Special Project Fund FINAL REPORT Date Proposal Approved by Community Initiative Date Report Submitted Organization’s Legal Name Project Name Project Contact (Dr./Ms./Mr.) Telephone Address
E-mail Address Web Address Report Dates: Entire term of grant (mm/dd/yyyy) to (mm/dd/yyyy)
October 6, 2017 June 30, 2018 Los Rios Foundation Foster Youth Planning Grant Dr. Victoria C. Rosario Office: 916-568-3150 Mobile: Los Rios Community College District 1919 Spanos Court Sacramento, CA 95825
[email protected] www.losrios.edu October 2, 2017- June 30, 2017
GUIDELINES FOR FINAL REPORT We are interested in learning about your experiences from this grant and asks that you be candid, reflective, and succinct in this final report. Your report may include additional information and may disregard questions that do not apply to your grant. If you have any questions about this report, please contact your assigned contact at Community Initiatives. Project goals, objectives, activities, and outcomes. Please review your original proposal and describe whether the proposed activities, goals, and objectives were met, and what outcomes were achieved as a result. Please state clearly, whether you did or did not meet individual performance goals. Note any unanticipated challenges and what you did in response. If you were unable to accomplish a specific outcome, please explain why. In addition to discussing individual performance measures, please provide a contextual discussion of overall project progress. Los Rios Community College District Work Plan 4b. Goals and Positive Changes 1. Program Planning to outline a strategic direction to support college-aged foster youth.
4c. Key Activities Within 30 days of receipt of funding: • Evaluate existing services and identify gaps per best practices. • Hire one classified staff to oversee planning activities.
4d. Partners • • • • •
Los Rios District Office American River College Cosumnes River College Folsom Lake College Sacramento City College
Resource Needs • SPA (TEMP) $14.93hr X 8hr X 72 days = $9,116 (includes benefits)
Status: Fully Met. • On October 16, 2017 a final internal assessment report was prepared for our Board of Trustees. The report presents a comprehensive analysis of the existing services and resources available for our colleg foster youth and homeless youth student population. It is informed by data and is the result of the work by key stakeholders including administrative leads, staff, and faculty. The liaisons to these special populations were convened to discuss the existing services available. Further data was collected and collated by the District’s Office of Institutional Research. • While efforts were made to screen applicants to support the oversight of this planning grant, timing was such that we were unable to secure new temporary staff. As such, existing staff was reassigned to administer this planning grant and fulfill the objectives herein. A request was made, and subsequently approved, to amend the budget accordingly. (6/2/15)
Special Project Fund FINAL REPORT 2. Strengthen engagement efforts at the District and campus level to secure stakeholder buy-in and program sustainability.
Within 60 days of receipt of funding: • Representatives to be included • Form an Advisory Group composed of from the following offices/departments: campus stakeholders to coordinate implementation strategies for services. o Admissions o Financial Aid • Assess unintentional student o EOPS barriers/obstacles. o Counseling Services • Schedule professional development o Disabled Students opportunity for faculty/staff to better Programs and Services understand the emotional/legal needs of FY. (DSPS) • Support campus liaisons to attend a o TRIO programs professional conference focused on foster o Academic Advising youth. o Instructional Faculty • Develop inter-departmental protocol to o Foster Youth better serve foster youth. o CalWORKs • Designate a point-of-contact person at key o Other equity-minded departments to whom FY can be referred. programs as needed
• FY Conferences-$1601.50 each X 2 staff = $3,203
Status: Fully met. • An Advisory Group comprised of college and district personnel was established to include representation from faculty, administration, and support staff from various program areas including admissions, counseling, financial aid, CalWORKs, Human Resources, Institutional Research, and EOPS. • The team conducted a SWOT analysis to identify opportunities to improve the college experience for our foster youth and developed a Logic Model of key program components. • Representatives from the four colleges attended the 2018 California Foster Youth Ed Summit held in Pomona, April 8, 2018. The conference provided training to address critical issues related to foster youth education. Presentations by subject matter experts provided a forum for learning, collaboration, and networking to improve disparate educational outcomes for youth in foster care. • Colleges discussed at length mechanisms for improving referrals from other program areas to foster youth leads. • There are points of contact at each campus to which students can be referred for foster youth case management: ARC: Caitlyn Spencer; CRC: Aselia Valadez; FLC: Sharisse Estomo; SCC: Irma Rodriguez. 3. Create and sustain Within 90 days of receipt of funding: • Sacramento County Office of • Advisory Group partnerships with • Form an Advisory Group to identify Education Monthly community-based community resources and opportunities for Meetings (food • Sacramento County Child organizations and coordination and materials) Welfare Office regional partners to $170 each X 5 • Consult with colleges outside of the LRCCD • Sacramento County Probation strengthen the meetings = that have more established programs and Department recruitment and $850 processes. • THP-Plus providers referral process for • Invite community-based organizations and • Independent Living Programs college-going foster agencies to the campuses to participate in (ILP) youth students. events/activities specific to the population. • Sacramento State University • Identify outreach assistance strategies. • Sierra College • Establish new partnerships, and renew and • Butte College strengthen existing relationships to garner • University of California Davis valuable resources for students, such as • Foster Youth Education Fund refurbished laptops, and school supplies. • Sacramento CASA • Establish presence at county meetings & • John Burton Advocates for legislative hearings regarding funding and Youth support for FY initiatives. • Develop a pipeline of resources/information for faculty/staff and external partners. • Link colleges to identified ILP programs. (6/2/15)
Special Project Fund FINAL REPORT Status: Fully Met. • An External Partner Directory was established and two external meetings were held. Representatives from various community based and county agencies were invited to participate from : Aspirant, Butte College, CDE, Children’s HOPE FFA, CSU Sacramento, El Dorado County Office of Education, Environment Alternatives, Foster Awareness Network, Foster Youth Education Fund, John Burton Advocates for Youth, Lutheran Social Services, New Morning Youth & Family Services, Sacramento CASA, Sacramento County Child Welfare, Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento County Probation Department, Sacramento County Special Education Local Area Plan, Sierra College, and UC Davis. • One of the two meetings allowed for an exchange between the external partners and college foster youth leads. The dialogue was rich and robust and resulted in a better understanding of the agencies represented, and the services provided by the colleges. • External partners helped establish a road map, discussed data sharing opportunities, and informed a SWOT analysis. Members also participated in the development of the Logic Model, reflected and presented foster youth program goals from their perspective and helped to map the student experience from their K-12 enrollment through their identification by county agencies and private service providers to higher education. 4. Data Sharing to Within 150 days of receipt of funding: • California Department of Social streamline the • Better understand how foster youth are Services (CDSS) identification of identified/verified. • Sacramento County Health prospective foster • Explore the exchange of data between and Social Services youth students and LRCCD and CDSS. transmit essential data • Collect population data, placing importance to provide targeted on the following data: wrap-around services. o Foster youth (FY) on each campus o New and continuing FY students o Rate of retention o Student G.P.A.s o Units attempted and completed o Degree, certificate or transfer counts o Priority registration counts o Pell/Cal/Chafee Grants or BOG Fee Waiver recipients o Academic probation counts o Referrals made o How students hear about the program • Establish a standardized protocol for identifying and verifying foster youth across all four colleges. Status: Partially met. • The data sharing discussion was rich and robust. It is a complicated system with a variety of data sources and documentation verifying foster youth: o Higher Education: California Community Colleges Chancellors Office Data Mart, CCC-Apply, CalPass, FAFSA, CHAFEE, Priority Registration, Self-identification. o K-12: Letter of Verification (dependency letter), Court liaison at court, LCFF Foster Youth definition. o County Child Welfare: CWS, CMS (data system to identify foster youth), o Child Protective Services: Transition Independent Living Plan (TILP), County Letter of Dependency, 390 documents (letter of dependency, birth certificate, social security number). o Housing Services Provider: EA 135 o Probation: Foster Care Eligibility Letter, Letter of Dependency. o Advocates: Foster Care Verification form, ILP, access CWS/CMS. o Mental Health: unknown. • Colleges are clear on how to identify foster youth through our computer systems. The challenge lies with the types of “evidence” student present to verify their eligibility for services. Work needs to continue to streamline this. (6/2/15)
