Supporting Unaccompanied Homeless Youth in Accessing Higher Education

1. Supporting Unaccompanied Homeless Youth in Accessing Higher Education Diana Bowmandbowman@serve.org 336-315-7453 Jan Moorejmoore@serve.org336-315-7403

2. Meet NCHE and NC HECHY • The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) operates the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance and information center in the area of homeless education; www.serve.org/nche • The NC Higher Education Collaborative on Homeless Youth (HECHY) is working to smooth the transition to college for unaccompanied homeless students.

3. Today’s Plan • What is the McKinney-Vento Act? • Who are unaccompanied homeless youth? • Unaccompanied homeless youth and the FAFSA • College support networks and initiatives • Resources

4. Foundational Documents • NCHE higher education brief http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/higher_ed.pdf • Making Student Status Determinations for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Tool for Financial Aid Administratorshttp://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/faa_det_tool.pdf • McKinney-Vento Act and Policy Guidance http://center.serve.org/nche/m-v.php • Application and Verification Guide (AVG) http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/higher_ed.php

5. M-V The McKinney-Vento Act • Title X, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) • Applies to K-12 public schools • Key themes • Support for school access and success • School stability • Child-centered, best interest decisionmaking

6. Highlights of McKinney-Vento • Local liaison in every school districthttp://center.serve.org/hepnc/nc_pol.php#local • State Coordinator in every state • Focuses on K-12, but includes • Preschool • Transition to college, especially with CCRAA • State Coordinator in NC –Lisa Phillips, lphillip@serve.org800-659-3204

7. Eligibility for McKinney-Vento Rights and Services • Children 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 (“doubling up”) • Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, camping grounds due to the lack of adequate alternative accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters

8. Eligibility for McKinney-Vento Rights and Services • Awaiting foster care placement • Living 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

9. Fixed, Regular, and Adequate • Fixed: 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 • Consider relative permanence of living arrangement • Can the student go to the SAME PLACE (fixed) EVERY NIGHT (regular) to sleep in a SAFE AND SUFFICIENT SPACE (adequate)?

10. Why the“Broad Definition”? • Shelters are often full, turning youth away • No shelters in many suburban and rural areas • Eligibility rules of shelters often exclude unaccompanied minors • Youth may fear adult shelters • Shelters often have short stay limits • Youth may be unaware of alternatives, fleeing in crisis, living in overcrowded, temporary, and sometimes unsafe situations • Shelters often are a last resort

11. Doubled-Up • McKinney-Vento defines doubled-up as “sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason”

12. Doubled Up -Determining Eligibility • Considerations: • Did the student lose his/her housing? • Is the student experiencing economic hardship resulting in inability to access stable housing? • How permanent is the living arrangement intended to be? • Where would the student be if not doubled up? • Is the living arrangement fixed, regular, and adequate?

13. Who are Unaccompanied Homeless Students? • 2-step process • 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”; in practical terms, this means the youth does not live with the parent or guardian

14. Barriers to Education • 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 • Failure to access available support systems • Lack of adult guidance and support • Lack of access to parental financial information and support

15. Paths to Being“On Your Own” • Longstanding patterns of family conflict: blended family issues, pregnancy, sexual activity or orientation, school problems, alcohol/drug use • Abuse and/or neglect within the home • Parental incarceration, substance abuse, illness, hospitalization, or death

16. Paths to Being“On Your Own” (cont) • Foster care issues: running away from a foster care placement, aging out of the foster care system; significant correlation between involvement with the child welfare system and experiencing homelessness as an adult • Some students become homeless with their families, but end up on their own due to lack of space in temporary accommodations or shelter policies that prohibit adolescent males

17. “But, the student chose to leave…” • A youth can be eligible regardless of whether he/she was asked to leave the home or “chose” to leave • Sometimes there is “more than meets the eye” for a youth’s home life situation • 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

18. Scenario: Sarah Sarah was kicked out of her house after graduating high school. She’d had problems getting along with her stepdad for some time and the level of conflict had gotten out of control. She went to live with her friend, Kim, but Kim’s parents said Sarah can only stay there until the end of the summer, when Kim leaves for college. Sarah is no longer in contact with her mom and stepdad. • According to McKinney-Vento, is Sarah an unaccompanied homeless youth? • Other questions?

