1 Best Practices to Support Homeless Youth that Access Higher EducationCyekeia Lee, Director of Higher Education Initiatives, NAEHCY NACAC Essentials of Professional Development Program 2016

2 A Closer Look at the Numbers

3 How Many Youth Experience Homelessness?National Statistics SY 1,301,239 homeless children and youth enrolled in public schools, preK-12 7% increase over the previous year 100% increase since recession 13% of all poor school aged children and youth 30% of all extremely poor school aged children and youth Over 90,000 unaccompanied homeless youth Lisa Q. Cyekeia do we have any updated data to share from 13-14SY?

4 Eligibility for McKinney-Vento Rights & ServicesChildren or youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, including: Sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to the lack of adequate alternative accommodations Living in emergency or transitional shelters Awaiting foster care placement (until December 10, 2016)

5 Eligibility ContinuedLiving in a public or private place not designed for humans to live Living in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or a similar setting Migratory children living in the above circumstances Unaccompanied youth living in the above circumstances For more info, see NCHE’s Determining Eligibility brief at

6 Fixed, Regular, AdequateFixed: Stationary, permanent, and not subject to change Regular: Used on a predictable, routine, or consistent basis (e.g. nightly); consider the relative permanence Adequate: Sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in home environments Can the student go to the SAME PLACE (fixed) EVERY NIGHT (regular) to sleep in a SAFE AND SUFFICIENT SPACE (adequate)?

7 Why the Broad Definition?Shelters are often full and turn away youth No shelters in many suburban and rural areas Eligibility rules of often exclude unaccompanied minors Youth may fear adult shelters Shelters often have time limits Youth may be unaware of alternatives, fleeing in crisis, living in over-crowded, temporary, and sometimes unsafe environments Shelters often are a last resort after all other possibilities are exhausted

8 Homeless Youth and Higher Education Access

9 Unaccompanied Homeless Youth2-step process to determine eligibility Does the student’s living arrangement meet the McKinney- Vento Act’s definition of homeless? Once homelessness is determined, is the student unaccompanied? Unaccompanied “not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian”

10 Paths to Being “On Our Own”Family conflict: blended family issues, pregnancy, sexual activity or orientation, school problems, substance abuse Abuse and/or neglect within the home Parental incarceration, illness, hospitalization, or death Lack of space in temporary situations or shelter policies that prohibit adolescent boys

11 Paths Continued Child welfare issues Running away from a placementAging out of the system Significant correlation between involvement with the child welfare system and experiencing homelessness as an adult

12 Barriers to Higher Education AccessLack of access to parental financial information and support 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 information about available support systems

13 Barriers Identified Through NAEHCY’s HelplineDuring the academic year NAEHCY received over 983 calls from students, care takers, community service providers, and homeless and higher education professionals regarding homeless and foster youth 82 calls came in from Michigan, ranks #3 for helpline calls

14 Barriers Identified Through NAEHCY’s HelplineTop 5 barriers to higher education access for homeless youth in Michigan : Getting a Determination of their unaccompanied homeless youth status FAFSA completion for unaccompanied homeless youth NAEHCY Resources Higher Education Housing Dependency Override Appeals

15 What Barriers Do You See?What barriers are homeless youth that access higher education experiencing in Michigan? What barriers do homeless youth encounter outside of the school system in Michigan?

16 Financial Aid and FAFSA BasicsExpected family contribution (EFC): Families are expected to contribute to higher education costs to the extent they are able FAFSA New FAFSA release date October 1, (beginning 2016) For dependent students, income and asset information required for both the student and a parent; parental signature required For independent students, no parental signature nor income and asset information is needed 101 FAFSA deadlines vary by state, so ck on GA’s.

17 States With The Highest Number of UHY FAFSA Filers * California Texas Illinois Michigan Florida Washington New York Oregon Missouri Ohio North Carolina Georgia

18 Prior-Prior Tax Information Used to Complete FAFSAStudents and parents will now need to include add “Prior-Prior” tax information (Tax information from 2 years prior, beginning October 1, 2016) Resources on new FAFSA release date available for students, parents, and counselors detail.jsp?id= fafsa-changes.

19 Example of Prior-Prior Tax Chart

20 UHY and the FAFSA Cyekeia

21 ONLINE FAFSA CompletionMarcia

22 College Cost Reduction And Act (CCRAA)Independent student status for unaccompanied homeless youth and self-supporting youth at risk of homelessness Can apply for financial 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

23 Application and Verification GuideUpdated Application and Verification Guide released in 2016 Borrows language from NCHE’s Determining Eligibility brief Student can use the following addresses to complete the FAFSA Address of a reliable friend or relative The college’s administrative address as his/her mailing address, with permission FAA verification Not required unless there is conflicting information Documented interview (even via phone) is acceptable

24 USDE Dear Colleague LetterIssued July 2015 UHY may be 24 or younger or still enrolled in high school on the date he/she signs the FAFSA Focuses attention on if student meets homeless status definition, not on the reason they are homeless Clarifies the role of the Financial Aid Administrator when making determination of a students homeless status Attach.pdf

25 Every Student Succeeds Act Transition to College ProvisionsAll McKinney-Vento youth must be able to receive individualized counseling from counselors to prepare and improve their readiness for college, including college selection, application, financial aid, and on-campus supports (g)(1)(K); Guidance Q1 Liaisons must ensure unaccompanied youth are informed of their FAFSA status as independent students and obtain verification of that status. 11432(g)(6)(A)(x)(III); Guidance Q2

26 ESSA Provisions ContinuedA local liaison may continue to make a determination of a youth’s status as either unaccompanied and homeless, or as self-supporting and at risk of being homeless, for as long as the liaison has access to the information necessary to make such a determination for a particular youth Guidance, Q-2. If a liaison does not have the information that is necessary to make the determination, either because the youth become homeless after high school, or because the liaison is no longer familiar with the youth’s circumstances, the financial aid administrator must make the determination.

