support for undocumented students 101
TRANSCRIPT
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SUPPORT FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS 101 KATHARINE GIN Cofounder and Executive Director, E4FC
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BACKGROUND ON E4FC
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Our Mission
To help undocumented students achieve their academic and career goals and actively contribute to society
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Our History
§ Started by educators in 2006 § Civil rights issue § Refused to tell students to wait § Transformation from an educator to
student-led organization
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Our Programs & Services
§ New American Scholars Program § Legal Services § Outreach Program § Career Internships § Creative Writing Program
Our Resources § Scholarship Lists § Student Guides § Educator Guides § Parent Guides § Advocacy Materials § Documentary Film § Student Stories & Poems
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TOP 6 WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
Illustration by Santiago Ucedo
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#1 DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS
Undocumented & Awkward: Episode 7 DreamersAdrift.com
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Undocumented students do not only:
§ Come from Mexico or Latin America § Speak Spanish § Have strong accents § Take ESL classes
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What you can do to help students:
§ Identify yourself as an ally § Make resources easily
available § Use E4FC posters, stickers,
and bookmarks
#2 KNOW & SUPPORT RELEVANT POLICIES AND LEGISLATION
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Plyler v. Doe
§ 1982 Supreme Court ruling § K-12 education is a fundamental,
protected right § All children living in the United States
regardless of citizenship or residency status
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FERPA
§ Family Educational and Privacy Act § Protects privacy of student records at
educational institutions § No risk for deportation just by
applying to or enrolling in college
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AB 540
§ Allows certain non-resident students (including undocumented students) to receive in-state tuition in CA
§ Students must complete at least 3 years of high school in CA
§ AB 540 ≠ undocumented
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CA DREAM ACT § AB 130 & AB 131 § Passed in 2011 § Will allow AB 540 students
to access public and private funds to support their college educations
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AB 130 § Private scholarships administered
through CA public colleges & universities
§ Effective January 2012 § Contact individual financial aid offices
for school-specific awards
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AB 131
§ Institutional grants § Board of Governors fee waivers at
CCs § State financial aid (Cal Grants) § Effective January 2013 (Cal Grants in
2013-2014)
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What you can do to help students:
§ Understand in-state tuition requirements § Understand college-specific policies § Follow CSAC (CA Student Aid Commission) § Refer to E4FC Fact Sheet & Student Guides
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#3 FIND SCHOLARSHIPS
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What you can do to help students:
§ Identify scholarships that don’t require SSNs § Use E4FC’s Scholarship List & Financial Aid
Guide § Ask scholarships to consider undocumented
student applicants § Create your own scholarship
#4 IDENTIFY ROLE MODELS
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What you can do to help students:
§ Identify older undocumented students from your school
§ Invite E4FC’s Student Outreach Team to present at your school
§ Show E4FC’s documentary film (Don’t Stop Me Now)
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#5 REFER TO LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
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Findings from our Case Analysis Team:
§ 50% of clients have never received legal help
§ Main impediments = cost, lack of information, and fear
§ 37% of clients have possibility to legalize
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What you can do to help students:
§ Convince students that a legal consultation is valuable
§ Identify reputable legal service providers § Encourage students to pursue immigration
remedies (if eligible)
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#6 INSTILL AGENCY
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What you can do to help:
§ Create a safe community § Start a student group/club
to raise awareness § Encourage students to § share their stories (when
safe)
Things I’ll Never Say by Ingrid Hernandez
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Visit E4FC website to read Ingrid’s story