19. Independent Status for Unaccompanied Students • 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

20. Independent Status for Unaccompanied Students • 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 parentwould provide housing and support

21. Identify Contacts in Your Area • Local Liaisons for Homeless Education http://center.serve.org/hepnc/nc_pol.php#local • State Coordinator for Homeless Education • HUD = U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development • RHYA = Runaway and Homeless Youth Act

22. 2012-13 FAFSA

23. 2012-13 Online FAFSA

24. The Role 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

25. 2012-13 Application and Verification Guide • Updated AVG released in Spring 2012 • 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 when FAFSA is signed • Students who don’t meet the definition of youth because they are older than 21 (and not yet 24) and who are unaccompanied and homeless or self supporting and at risk of being homeless qualify for a dependency override • 24 or older - automatic independent status

26. 2012-13 Application and Verification Guide • 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. • Students may appeal eligibility determinationsto the U.S. Department of Education

27. Scenario: Samuel Samuel had to leave home the summer before his senior year in high school, when his mom was incarcerated. Samuel’s father has never been a part of his life and, in fact, he doesn’t know where he is or if he’s even still alive. Samuel has been staying with different relatives and friends since then, but none has been willing to assume legal guardianship or provide financial support. He’s now starting to apply for colleges and is concerned about having enough money to attend. • According to McKinney-Vento, is Samuel an unaccompanied homeless youth? • Other questions?

28. College Support Networks and Initiatives:Best Practices

29. Identifying Unaccompanied Youthon Your Campus • Post information publicly in strategic locations throughout campus • Create awareness of the issue among faculty and staff, particularly those working in the area of financial aid, student services, and other support services • Awareness resources • NCHE higher education brief http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/higher_ed.pdf • NCHE/NASFAA awareness poster http://center.serve.org/nche/pr/he_poster.php

30. Determining Independent Student Status • Consult the AVG • Become familiar with the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless and apply it case-by-case to students’ circumstances • Consult with school district local liaisons, State Coordinators for homeless education, or NCHE • Be reasonable and sensitive when requesting information from students

31. Supporting Unaccompanied Students in Your Institution • Refer unaccompanied students to campus and community support services upon admission • Establish coordination between financial aid offices, student support services, and campus housing • Establish a food and clothing bank on campus • Plan housing for homeless students when dormitories close; ideas include leaving one residence hall open or establishing a list of “host homes” in the community • Establish a mentoring program for unaccompanied homeless youth

32. Creating a Local Network • Convene a meeting with local stakeholders from the McKinney-Vento K-12 and Higher Education communities • Share knowledge about your area of expertise • Higher education: Financial aid • Local liaisons: McKinney-Vento definition and community resources for homelessness • Build an action plan for serving UHY that makes sense for your community • Examples of state networks: CO, MI, NC

33. NC HECHY • Includes representatives from the National Center for Homeless Education, NC Homeless Education Program, NC public and private colleges and universities, community colleges, public schools, NC State Education Assistance Agency, and others • Higher ed and homeless edmembers are providing joint training and presentations • Single Point of Contact (SPOC) initiative. Working through NCSEAA to establish a SPOC for homeless students on every NC campus

34. Final Questions?

35. For more information National Center for Homeless Education Higher Education page:http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/higher_ed.php NCHE helpline: 800-308-2145 or homeless@serve.org NC Homeless Education Program http://center.serve.org/hepnc/ Higher Education page coming soon National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Higher Education page:http://www.naehcy.org/higher_ed.html