college: it's not just a dream

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College: It’s Not Just A Dream Helping youth from foster care pursue education after high school 2016 WFAA Fall Conference

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Page 1: College: It's Not Just A Dream

College: It’s Not Just A Dream

Helping youth from foster care

pursue education after high school

2016 WFAA Fall Conference

Page 2: College: It's Not Just A Dream

College: It’s not just a dream

It’s a little different for youth who

experienced foster care

It’s a Financial Reality

It’s a PLAN!

Washington Student Achievement Council2

Page 3: College: It's Not Just A Dream

What should educators know about students in foster care?

Page 4: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council

or WASFA

4

• Children and youth in care want to be treated like other students.

• Youth in foster care have many strengths.

• Students in foster care want to be empowered with decision making and engage in goal setting.

• Maintaining confidentiality and sensitivity is very important.

Just Like Us

Page 5: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council5

Social/Emotional Needs

• Children and youth come into foster care through no fault of their own.

• Children and youth in foster care have experienced tremendous loss.

Page 6: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council6

• Students in foster care are a mobile population.

• Children and youth often enter foster care with gaps in their education.

• Children and youth in foster care often lack consistent adults who can serve as educational advocates.

Educational Impact

Page 7: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council7

• Children and youth with disabilities account for at least 40 – 47 % of children in foster care.

• Children and youth in foster care may have inappropriate special education or mental health diagnosis.

Disability

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Washington Student Achievement Council8

• Once a child or youth enters foster care, there are many child welfare professionals working with them.

• Federal and state legislation supports students in foster care.

• Supports and resources are available to help youth transition out of foster care and pay for college.

• Connect students with disabilities to appropriate adult services before they leave high school.

How to Help

Page 9: College: It's Not Just A Dream

It’s not just a dream…

College: It’s a Financial Reality

Page 10: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council10

Simple Message:

If a young person has been in foster care at anytime after turning 13, his or her classes will likely be paid for at most Washington State colleges.

Here’s why…

Page 11: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Federal Financial Aid

Washington Student Achievement Council11

Page 12: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council12

Formula for Determining Aid

• Cost of Attendance (COA)

Established and varies by school

• Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Determined by FAFSA and same for all schools

• Financial Aid Formula

COA – EFC = “need”

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Washington Student Achievement Council13

Filling Financial “Need”

• Need based aid – based on financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA.

• Merit Based Aid – based on academic achievement-GPA/SAT/ etc.

• Gift Aid – grants, scholarships that do not need to be paid back

• Self-Help Aid – includes loans and work study that need to be earned or paid back.

Page 14: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council14

FAFSA EFC

EFC = Expected Family Contribution

• Student’s (and their family’s) ability to pay for college.

• A student’s EFC determines the amount of gift they will receive.

• Most gift aid comes from the federal and state government and is based solely on financial need.

• Gift aid does not need to re-paid!

Page 15: College: It's Not Just A Dream

State Financial Aid Programs

Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC)

• College Bound Scholarship

• State Need Grant

• Passport to College Scholarship

Department of Social and Health Services (Children’s Administration)

• Education and Training Voucher

Washington Student Achievement Council15

Page 16: College: It's Not Just A Dream

State Aid - WSAC

College Bound Scholarship

• Students auto-enrolled if they are a dependent of the state between 7th and 12th grade – or up to age 21 if they have not graduated from high school.

• State commitment to provide the student with enough state financial aid to cover tuition, plus a small book allowance.

State Need Grant

• State’s largest financial aid program.

• CBS students receive priority for State Need Grant funding.

• Foster youth receive priority funding.

Washington Student Achievement Council16

Page 17: College: It's Not Just A Dream

State Aid - WSAC

Passport to College Scholarship

• Eligibility requirements: State dependency in Washington for at least one year after age 16,

and in care at age 17.5 or emancipation.

Attendance at an eligible college in Washington.

Enrollment in college prior to age 22.

• Provides up to $4,500 per year to help cover a student’s cost of attendance.

• 50 colleges have a Viable Plan for supporting Passport students. Support services are funded through a state incentive grant.

• Contract with College Success Foundation for student outreach, mentoring, and professional development for colleges and community supporters.

Washington Student Achievement Council17

Page 18: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Passport to College Application

• Passport Consent form available at:http://readysetgrad.org/college/passport-foster-youth-promise-program

• Common application available at:www.independence.wa.gov

• FAFSAIndicates foster care / independent filing status

Washington Student Achievement Council18

Page 19: College: It's Not Just A Dream

State Aid – Children’s Administration

Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program

• Provides financial assistance to eligible students to attend an accredited college or university, vocational or technical college.

• Maximum ETV award in 2016-17 is $5,000.

• Awards are unique to each student and are determined based on unmet financial need.

• ETV can be used if attending college in another state.

• Running Start students may be eligible for up to $2,000. Books and supplies Fees Transportation Parking pass

Washington Student Achievement Council19

Page 20: College: It's Not Just A Dream

State Aid – Children’s Administration

To be eligible for the ETV program, the student must meet at least one of the following criteria:

16 to 20 years old, in a dependency action in WA state or tribal court, in the custody of DSHS or tribal welfare agency, and in foster care.

18 to 20 years old and exited state or tribal foster care because they turned 18.

Enrolled in the Extended Foster Care program.

16 to 20 years old and left care for an adoptive or relative guardianship.

Students must: Receive funds before turning 21, but not older than 23. Be eligible for aid and have unmet need. Enroll at least half-time and take at least one 100-level course. Maintain satisfactory academic progress (2.0 GPA or higher).

Washington Student Achievement Council20

Page 21: College: It's Not Just A Dream

ETV – Eligible and Ineligible Uses

Eligible:

▫ Tuition, books and supplies, including a uniform

▫ Rent and housing deposit

▫ Utilities and phone bill

▫ Food and personal expenses

▫ Safeway gift card

▫ Childcare

▫ Transportation costs, vehicle repair, maintenance and insurance

Washington Student Achievement Council21

Ineligible:

▫ Alcohol and tobacco products

▫ Car tabs / licensing

▫ Regular clothing

▫ Furniture

▫ Household appliances & housewares

▫ Cell phones

▫ Vehicle payments

Page 22: College: It's Not Just A Dream

ETV Application Process

• New applicants: Complete online application

• Renewal Applicants: Online application will be available for the 2017-18 academic year

• Deadlines: Priority: January 1 – April 30

Waitlist: May 1 – July 31

The ETV program is still accepting applications. Applications are processed in the order they are received.

www.independence.wa.gov

Washington Student Achievement Council22

Page 23: College: It's Not Just A Dream

ETV Supporting Documents

If a student is approved to participate in ETV, staff will request the following:

• ETV Participant Agreement

• ETV Consent Form

• FAFSA Confirmation email or Student Aid Report (SAR)

• Financial aid award letter showing cost of attendance (COA)

• Class schedule with number of credits

• Unofficial transcripts with GPA

Washington Student Achievement Council23

Page 24: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Here’s some great news!

Jack’s Story

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Washington Student Achievement Council25

Whose income needs to be on

Jack’s FAFSA?

• Entered foster care at age 10

• Was adopted at 14

• Currently a high school senior

• Plans to attend Eastern Washington University

• Worked as a camp counselor

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Washington Student Achievement Council26

Review:

• Foster care after thirteenth birthday = “independent student.”

• Independent students DO NOT have to include any guardian’s financial info on the FAFSA.

• Jack’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is only based on his own income.

• Jack’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is ZERO!

• Therefore Jack’s “need” is the full “cost of attendance” (Remember COA-EFC=“Need”).

Page 27: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council27

What Does Having a Zero EFC Mean?

Page 28: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council30

Simple message:

If a young person has been in foster care at any time after turning 13, his or her classes will likely be paid for at most Washington State colleges.

Page 29: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Why is it important to share this

message with young people as

soon as possible?

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Washington Student Achievement Council32

Eliminate Finances as a Barrier to Belief!

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Washington Student Achievement Council33

College Bound high school graduation rate is more than 10 points higher than low-income student rate!

The College Bound Effect

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Washington Student Achievement Council34

Preparing for College....

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It’s Not Just A Dream …

It’s a Plan!

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Washington Student Achievement Council36

• Provides youth the opportunity for their voices to be heard

to create personally meaningful goals

• Increases motivation

• Builds self-determination

• Helps youth identify needs and/or extracurricular activities they want to

participate in (community engagement/ social capital)

people they can count on

Why Create a Youth-Driven Plan?

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Washington Student Achievement Council37

• Believing you can control your own destiny.

• A combination of attitudes and abilities that lead people to set goals for themselves and take the initiative to reach them.

• Not necessarily the same as self-sufficiency or independence.

• Taking control and responsibility for one’s life.

• Experiencing the consequences of making choices.

What is Self Determination?

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Washington Student Achievement Council38

• People and levels of support may change over time (e.g., placement changes, “aging out”).

• Desire to “protect” youth in foster care may hinder opportunities to build self-determination.

• Decisions are often made for them not by them.

• There may be few opportunities to take supported risks.

Importance of Self Determination for Youth

Who Experience Foster Care

Page 37: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council39

Tools for Building a Youth Driven Plan

• Sociogram

• Community Integration Tool

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Washington Student Achievement Council40

Sociogram

• Helps youth identify Sources of support

People they can count on

Extracurricular/leisure activities

A “champion” for their plan

• Allows youth to visualize their relationships and the value of them.

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Washington Student Achievement Council41

Community Integration Tool

• Address skills needed to successfully transition to adult life.

• May also be useful as a starting point, if youth (or family) has a hard time talking about or identifying personally meaningful goals.

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Washington Student Achievement Council42

This tool is helpful, if youth has a hard time talking about career or educational goals.

Community Integration Tool

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Washington Student Achievement Council43

Write Down Action Items

Can be on paper, smartphone, or

computer

Encourages self evaluation and

monitoring

Page 42: College: It's Not Just A Dream

Washington Student Achievement Council44

Cultivate Belief!

Connect to helpful people!

Be a champion of their plan!

Now That the Youth Has a Plan…

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Washington Student Achievement Council46

Connect them to resources and people who can help!

• www.ReadySetGrad.org/fostercare

• www.independence.wa.gov

Kathy Ramsay Dawn Cypriano McAferty

DSHS, ETV WSAC, Passport to College

[email protected] [email protected]

What’s Next?