27 Best Practices for Access and Retention

28 Choosing A School Students have many options to advance education beyond high school Two-year community and junior colleges Four-year colleges and universities Technical, Vocational, or Trade School college/choosing-schools

29 College Search Tool http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigatorgeneral school information; tuition, fees, and estimated student expenses; types of financial aid provided; net price; enrollment; admissions requirements; retention and graduation rates; accreditation; campus security statistics; and default rates for students with student loans

30 Best Campuses for UHY in MichiganName a 2-year and/or 4-year post-secondary education institution that you would refer a unaccompanied homeless youth to attend in your state? Why would you recommend this college/university?

31 Admissions RequirementsAdmission’s Advisor Know the admissions requirements (GPA, GED, ACT, SAT) Adhere to application deadlines for desired semester Submit application fee Submit additional documentation (Essay, or transcript) Ask about alternative programs if student doesn't meet the general requirements

32 Help Students Access Fee Reductions and WaiversAP Exam Fee Waiver https://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/waivers/guidelines/ap SAT Fee Waiver https://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-fee-waivers College Board Application Fee Waiver https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applying-101/college-application- fee-waivers ACT Fee Waiver NACAC Fee Waiver Check with college for housing, tuition deposit, and admissions fee waivers

33 Campus Support ServicesCollege Student Financial Aid Admissions Registrar Health Services Counseling Services Police & Public Safety Residence Life Academic Support

34 Community Support ServicesCollege Student UHY/FC DHS ETV Shelter Medicaid CMH Public Assistance

35 Navigating Multiple Support Systemsfrom Foster Care DHS ETV YIT Medicaid CMH Public Assistance College Student Financial Aid Admissions Registrar Health Services Counseling Services Police & Public Safety Residence Life Academic Support

36 Statewide Networks Convene a meeting with local stakeholders from the McKinney-Vento K-12, Foster Care, Higher Education, and RHYA/HUD shelter communities as well as other local service providers and advocates Allow each to share knowledge about their area of expertise UHY and independent student definitions Financial aid Campus and community resources Build an action plan for serving UHY that makes sense for your community

37 NAEHCY Statewide NetworksCyekeia

38 Best Practices in High SchoolFocus on FAFSA completion! FAFSA Week – see Inform unaccompanied youth of college options as soon as they are identified as homeless Make sure high school counselors know about the FAFSA policies for UHY Arrange for students to visit local colleges and universities Use a template for when making determinations – Connect UHY to Gear-Up, Upward Bound, other TRIO programs

39 Michigan College Access NetworkState initiative to increase college readiness, participation, and completion among low-income students, first-generation college-going students, and students of color in Michigan 44 programs across the state Region #10 Oakland/Wayne County Auburn Hills United College Access Network, Detroit College Access Network, Hazel Park College Access Network, Wayne County College Access Network

40 Campus Single Point of Contact’s for Homeless YouthSingle Point of Contact (SPOC)- a supportive college administrator on each campus who is committed to helping homeless youth (and often foster youth) successfully navigate the college-going process on campuses. SPOCs can be found in the Financial Aid, Counseling, Dean of Students, and Student Support Services offices.

41 Best Practices on Campus for SPOC’sSPOC’s can come from any office on campus Assist students with the following Admissions Financial Aid Academic Advising Remediation, Tutoring Student Life Housing, Counseling Center, Health Center, TRIO Programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, EOC, GEAR-UP),Learning Disabilities Services, Life Skills, Financial Literacy, Mentoring Programs

42 NAEHCY Scholarship How do students apply?fund Applicants must submit: 1) A completed application form; 2) An essay about the impact of homelessness on the their lives and their desire to attend college (500-1,000 words) 3) An official school transcript 4) A minimum of one letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or other adult who can speak to the applicant's qualifications and experiences New application will be available in January 2017

43 Other Scholarship ResourcesHoratio Alger https://www.horatioalger.org/scholarships/index.cfm Fastweb College Board https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search#! US Department of Labor pCategory.asp?searchtype=category&nodeid=22 Get Schooled https://getschooled.com/dashboard

44 NAEHCY Higher Education Hotline:NAEHCY Resources NAEHCY Higher Education Hotline: Text “NAEHCY” to NAEHCY College Access and Success Toolkit, Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Toolkits, FAFSA Week: NAEHCY Podcast Series FAFSA Tips for Unaccompanied Youth Without Stable Housing Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access College Financial Aid Brief

45 Contact Information Cyekeia Lee, Director of Higher Education Initiatives,