Integrating Information on Public Benefits in Higher Education

1. Session 54 Integrating Information on Public Benefits in Higher Education Jagir Patel, Al Pratt, and Lenny Springs | Nov-Dec. 2016 U.S. Department of Education 2016 FSA Training Conference for Financial Aid Professionals

2. Aligning Federal Supports Letter • In mid-November, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Treasury released a letter publishing latest guidance and resources clarifying how existing provisions within federal programs can be better aligned for postsecondary access and completion • Purpose: to help identify ways that federal policies can be leveraged to improve the way your programs effectively serve our communities

3. Joint Guidance on Public Benefits • Purpose: to help identify ways that federal policies can be leveraged to improve the way your programs effectively serve our communities

4. Why this guidance? • While half of all people from high-income families will earn a bachelor's degree by age 24, just one in 10 people from low-income families will • Nearly 9/10 undergraduates live off-campus—either with parents, children, or roommates, or on their own • About 7/10 community college students work while they're in college; nearly a third work full-time • One in four undergraduates are parents; more than 10 percent of undergraduates are single parents

5. Examples in Guidance • USDA issued guidance describing how to properly determine food stamp income eligibility for students, including guidance on potential exemptions from student work requirements for those attending an institution of higher education through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training (E&T) program

6. Examples in Guidance • ED issued guidance on supporting unaccompanied homeless youth through FAFSA completion, and guidance on what defines an Ability to Benefit (ATB) program for students pursuing a postsecondary education without a high school degree

7. Examples in Guidance • HHS has published a memo on how Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs can support recipients' postsecondary completion through career pathways opportunities, and shares best practices at community colleges • HHS also describes resources available to help college students find and afford high-quality child care

8. Examples in Guidance • HUD has updated guidance to clarify which students aged 18-24 qualify for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and Project-Based Rental Assistance • Published a guidebook to assist schools design and implement efforts to address economic insecurity on campuses, and provide grants to public housing authorities to support families through college and financial aid processes

9. Examples in Guidance • DOL has issued an Unemployment Insurance Program Letter that encourages policies and strategies that support Unemployment Insurance beneficiaries seeking postsecondary education and training, and describes the financial aid available

10. Examples in Guidance • Treasury is updating stakeholders including institutions of higher education on opportunities to improve postsecondary students' financial literacy and well-being, including efforts to help eligible families claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit and Lifetime Learning Credit

11. Public Benefits Information Links • http://www2.ed.gov/documents/press-releases/federal-supports-college-access-completion.pdf • http://www.clasp.org/resources-and-publications/publication-1/Benefits-Access-for-College-Completion-Lessons-Learned.pdf • https://www.huduser.gov/portal/publications/HousingInsecurityInHigherEd.html

12. Angela Johnson Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management and Executive Director, Enrollment and Financial Aid Cuyahoga Community College

13. From the Student’s Perspective

14. CuyahogaCommunityCollege • Average ageis 29 • 70 percentare in career/technical programs • 80 percentplace intoDevelopmentalmath* • 60 percentplaceintoDevelopmentalEnglish* • 60 percent receivefinancialaid • 44,000 credit & 10,000 non-credit students *Stats in 2011 when program began

15. CuyahogaCommunityCollege Cuyahoga Community College Mission To provide high quality, accessible and affordable educational opportunities and services - including university transfer, technical and lifelong learning programs - that promote individual development and improve the overall quality of life in a multicultural community.

16. Today’s College Students 40% of all students are low-income 32% Employed Full-Time 26% Parents 47% Independent 16

17. BenefitsAccessforCollegeCompletion • Hypothesis: Providing students who are struggling to make ends meet with info about public benefits and assistance in applying for them will improve student success and college completion • An initiative geared toward increasing access to public benefits for community college students • Supported colleges developing sustainable models that build benefits access into the everyday activities across the college

18. GapAnalysisfromFAFSA Conducted December 2011

19. Makingafinancialdifference forstudents • Of the almost 20,000 Pell Grant recipients 80% are Zero EFC (received full Pell)

20. AgencyPartners Ohio Department of Job & Family Services (ODJFS) Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) Cleveland Foodbank United Way 211

21. BenefitsAccessConnections

22. BenefitsAccessTargetGroup • Target Population - Independent students • EFC = 0 – 3000 (Received the Maximum Pell Grant Award) • Answered No to SNAP on FAFSA • Imbed benefit screening into financial aid requirements by survey for students in target group • Potential to assist students with re-certification of benefits, based on college enrollment/attendance requirements

23. BenefitsAccess/ProjectGo • Integrated benefits access services (applying for SNAP, utility assistance, cash assistance, etc.) into financial aid application processes and financial education initiatives • Target potentially eligible students by “flagging” financial aid records to encourage students to complete “quick check” for public benefits eligibility • Public benefits assistance aligns with college’s initiative to reduce student loan debt by obtaining other financial resources

24. Building Comprehensive Supports Through Benefits Access • Build a comprehensive student aid system: • Can reduce unmet need • Prevent unnecessary student borrowing • Can decrease student hunger and housing insecurity • Can increase financial stability of adults and youth • Can help students care for their families • Can compliment existing funding streams 24

25. Why holistic approach? 25

26. Help Students at Various Levels • Informstudentsabouttheexistenceof programs • Helpstudentsunderstandhowtoapply • Screenstudentstodetermineif theyareeligibleandassistthem to apply • Assiststudentsto provideneededdocumentationandunderstand anybarrierstoeligibility • Follow-upwithbenefitsprograms/local officestotroubleshooton behalfofindividualstudents • Advocateforpolicy changesthatstreamline benefitsreceiptforstudents

27. Lessons Learned • Benefitsaccessservicesshouldbeprovidedthroughahighlyvisible andwell-known centralizedhubwith knowledgeablestaff • Collegesshouldimplementmodelsthatrequirestudentsto“opt out”of benefits servicesbyconnectinginitial pre-screeningstepstoexistingstudentsupportservices • Leadershipatmultiplelevelsandacrossdepartmentsneedtorecognizebenefits accessservicesasaninstitution-widepriorityandenactpoliciesandpractices necessarytosupporttheinstitutionalization ofbenefitsaccessservicesontheir campuses • Bundlingmultiplebenefitscanhaveapositiveimpactonstudents’academicprogress

28. Outcomes • Modest increaseinretention rates • Refocuson financialeducation andstudentloancounseling • Connectiontodefaultprevention anddebt reduction initiatives • Institutionalfocusoncompletion scholarshipstoaccelerate time todegree • Focuson understandingindirectcostsof college

29. InstitutionalSupport • Executive-levelleadershipsupport • Facultybuy-in • Integratedstudentservicescollaboration • Directapplicationtopublicbenefitsinthefinancialaidoffice(Ohio BenefitsBank) • Supportofcountyagencies • Staffedprimarilybypeerfinancialcoachesandfinancialaidadvisors

30. ReplicationbyotherSchools • Usedatatoidentify students, targetservices or activities,and continuously improve • Integratebenefitsdiscussions/applicationinto financialaid, career services,support services, advising,andcounseling processes • Integrateamoduleabout benefitsinorientation,studentsuccesscourses, and othercourses • Usestudentstohelp market,do outreach,andserve students • Whereavailable,use onlineeligibilityscreenersand onlineapplicationstoassiststudents

31. Contact InformationAngela JohnsonCuyahoga Community CollegeInterim Vice President of Enrollment Management and Executive Director, Enrollment and Financial Aid angela.Johnson@tri-c.edu216-987-4213

32. QUESTIONS?

33. Contact Information Al Pratt Community College Lead 404-974-9397 aldanzo.pratt@ed.gov Lenny Springs Senior Advisor 202-450-7431 leonard.springs@ed.gov Jagir Patel Policy Advisor, Office of the Undersecretary 202-401-9792 jagir.patel@ed.gov