PAVING THE WAY TO COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING

PAVING THE WAY TO COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS NATIONAL CENTER FOR HOMELESS EDUCATION HTTP://NCHE.ED.GOV [email protected]

ABOUT NCHE NCHE operates the U.S. Department of Education’s technical assistance center for the federal Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) Program – Website: http://nche.ed.gov – Helpline: 800-308-2145 or [email protected] – Products: http://nche.ed.gov/products.php – Webinars: http://nche.ed.gov/web/group.php – Listserv: http://nche.ed.gov/listserv.php – Social Media: https://nche.ed.gov/social-media.php

SESSION OUTLINE Dealing with application expenses – Advanced Placement exam fees – College entrance exam fees (SAT and ACT) – College application fees Seeking financial aid and scholarships – The FAFSA for “accompanied” and unaccompanied homeless students – Private scholarships – State-specific opportunities Options for undocumented homeless students

THE PREVENTIVE VALUE OF EDUCATION

THE VALUE OF A COLLEGE DEGREE

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS Advanced Placement (AP) tests College entrance exam(s) (SAT and/or ACT) College applications FAFSA Private scholarship applications More information: – “Applying 101”: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applying – “Financial Aid 101”: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/financial-aid

FEE WAIVERS

AP test 94 ea ACT 49.50 per General SAT test 47.50 per College application* 41 average ea SAT subject test 26/basic fee 18 and up/exam ea Total range 250- 1000 *The College Board recommends that students apply to between 5 and 8 colleges.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS Most four-year U.S. colleges give students credit, advanced placement, or both on the basis of AP Exam scores; however each institution may set its own policy as to which tests it will accept for credit, how much credit it will give, and what score is required for credit. AP exam fee waivers are available for eligible students with no limit on the number of waivers per student

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) EXAMS AP exam fee waiver eligibility criteria include eligibility for free or reduced price lunch, providing categorical eligibility for homeless students Waivers are administered at the school; speak with your school’s AP Coordinator Additional information is available at http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/waivers/guideli nes/ap Note: Changes to AP waivers due to ESSA block granting; details at https://professionals.collegeboard.org/testing/states-local-go

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM: THE ACT To qualify for an ACT fee waiver, the student must: – Be enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade – Meet one or more of the following indicators of economic need: Student is receiving free/reduced lunch Student lives in a foster home, is a ward of the state, or is experiencing homelessness Student is enrolled in TRIO, GEAR UP, or a similar program Family lives in subsidized housing or receives public assistance Family income is below the USDA reduced-price lunch level

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM: THE ACT Students can use the waiver to take the ACT up to two times The waiver is sent to high schools each summer; students must access the waiver from the school counselor The waiver covers the basic test fees, including sending the test score(s) to unlimited colleges (*new policy starting Sept 2018); does not cover late registration fees or change fees Additional information is available at https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/document s/FeeWaiver.pdf

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM: THE SAT To qualify for an SAT fee waiver, the student must: – Be enrolled in high school in the 11th or 12th grade (SAT) or in grades 9-12 (SAT Subject Tests) – Meet one or more indicator(s) of economic need (same as for the ACT fee waiver) The waiver must be obtained from the student’s high school counselor or an authorized agency

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM: THE SAT The student can receive up to four waiver cards: Two waivers for the SAT and two waivers for SAT Subject Tests (student may take up to three Subject Tests per test date) The waiver covers basic test fees and sending test score(s) to unlimited colleges (*new policy starting Apr 2018); does not cover change fees, but covers late registration fees Waivers also available for 11th graders taking the PSAT test Additional information is available at https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/fees/f ee-waivers

COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES College Board program – Students who qualify for the College Board’s SAT fee waiver also qualify to receive up to four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms – Forms should be included with the students’ college applications and sent to colleges included in the SAT Fee-Waiver Directory of Colleges at https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applying-101/college-appl ication-fee-waivers/participating-colleges – Additional information is available at https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/applying-101/college-appl ication-fee-waivers

COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC) form – To be completed with the help of the high school counselor – For graduating high school seniors entering college in the fall – Same eligibility criteria as the ACT and SAT waivers – Can be based on income and/or the counselor’s knowledge of the family’s circumstances Additional information is available at https://www.nacacfairs.org/learn/fee-waiver/

COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES Most colleges accept the College Board or NACAC waiver forms; however, individual institutions may have their own fee waiver policies that vary Colleges that use The Common Application ( https://www.commonapp.org/) accept the SAT college application fee waiver Some colleges do not charge application fees for students that apply online NCHE does not recommend using McKinney-Vento subgrant funds or Title IA set-aside funds to pay for AP exam, college

THE FAFSA

FAFSA BASICS FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid The official FAFSA web address is https://fafsa.gov/ Students applying for federal aid must complete a FAFSA for each school year for which they are seeking federal aid

FAFSA BASICS A new FAFSA is released in October of each year for the coming year Example: 2019-2020 FAFSA – Released on October 1, 2018 – Valid for students attending school for Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 – Treatment of the Summer term depends on the school – “Prior prior year” tax information (from 2017 tax return)

FAFSA TIMELINE Encourage all students to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible! State and institutional deadlines vary; learn more at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa#deadlines

CALCULATION OF FEDERAL AID EFC Expected Family Contribution Based on the information submitted on the FAFSA, ED calculates the EFC Dependent Student – Must report parent information on FAFSA – EFC is based on parents’ and student’s income and assets Independent Student – Does NOT report parent information on FAFSA – EFC is based on student’s income and assets

WHO IS AN INDEPEND ENT STUDENT?

WHO IS AN INDEPEND ENT STUDENT?

“ACCOMPANIED HOMELESS YOUTH” Students experiencing homelessness with their family fill out the FAFSA as dependent students – Accompanied: In the physical custody of a parent or guardian – Homeless: Living arrangement meets the McKinney-Vento definition of homeless The EFC is based on family income and assets Homeless students from low-income families likely will qualify for the maximum amount of federal aid Additional information is available at https://ifap.ed.gov/ifap/byAwardYear.jsp?type efcformulaguide

UNACCOMPANIED, HOMELESS, ATRISK Unaccompanied homeless youth and unaccompanied youth at risk of homelessness fill out the FAFSA as independent students – Unaccompanied: Not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian – Homeless: Living arrangement meets the M-V definition of homeless – At risk of homelessness: When a student’s housing may cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate, for example, a student who is being evicted and has been unable to find fixed, regular, and adequate housing.

AGE CRITERIA Unaccompanied homeless students ages 23 or younger or still enrolled in high school on the date he/she signs the FAFSA qualify as independent students Students ages 24 or older automatically qualify for independent student status

DETERMINERS OF INDEPENDENT STATUS Local homeless education liaison: For students graduating from high school who were identified as an UHY while in high school [*required under ESSA; 42 U.S.C. § 11432(g)(6)(A)(x)(III)]; subsequent year determinations for college sophomores, juniors, and seniors (optional) U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shelter director or designee: For students who have received services Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) shelter director or designee: For students who have received services Financial Aid Administrator (FAA): For any student, but

SUBSEQUENT YEAR DETERMINATIONS Per Guidance from ED, local liaisons have the option to make subsequent year determinations for UHY if they have access to the information necessary to make such a determination See question Q-2 at https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/160240 ehcyguidanceupdated082718.docx for more information

2016-2017 FAFSA DATA Determinations of independent student status for unaccompanied homeless youth on the 2016-2017 FAFSA Local liaison: 23,053 RHYA shelter: 3,323 HUD shelter: 3,571 FAA: 2,792 TOTAL: 32,739 Visit https://nche.ed.gov/ibt/fafsa.php for more

ACCORDING TO THE AVG Each year, ED’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) releases an updated Application and Verification Guide (AVG) for FAAs; the 2018-2019 AVG is available at https://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/1819FSAHbkAVG.html If a student does not have, and cannot get, a determination from a local liaison, RHYA provider, or HUD provider, a FAA must make a determination of unaccompanied homeless youth status Verification of “yes” answers to the unaccompanied homeless youth questions on the FAFSA is not required

ACCORDING TO THE AVG A FAA may determine a student’s status with a documented interview The AVG encourages discretion and sensitivity when gathering information – Some information may be confidential (e.g., protected by doctor-patient privilege) – Child welfare and/or law enforcement reports are not necessary The AVG recommends consulting with local liaisons, State Coordinators, NCHE, school counselors, clergy, etc.