Special Project Fund FINAL REPORT A research report was prepared by the Office of Institutional Research in January 2018. The report focuses on foster youth from the time of Fall first census. It provides insights into the demographics, socioeconomic status and the educational goals of this population at the four Los Rios colleges. 5. Evaluation Plan to Within 180 days of receipt of funding: • LRCCD Office of Institutional • Stipends to support continuous • Gather data on student needs. Research each College process improvements. • Understand campus climate via focus (materials and • ARC Foster Youth Program food for student groups and surveys. • CRC Enriched Scholars focus groups)-• Conduct institutional research to analyze Program $180 each foster youth performance and completion • FLC Fostering Success college X 4 trends. Program colleges = $720 • SCC Fostering Futures Outreach & Retention for Educational Success/Transfer Status: Fully met. • Four focus groups were conducted in collaboration with institutional research at each of the four colleges. • A local protocol was developed based on the webinar materials presented in the California College Pathways document entitled, “From Their Lips to Your Ears: Using Focus Groups to Inform Campus Support Program Design.” • The purpose of the focus groups was to create an evaluation plan to support continuous process improvements through gathering data on student needs and understanding campus climate. • Transcripts from approximately 30-35 students were analyzed and the Office of Institutional Research prepared a summary report in May 2018. • A previous research brief was prepared in August 2017 that included the following outcomes: units attempted, grade point average, course success rates, and persistence. The data reveal significant gaps in the performance of foster youth compared to all LRCCD students. 1. Lessons Learned. Describe the key lessons learned (a) during this grant period, and (b) during the project as a whole. Identify the critical factors that promoted and/or inhibited the successful implementation of the grant. Add any other activities or successes achieved, in addition to those outlined in the proposal. Indicate what changes you would make if you were to do this work again. •
We were successful with this planning project because we outlined a strategic direction in support of foster youth that addresses the disparity in college-going and completion rates, and we carried the work associated with that plan. We engaged members of the college community as well other educational and communitybased organizations, through the Advisory Groups, in a dialogue that was focused on better identifying, referring, and enrolling college-aged foster youth. As a result, we explored opportunities for a data exchange that supports our effort and we engaged our foster youth on our campuses to involve them in the development of our project and help us better understand the barriers they face. All of these activities were instrumental in the successful execution of this planning grant. As the planning process was centered around the development of a Logic Model, college personnel were able to approach the planning process is a strategic and coordinated way. The resulting needs, inputs, assumptions and outputs were applied to the CAFYES grant, and most recently was a process encouraged for the development of a Veterans Resource Center grant. The collection of student input was invaluable in terms of creating programs and services that are responsive to student needs. And by engaging foster youth students in these focus groups, they learned the value of and importance of connecting with and engaging eachother for support. In summary, our lessons learned are: • Collaboration and coordination with our community partners is critical to program sustainability. • Communication and dialogue across the colleges is essential to identifying critical needs, reducing overlap, and capitalizing on the strengths of our individual campuses. • Resources for planning are vital to strategic planning and allowed these cross—functional dialogues that might
(6/2/15)
Special Project Fund FINAL REPORT not have taken place without them. • Leveraging the learning from this planning grant allowed Los Rios to be successful in the state Chancellor’s Office CAFYES grant process.
2. The Future. Describe whether the project will continue, how it will be funded and any expected changes to the project design. The colleges were successful in being funded by the State Chancellors Office. As this was a short-term planning grant, attention is now being directed to the implementation of the CAFYES grant. 3. Expenditure Report – Current Project Budget. Review the project budget and report actual expenditures for this final report.
