Example: The EFC Formula, 2013-2014 explains that, under certain circumstances, students qualify for an automatic $0 EFC, including students who received free school meals in 2011 or 2012, and whose parents’ 2012 income is less than $24,000http://ifap.ed.gov/efcformulaguide/attachments/091312EFCFormulaGuide1314.pdf

ACCOMPANIED HOMELESS STUDENTS AND THE FAFSA

Page 26: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Do not need to provide information on parental income and assets

Do not need a parental signatureDo provide information on their own income

and assetsIndependent status is not equivalent to free

tuition; however, the EFC is calculated proportional to what the student can provide based on his/her resources

UNACCOMPANIED HOMELESS STUDENTS AND THE FAFSA

Page 27: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

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” or “dependency override”

as determined by the Financial AidAdministrator (FAA)

CLASSIFICATION AS “INDEPENDENT”

Page 28: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Local homeless education liaison; for students graduating from high school who were identified as an UHY while in high school (contact your State Coordinator for Homeless Education for liaison contact information)

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shelter director or designee; for students who have received services

Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) shelter director or designee; for students who have received services

Financial Aid Administrator (FAA); for any student, but particularly those who cannot get a determination from one of the other three authorized parties

DETERMINERS OF INDEPENDENT STATUS FOR

UHY

Page 29: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

2012-2013 APPLICATION AND VERIFICATION GUIDE

Updated Application and Verification Guide (AVG) released in March 2012 Student can use the college’s administrative address as

his/her mailing addressYouth = 21 or younger or still enrolled in high school on the

date he/she signs the FAFSAAges 22-23 = need a dependency override for independent

statusAge 24 or older is automatic independent status

Page 30: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

THE ROLE OF THE FAAACCORDING TO THE AVG

If a student does not have, and cannot get, a determination from a local liaison, RHYA provider, or HUD provider, a financial aid administrator must make a determination of unaccompanied homeless youth status

If a student meets the definition of UHY, this is not an “exercise of professional judgment” or a “dependency override”; this is determining the independent student status of an unaccompanied homeless youth

In instances where a student doesn’t meet the definition of UHY but there are other extenuating circumstances, a dependency override or exercise of professional judgment may be appropriate

Page 31: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

FAA DETERMINATION OFSTUDENT STATUS

Verification of “yes” answers on the FAFSA is not required unless there is conflicting information

Permits a FAA to determine a student’s status with a documented interview

Page 32: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

FAA DETERMINATION OFSTUDENT STATUS

Encourages discretion and sensitivity when gathering information Some information may be confidential (e.g., protected by

doctor-patient privilege)Child welfare and/or law enforcement reports are not

necessaryRecommends 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

Page 33: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

2013-2014 ONLINE FAFSA

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2013-2014 ONLINE FAFSA

Page 35: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

2013-2014 PDF/PAPER FAFSA

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NOTES FROM THE2013-2014 PDF/PAPER FAFSA

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NAEHCY Template (Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Documentation of Independent Student Status for the FAFSA) available at http://www.naehcy.org/sites/default/files/images/dl/uy_fafsa_verif_12.doc

NCHE/NAEHCY FAA Tool (Making Student Status Determinations for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Eligibility Tool for Financial Aid Administrators) available at http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/faa_det_tool.pdf

TOOLS

Page 38: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

QUESTIONS?

Page 39: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

SCHOLARSHIPS,STATE RESOURCES,UNDOCUMENTED

STUDENTS

Page 40: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Check with the high school’s guidance counselor for a list of private scholarships available to area students

The LeTendre Education Fund Scholarship: http://www.naehcy.org/letendre-scholarship-fund/about-the-fund

Give Us Your Poor/Horatio Alger Scholarship: https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/

PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS

Page 41: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Free scholarship search engines:Fastweb!: http://www.fastweb.com/ College Board: https://

bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search U.S. Department of Education: http://

studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/finding-scholarships (includes scholarship search tips and guidelines)

PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS

Page 42: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Some states have special provisions available for low-income and/or homeless students: Indiana – Students receiving free lunch receive a tuition waiver

when participating in Indiana’s Double Up Program (dual enrollment in college courses for students in 11th and 12th grade)http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title21/ar14/ch8.html

Indiana – Twenty-First Century Scholars Program - Income-eligible 7th and 8th graders who enroll in the program and fulfill a pledge of good citizenship are guaranteed to receive up to four years of undergraduate tuition at any participating public college or university in Indianahttp://www.scholars.in.gov

STATE RESOURCES

Page 43: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Florida – Homeless students are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees, including lab fees, at a school district that provides postsecondary career programs, community college, or state university (2011 F.S. 1009.25); Florida statute establishes the definition of “homeless” usedhttp://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1009/Sections/1009.25.html

Look for resources in your state!

STATE RESOURCES

Page 44: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Encourage the student to consider a variety of institutions with different “price points”A student may not be able to afford a particular institution,

but other good college options may be availableA student may start at a community college and transfer to a

four-year college at a later time, but would benefit from having a solid and informed transition plan

Consider housing options if looking into a school without dorms

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Page 45: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

CREATING A STATE NETWORK:

HIGHLIGHTS FROM NORTH CAROLINA

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FINAL QUESTIONS?

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RAISE OF HANDS

What is your most valuable “take-home” point from today’s session?

1.Information on fee waivers2.Information on the FAFSA3.Information on private scholarships and state opportunities4.Information about creating a state network5.All of the above6.Ummm, what? Sorry, I was napping.

Page 48: Paving the Way to College for Students Experiencing Homelessness

Additional resources are available on the NCHE handouts webpage at http://www.serve.org/nche/web/college.php

State Coordinator for Homeless Education contact information may be accessed at http://www.serve.org/nche/states/state_resources.php

Learn more about TRIO at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html

Learn more about GEAR UP at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES