Post on 01-Jan-2016
NCHE PresentersNCHE Presenters
Diana Bowman dbowman@serve.org
Jan Moorejmoore@serve.org
Guest PresentersGuest Presenters
Beth Bullock Johnsonbethbullock77@gmail.com
Christine Craftccraft@henderson.k12.nc.us
Laura Misnerlmisner@cfnc.org
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; Helpline: 800-308-2145 or homeless@serve.org
The NC Higher Education Collaborative on Homeless Youth (HECHY) seeks to smooth the transition to college for unaccompanied students who areexperiencing homelessness.
McKinney-Vento Act Unaccompanied homeless youth and
independent student status College support networks and initiatives SPOC Responsibilities Resources
Key responsibilities to support unaccompanied homeless youth (UHY) Create awareness on campus of homeless
students Expedite the process of determining eligibility
for independent student status for the FAFSA Facilitate campus discussions to develop a
system of support for UHY Link youth with campus resources and
community assistance
Title X, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Focuses on K-12, but includes transition to college, especially with College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA)
Local liaison in every school district State Coordinator in every state Key themes
Support for school access and success School stability Student-centered, best interest decision
making
M-V
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
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
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 arrangementCan the student go to the SAME PLACE (fixed)
EVERY NIGHT (regular) to sleep in a SAFE AND SUFFICIENT SPACE (adequate)?
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
McKinney-Vento defines doubled-up as “sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason”
Questions to consider: 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?
2-step process to determine eligibility1)Does the student’s living arrangement
meet the McKinney-Vento Act’s definition of homeless?
2)Once homelessness is determined, is the student unaccompanied?
Unaccompanied = “not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian”; in practical terms, the youth does not live with a parent or guardian
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
Foster care issues: running away from a placement, aging out of the 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
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
Financial Lack means to live independently &
safely Not self-sufficient once enrolled in college Housing Limited options, especially in small towns
and rural areas Nowhere to go when dorms close Support Struggle to balance school, work, etc. Unfamiliar with available support systems Lack of adult guidance and advocacy
Sarah was kicked out of her house after high school graduation. She’d had problems getting along with her stepdad for some time and the level of conflict got 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.Is Sarah an unaccompanied homeless youth? Other questions?
Expanded definition of independent student includes: unaccompanied and homeless or unaccompanied, self-supporting, and at-risk of
homelessness (“when a student’s housing may cease to be fixed, regular, and adequate”)
Uses McKinney-Vento definition of homeless Includes a student:
living in dorm if he/she would otherwise be homeless
fleeing an abusive parent, even if the parentwould provide housing and support
Independent student status determined by:Local liaison (school district)RHYA-funded shelter director or
designeeHUD-funded shelter director or designeeCollege Financial Aid Administrator
Local Liaisons - NC http://center.serve.org/hepnc/nc_pol.php#local
State Coordinator - NCLisa Phillips, lphillip@serve.org, 800-659-3204
All other State Coordinator contact info http://center.serve.org/nche/states/state_resources.php
HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). Local Office Directory http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/localoffices
RHYA (Runaway and Homeless Youth Act) Grantees http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/grants/fysb-grantees
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 (21 and under) but who are unaccompanied and homeless or self supporting and at risk of homelessness qualify for dependency override
Verification required only if there is conflicting information
Permits FAA to confirm status with documented interview (See handout: Making Student Status Determinations)
Encourages discretion and sensitivity when gathering information Child welfare and police reports are not necessary
Recommends consulting with local liaisons, State Coordinators, NCHE, counselors, clergy, etc.
Allows students to appeal eligibility determinations to the U.S. Department of Education
Be familiar with McKinney-Vento definition of homeless and apply it on case-by-case basis
Make a determination of homeless/ unaccompanied status if a student does not have, and cannot get, documentation from a liaison or shelter director Is not a professional judgment or
dependency override for youth 21 and younger
Consult with local liaisons, State Coordinators, or NCHE
Be reasonable and sensitive when requesting information from students
Samuel’s mom was incarcerated the summer before his senior year in high school, so Samuel had to leave home. Since his father has never been a part of his life, Samuel doesn’t even know if he’s still alive. Samuel has been staying with different relatives and friends since then, but none are willing to assume legal guardianship or provide financial support. He’s starting to apply for colleges and is concerned about having enough money to attend.
Is Samuel an unaccompanied homeless youth? Other questions?
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
Refer students to campus and community support services upon admission
Establish coordination between financial aid offices, student support services, and campus housing
Start a food and clothing bank on campus Implement alternate housing plan when
dorms close: leave one residence hall open or establish a list of “host homes” in community
Begin a mentoring program
Convene a meeting of all stakeholders: McKinney-Vento K-12, Higher Education, and local communities
Share knowledge about your area of expertise Higher education: Financial aid Local liaisons: Identifying and serving students Community partners: Resources for homeless
Develop an action plan for serving UHY that fits your community
Examples of state networks: CO, MI, NC
Members from National Center for Homeless Education, NC Homeless Education Program, public and private colleges and universities, community colleges, public schools, NC State Education Assistance Agency, and others
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for homeless students on every NC campus. http://www.cfnc.org/static/pdf/home/sc/pdf/SPOC_List.pdf
Presentations and publications Interested in joining? Contact Jan Moore,
jmoore@serve.org or 800-308-2145
Application and Verification Guide 2012-2013: Dependency Status (excerpt)
Making Student Status Determinations for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Tool for Financial Aid Administrators
Determining Eligibility for Rights and Services Under the McKinney-Vento Act
Increasing Access to Higher Education for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth: Information for Colleges and Universities
NCHE/NASFAA awareness poster
Webinar handouts at http://center.serve.org/nche/web/nc_spoc.php
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 Programhttp://center.serve.org/hepnc/
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
Higher Education page:http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/helpline