(6/2/15)
Los Rios Community College District
Foster Youth Planning Grant -Evidentiary DocumentsJune 15, 2018
Prepared by Dr. Victoria C. Rosario
FOSTER YOUTH PLANNING GRANT MEETING CALENDAR Meeting 1: Internal Stakeholders Advisory Group (College Leads only) February 2, 2018 3:00 pm-4:30 pm/DO Meeting 2: External Partners Advisory Group (with College Leads) February 28, 2018 12:00 pm-2:30 pm/DO Meeting 3: Internal Stakeholders Advisory Group (with College Leads) March 13, 2018 3:00 pm-4:30 pm/DO Meeting 4: External Partners Advisory Group (External Partners only) March 16, 2018 12:00 pm-2:30 pm/DO Meeting 5: Internal Stakeholders Advisory Group (with College Leads) April 4, 2018 3:00 pm-4:30 pm/DO
External Partners Directory Name Sheila Silan Foster Youth Education Liasion Dr. Ed Manansala County Superintendent of Schools, EDCOE Jeanne Martin
Organization El Dorado County Office of Education El Dorado County Office of Education
Phone Number (530) 295-2412
Email Address
[email protected]
(530) 295-2229
[email protected]
Foster Awareness Network (FAN)
(530) 626-0444
[email protected]
Jessica Belcher Foster Youth Launch Facilitator Valeri Garcia Guardian Scholars Program Advisor Alex Hill Guardian Scholars Program Coordinator Flo Charlie Guardian Scholars Program for former foster youth Program Coordinator Karen Micalizio Inspiring Scholoars Vance Edwards Inspiring Scholars, Program Coordinator Susan Roberts Inspiring scholars, Trish Kennedy Sacramento County Foster Youth Services Director Crystal Burns Transition Age Youth Coordinator & Senior Case Supervisor Laura Brown Outreach Coordinator Shawna Valverde Clinical Program Manager
New Morning Youth & Family Services UC Davis
(530) 626-4190
[email protected]
(530)752-1211
[email protected]
CSU, Sacramento
(916) 278-2116
[email protected]
Sierra College
(916)660-7465
[email protected]
Butte College
(530) 893-7471
[email protected]
Butte College
(530) 893-7507
[email protected]
Butte College
(530) 879-4140
[email protected]
Sacramento County Office of Education
(916) 228-2730
[email protected]
Sacramento CASA
(916) 875-4443
[email protected]
Foster Youth Education Fund
(916) 335-5485
[email protected]
(916) 482-2370 x1014
Alexis W. Peters
Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento-Independent Living Program Aspiranet
916-366-1656
[email protected]
Heidi Hysmith
Children's Hope FFA
530-682-2644
[email protected]
Anna Garrison
Environmental Alternatives
530-228-7106
[email protected]
Shawn Gonzalez
Lutheran Social Services
916-717-4623
[email protected]
Debbie
Mia Stizzo
[email protected] Foster youth Education Task Force
[email protected]
SWOT ANALYSIS Helpful
External Origin
(attributes of the environment)
Internal Origin
(attributes of the environment)
to achieving the objective
Strengths:
Motivated Increase level of pride Increase level of maturity Adaptability Street smarts Increased level of life experience Resilience “Thick skin” Fights (good kind) Desire for connection and belonging Resourceful Survival skills “now” Self-reliant • Hidden leaders • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Opportunities:
District coordination Consistency Creating supports from front door to exit Knowing resources Counseling and advising Case management Follow-up is needed: - Academics - Personal Provide a space for students Peer support Study place after hours Alumni Financial resources Employability skills Soft skills Values inventory Peer/peer outreach (Some are) parents
Harmful
to achieving the objective
Weaknesses:
• Life skills: “inter-personal” • History of trauma • Lack of knowledge of self-values • Food insecurity • Psych/Cognitive • Lack of trust • L.D. • Hard exterior/soft interior • Vulnerable • Transient • Easily frustrated • Emotional scars • Lack of support • Fearful • Lost
• No self-identity • Angry, tired of process • Mental health concerns • Trauma • Nervous • Lack of family/social capital • Dependent • Lack of cultural understanding • Overwhelmed by system • Housing support needed • Hurt • Challenge with keeping meaningful relationships
Threats:
• Inconsistent support • Not knowing how to access resources • Stigma of Foster Youth • Lack of knowledge of educational opportunities
Serving Foster Youth Logic Model Template NEEDS
Clarity Address the needs of a growing population How large is FY pop. In our geographic footprint? How do we define FY? Shared responsibility Address needs of DI pop. To find success in education Poor FY educational outcomes Communication For community & CBO it would help for us to uniform things Clear boundaries between county/social vs college roles Bridge gap between K-12 & community college Increase CC understanding
INPUTS
ASSUMPTIONS
OUTPUTS
Institutionalized Program Professor development for faculty Support start to finish Identified space like Vet Center so all CBO & CO can come on campus Special circumstance petition (little more leniency) Understand each “helper”’s role & where they are on support / responsibility pathway Dedicated staff @ college: financial aid, counseling Have adjunct counselor that FY can go to Clear & concise pathway / program guidelines College going culture w/ public agencies
Student Focus Greater joy Improved student outcomes Reduce dropouts Better problem solving skills Retain students Reduce time with challenging students Transition to employment Increase graduation & transfer rate Stronger alumni culture
Safe Space / Communication A space for our students More staffing A safe place & community Eliminate negative notion of moving from one program to another program Build stronger connections with the business community Safety nets in place Increase awareness of FY/TAY experience and increase sensitivity, equity Open communication between colleges and social workers (I.e. FFA & county) Institution prepared to
Institutional Identify the student journey Increased customercentric organization Training exchange Better programming (support education) At least 1 FTE for each program
OUTCOME MEASURES SHORT-TERM MEDIUMLONG-TERM (1-3 YRS) TERM (5 YRS +) (3-5 YRS)
1
NEEDS
of this unique promising community Have more communication between agencies More connection between county agencies before students get to college level County CBO CC increase communication & shared case management County community based Org. CC Communication increase.
