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Assisting Easily Overlooked Students: Undocumented Foster Youth & Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

Assisting Easily Overlooked Students: Undocumented Foster Youth & Unaccompanied Homeless Youth. Presenters. Mark Delorey, Western Michigan University Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY Cyekeia Lee, NAEHCY. Best Practices Discussion. A little bit from us A little bit from you.

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Assisting Easily Overlooked Students: Undocumented Foster Youth & Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

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  1. Assisting Easily Overlooked Students: Undocumented Foster Youth & Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

  2. Presenters • Mark Delorey, Western Michigan University • Barbara Duffield, NAEHCY • Cyekeia Lee, NAEHCY

  3. Best Practices Discussion • A little bit from us • A little bit from you

  4. “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

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

  6. Undocumented • Plyler v. Doe: education for all K-12 • 14th Amendment: Equal protection for “all persons”

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. Undocumented Development, 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

  10. 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

  11. Undocumented DACA continued….. • Drivers licenses • Safe from deportation • Not Title IV aid eligible • Not a clear path to citizenship

  12. Undocumented What’s next? • On our campuses • In the U.S.

  13. Undocumented What are you doing that is working well?

  14. Foster Care Alums • Removed from the care of their parents and… • Refugees granted asylum and… • Victims of human trafficking – T Visa

  15. Foster Care Alums • Western Michigan University Seita Scholars • Full tuition scholarship • 35 – 1 ratio of full time “campus coaches” • Extensive University and community support

  16. 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

  17. Foster Care Alums What are you doing that is working well?

  18. Unaccompanied Homeless Youth(UHY) • Automatic Independent status • U = Not in the presence of their parents and… • H = Lacking fixed - adequate - regular housing and… • Y = 21 and younger

  19. 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

  20. 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?”

  21. 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…..

  22. NAEHCY Resources NAEHCY Higher Education Hotline: 855-446-2673http://www.naehcy.org • CyekeiaLee, 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

  23. UHY What are you doing that is working well?

  24. 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

  25. 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

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