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Being Their Advocate: Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access Higher Education

The following is a presentation prepared for NASFAA’s 2011 Conference in Boston, MA July 17-20, 2011. Being Their Advocate: Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access Higher Education. How many youth experience homelessness on their own?. 1.6 to 1.7 million youth

amela-hernandez
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Being Their Advocate: Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access Higher Education

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  1. The following is a presentation prepared for NASFAA’s 2011 Conference in Boston, MAJuly 17-20, 2011

  2. Being Their Advocate: Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Access Higher Education

  3. How many youth experience homelessness on their own? • 1.6 to 1.7 million youth • Public schools 956,914 homeless children/youth in 2008-2009 • 41% increase over past two years • 69% increase for unaccompanied youth

  4. Homelessness and Foster Care What’s the Connection? 22% of homeless children are put into foster care 30% of children in foster care could return home if their parents had access to housing. Approximately 27% of homeless adults and 41% of homeless youth report a foster care history. 25% of youth “aging out” of foster care experience homelessness. 4

  5. Who is considered homeless? • Anyone who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence— • 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 lack of adequate alternative accommodations • Living in emergency or transitional shelters • Abandoned in hospitals

  6. Who are Unaccompanied Homeless Youth? Defining Homelessness • Unaccompanied • Not in the physical custody of parents • Homeless • Children and youth who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence • Youth • Under 21 years of age

  7. Agenda • Implementing changes made by the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) • Who are McKinley-Vento Act professionals? • How can McKinley-Vento Act professionals and aid administrators work together? • Brainstorming

  8. Expanded Definition of Independent Student • Unaccompanied homeless youth • Youth in foster care at any time after age 13 or older • Emancipated minors and students in legal guardianships

  9. Impact on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

  10. Certifying a Student’s Status • McKinney-Vento Act school district liaison • U.S. Department of Health and Urban Development (HUD) homeless assistance program director or designee

  11. Certifying a Student’s Status • Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) program director or their designee • Financial aid administrators

  12. Verifying the Status of Unaccompanied Homeless Youth • Verification not required • When is verification appropriate? • Documenting status

  13. Who are McKinney-Vento Act Professionals?

  14. McKinney-Vento/ Title X, Part C of NCLB • Reauthorized in 2002 as Title X, Part C of No Child Left Behind • Mandated that state and local educational agencies change policies and practices that create barriers to the access and success of homeless children and youth in public schools

  15. McKinney Vento Overview Main themes: • School stability • School access • Support for academic success Child-centered, best interest decision making

  16. McKinney-Vento Act Educational Rights By law, Districts must: • Appoint a homeless education liaison • Assist in school enrollment and placement • Enrolled students immediately • Facilitate dispute resolution processes • Connect students with school and community resources • Review and revise district policies to address barriers

  17. Finding the McKinney-Vento District Liaison • Check school district directories or websites • Contact your State Coordinator for Homeless Education: http://www.serve.org/nche/downloads/sccontact.pdf • Contact NCHE http://www.serve.org/nche/contact.php

  18. Training Opportunities • National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) Webinars • October 5, 2011, and February 9, 2012 • Conferences

  19. Regular Communication • NASFAA representative on National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) • Encourage communication between state liaisons and financial aid associations

  20. Working Together to Provide Services to Students • Identify a safe single point of contact (SPOC) at each postsecondary institution • Develop streamlined approach for other campus services • Centrally store personal documentation • Single form for verification within same academic year

  21. Contact Us Jennifer Martin, martinj@nasfaa.org Misti Ruthven, Misti.Ruthven@dhe.state.co.us Dana Scott, Scott_D@cde.state.co.us

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