Students High high school dropout rates Get them involved to share their voice Access to high education Increase college doing & completion rates Safe stable housing Help FY get clarity, resources to develop their future Decrease homelessness
INPUTS
Staffing for outreach Point person in each department Direct bridge for establishing Educational accommodations (DSPS) Streamlined DSPS intake & assistance w/ gathering the documentation More staff to help students Program Supports Funding for books, transport, food & emergencies On-site domestic violence counselors / workshops Connecting to quality tutoring Support club & space Create TAY community experience Additional educational / career counseling Peer mentors Community mentors Extended counseling & coaching for students
ASSUMPTIONS
Triage on front end Increase mentors Central point of access
OUTPUTS
receive FY – FY feel welcomed Send message we see you, we know what you need & what we need to do to serve you better
OUTCOME MEASURES
Data Accurate data Keep data current Using Cal Pass to track data Aggregate v. individual Improved Student Experience Clear pathway to education Better quality of life as a result of education Enhancing students’ social capital Helping students find their future Make FFY job ready, liveable wage Educational Outcomes Improved retention, completion Increase: GPA, retention, course success, graduation
2
NEEDS
Decrease steps TAY have to go through to enroll Increase graduation rates Why? To increase selfsufficiency & entrance to the quality of life for FY and their future families Best Practices Permanent staff OR LTT LRCCD increase flexibility re: hiring or LTT for FY staff. Faculty & Classified Grant writing successes Stay in your lane together TAY is served better Streamline services to help ensure academic success Job placement work study priority group Dedicated staff: counselor, outreach specialist, financial aid Putting faces to the programs on Los Rios campuses
INPUTS
Space designated for FY to go to that always has someone available Ease of understanding & language for aid opportunities Open door all time every day # of checkins college vs. AB 12 EFC Do they have a CASA? If not, make referral for one Linkage to mental health support College workshops at community agencies Non-restrictive student aid to support different needs Create workshops for students in need of housing Support with housing
ASSUMPTIONS
OUTPUTS
OUTCOME MEASURES
Transition after AA/Certificate Connection between degrees and workforce Post-secondary preparation
3
NEEDS
Build positive relationships on campus for TAY as a means to drive their academic success Common consistent criteria for eligibility
INPUTS
Alternative education components (approaches) 4-year college tours Transition plan upon college belt
ASSUMPTIONS
OUTPUTS
OUTCOME MEASURES
K-12 to College Outreach FY summer bridge program Marketing to FY in high school Financial literacy specific to FY including SAP standards Create college going culture, start outreach elementary / middle school level Barrier-free access College terminology Ensure FY are accessing all available financial aid Outreach in K-12
4
Developing a Foster Youth Research and Evaluation Plan Dr. Victoria Rosario, Los Rios Community College District,
[email protected] Sacramento, March 13, 2018
Foster Youth Program Goals
Please list your program goal(s) below. Be as specific as you can about what outcome(s) you expect to see if your goals are met
1.
2.
3.
4.
5
Sample Aligned Goals and Measures *Short-term = 1-3 yrs; Medium-term = 3-5 yrs; Long-term = 5 + yrs
Program goal
Outcome
Time-Period of Measure Expected Outcome*
Education Segment
Data source(s)
DSA or MOU?