2019-2020 ONLINE FAFSA The online FAFSA includes a homeless filter question and a homeless determination question, including for youth who have no determination yet Encourage UHY to complete the FAFSA online

TOOLS For local liaisons and shelters SchoolHouse Connection Template (Sample Letter to Determine Independent Student Status) available at https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/sample-form-letter-t o-determine-the-independent-student-status-of-unaccompan ied-homeless-youth/ For financial aid administrators NCHE FAA Tool (Making Student Status Determinations for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Eligibility Tool for Financial Aid Administrators) available at https://nche.ed.gov/higher-education/

SCHOLARSHIPS, STATE RESOURCES, AND UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS

PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS Encourage students to check with their high school counselor for a list of available private scholarships Horatio Alger Association Scholarship: https://scholars.horatioalger.org/ NAEHCY Scholarship: http://naehcy.org/scholarship-application/ (application submission currently closed; expected to reopen in April 2019) SchoolHouse Connection Scholarship: https://www.schoolhouseconnection.org/youth-leadership/scholarship-p rogram/ (application submission currently closed; expected to reopen in Summer 2019)

PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS Free and reputable scholarship search engines: – Fastweb!: http://www.fastweb.com/ – College Board: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search – U.S. Department of Education: http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/findi ng-scholarships (includes scholarship search tips and guidelines)

STATE RESOURCES Check your state for supports for low-income and/or homeless students: – Indiana: Students receiving free lunch receive a tuition waiver when participating in Indiana’s Double Up Program (dual enrollment in college courses for students in 11th and 12th grade) http://iga.in.gov/legislative/laws/2017/ic/titles/021#21-14 – Florida: Homeless students are exempt from the payment of tuition and fees at a school district that provides postsecondary career programs, community college, or state university (2011 F.S. 1009.25) http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App mode Display Statute&Search String &URL 1000-1099/1009/Sections/1009.25. html

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Encourage the student to consider a variety of institutions with different “price points” – A student may not be able to afford a particular institution, but other good college options may be available – A student may start at a community college and transfer to a four-year college at a later time, but needs to have a reliable and informed transition plan – Consider housing options if looking into a school without dormitories

UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS Undocumented student – Not a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident – Does not possess a green card, visa, or other legal documentation Undocumented students may face obstacles in three areas – College admission – Tuition – Financial aid

COLLEGE ADMISSION Access to higher education for undocumented students is state-specific and institution-specific – There is no federal law prohibiting the admission of undocumented students into U.S. colleges and universities – Some states and private institutions permit the admission of undocumented students

COLLEGE TUITION – Some states or institutions admit undocumented students but treat them as out-of-state or foreign students, making them ineligible for state aid and instate tuition – Some states permit undocumented students to pay instate tuition under certain circumstances Example: California permits undocumented students to pay instate tuition if the student has attended a state high school for three or more years, has graduated from a state high school, and signs an affidavit promising to file an application to legalize his/her immigration status

FINANCIAL AID Undocumented students are not eligible for federal student aid Undocumented students are not eligible for state aid in most states; a handful of states grant eligibility for state aid to undocumented students who qualify for in-state tuition Private colleges and universities set their own financial aid policies; some grant scholarships and other aid to undocumented students Some private scholarships require applicants to be U.S. citizens or legal residents, while others do not

MORE INFORMATION Visit https://nche.ed.gov/higher-education – Information on Access to Higher Education for Undocumented Students (College Board) – Resource Guide: Supporting Undocumented Students (U.S. Department of Education) Visit https://www.nilc.org/issues/education/eduacce sstoolkit/eduaccesstoolkit2/