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Los Rios Community College District Serving Foster and Homeless Youth A Status Report
Published by the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Services October 6, 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 3 II. History of State Efforts ................................................................................................................ 3 III. Description of Foster Youth and Homeless Youth Programs at LRCCD ..................................... 5 IV. Eligibility and Verification Process ............................................................................................. 7 V. Students Served .......................................................................................................................... 9 VI. Services Provided ..................................................................................................................... 10 VII. Definitions ............................................................................................................................... 12 VIII. College‐Level Efforts .............................................................................................................. 14 Program Development ....................................................................................................... 14 Staff Development Opportunities ...................................................................................... 16 IX. References ............................................................................................................................... 18 APPENDIX A: Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) Outreach Toolkit ......................................... 19 APPENDIX B: Calendar of Ongoing FYSI Events and Training Opportunities ................................ 22 APPENDIX C: Los Rios Foster Youth Enrollment Summary and Data ........................................... 23 APPENDIX D: Best Practices Sources ............................................................................................ 26
Serving Foster and Homeless Youth A Status Report
I. Executive Summary This status report presents a comprehensive analysis of the existing services and resources available for the Los Rios Community College District foster youth and homeless youth student population. It is informed by data and is the result of the work key stakeholders including administrative leads, staff, and faculty. In spring 2017, the Board of Trustees requested a review of services to students that are current or former foster youth as well as students that have or are experiencing homelessness. The liaisons to these special populations were convened to discuss the existing services available. Further data was collected and collated by the District’s Office of Institutional Research. The report is divided into eight (8) sections: (1) Executive Summary, (2) History of State Efforts, (3) Description of Foster Youth and Homeless Youth Programs at LRCCD, (4) Eligibility and Verification Process, (5) Students Served, (6) Services Provided, (7) Definitions, and (8) College‐Level Efforts.
II. History of State Efforts There exists a strong link between the experiences and resource needs of foster and homeless youth. Foster youth are those who has been removed from the custody of their parent(s) or guardian(s) by the juvenile court, and placed in a group home or foster home. Similarly, homeless youth are unaccompanied minors ages 12 through 17 who are living apart from their parents or legal guardians – and young adults ages 18 through 24 who are economically or emotionally detached from their families – and are experiencing homelessness or living in unstable or inadequate living situations. A 2013 national study by the John Burton Foundation found that by age 26, approximately 36% of former foster youth reported having had at least one experience with homelessness (Au and Hyatt, 2017). In California, there were an estimated 202,578 homeless youth and an estimated 37,715 foster youth enrolled in the state’s K‐12 system during the 2016‐2017 academic year (California Department of Education, DataQuest, 2017). Serving over 17,000 foster youth and potentially over 14,000 homeless youth, the California Community College system serves more foster and homeless youth than both the University of California and the California State University systems. In Sacramento County there are approximately 1,512 foster youth and approximately 6,855 homeless youth (California Department of Education, DataQuest, 2017). A number of factors impact the success of college students but individuals from special populations have elevated risks, particularly as it relates to mental health disorders. Additionally, foster youth and homeless youth have a history of complex and ongoing trauma in the form of abuse or neglect from family, exposure to criminal activity or violence within the home and immediate environment, as well as poverty and housing/food insecurity (American Academy of Pediatrics, n.d.; Au and Hyatt, 2017). This past and ongoing trauma leads youth to face greater challenges, such as stigma; lack of representation in local and state government; lack of services specific to foster youth and homeless youth; absence of
3
trust in government officials and agencies as a result of past negative experiences; feelings of disempowerment; substance abuse; mental health related issues; limited access to existing social services, such as housing assistance; and lack of understanding of the functioning of large institutions such as higher education (Au and Hyatt, 2017; California Youth Empowerment Network, n.d.; U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2016). All of these barriers make it difficult for those who have ventured on to our campuses to pursue their dreams of being a college student. A number of statewide initiatives and critical pieces of legislation have been passed to provide assistance to the unique needs of these two student populations. Table 1 provides a summary of these developments: Table 1 Policy Level
Policy
Description
Foster Youth
AB 2463 (1996)
Provide greater outreach, access to critical information and resources, as well as retention services for those interested in attending a California State University or California Community College
SB 1639 (2004)
Increase access to information on admissions requirements and financial aid
AB 1393 (2009)
Priority housing on campuses that provide on‐campus housing.
AB 194 (2011)
Priority registration for enrollment at California State University and California Community Colleges
SB 1023 (2014)
Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support (CAFYES) Program, which provides an additional funding source to selected EOPS programs strengthen the capacity of community college districts to support the academic success and overall well‐being of foster youth. Note: CAFYES is a program within EOPS and is currently a pilot. Homeless youth, like foster youth, qualify as independent students for purposes of federal financial aid thus allowing federal financial aid packages to be calculated based on their own income and assets rather than those of a parent or guardian.
Homeless Youth
College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRCC) (2007) Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008);
Greater access to federal programs such as TRIO programs and support services
CA AB 801 (2016)
Priority registration and fee waivers at state universities and community colleges in California
CA AB 1228 (2016)
Priority housing at California colleges and universities
CA AB 1995 (2016)
Free access to campus shower facilities
Efforts to further assist foster youth were strengthened by the implementation of the Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) in 2007 (no additional funds were attached to this initiative). The FYSI was developed by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) to improve the ability of current and former foster youth access to our colleges and benefit from services and resources that may be vital to their success. The goals of the FYSI is to improve: a) access to student services and resources; b) access to academic support, retention; c) academic performance; d) completion of units; e) completion of programs and degree; and f) transfer rates to baccalaureate institutions. Liaisons at each community college provide supplementary assistance to foster youth enrolled in community college. FYSI liaisons have access to training via the Chancellor’s Office that will enable them to provide educational services to foster youth, work to improve the quality of data gathered to better strategize successful educational outcomes, strengthen the Community College system’s ability to implement new legislative and policy changes affecting foster youth, and improve collaboration between community
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college system, K‐12, and social services systems. Currently, there is not a similar statewide support structure for homeless youth. An outreach kit (Appendix A) and a FYSI calendar of events and training opportunities (Appendix B) can be found at the end of this document. In addition to the FYSI, in 2012, the CCCCO implemented the Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) as part of the Student Success Act (SB 1456). The mission of SSSP is to increase community college student access and success by providing effective core services, including: orientation, assessment and placement, counseling, academic advising, and early intervention. The core services provided by SSSP are critical for students that are foster youth and/or experience homelessness as their circumstances can compromise their academic progress because while these Steps to Success are essential for all students, they serve as a means for normalizing the college experience irrespective of a students’ background or life experience. Early intervention and follow‐up services via SSSP can provide these students with a strong foundation to reach their academic goals.
The California Community College system offers an array of services and opportunities that provide students greater access to an affordable education. The Los Rios Community College District is working to be a leader in these efforts. Cosumnes River College, in particular, was showcased as a FYSI leader in Region 2 at the California Community Colleges Student Success Conference in 2016. Most recently the district has been invited to submit a grant application to the Walter S. Johnson Foundation for a 6‐ month planning proposal in support of foster youth.
III. Description of Foster Youth and Homeless Youth Programs at LRCCD Each of the four colleges in the district has unique program(s) dedicated to serving the needs of foster youth and/or homeless youth. Operated out of different student services units at each of the colleges, all have close proximity to valuable resources such as EOP&S and have been developed with the same aim: ease the transition of current and former foster youth into the college setting by providing access to valuable resources that will be critical to their academic, personal and professional success. Each of the foster youth programs has designated a FYSI Liaison and many have a team of individuals from key programs such as Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, and EOP&S (see Table 2). With a focus on streamlining the transition process for foster youth, they assist in the process of verifying eligibility of services; provide a connection with on‐ and off‐campus resources; refer students to other support services; gather valuable data; and stay up‐to‐date on pertinent foster youth legislation. Outreach efforts are enacted via attendance at conferences and summits, word of mouth, collaborations with personnel in the regional K‐12 system(s) and county health and human services, juvenile probation, on‐campus advertisement of services, and program websites. Other outreach activities from service areas such as A&R and Financial Aid include fliers, emails, and collateral materials housed at off‐site locations. All verified foster youth students are provided the opportunity for early registration during Priority‐0. Expansion of outreach efforts is ongoing and intra‐departmental collaborations as well as collaborations across campuses are on the rise.
5
Currently the colleges do not have homeless youth support programs. However, student services applies a comprehensive case management approach to supporting homeless youth to increase their academic success. Homeless youth do, however, receive the opportunity for early registration during Priority‐0 (CA AB 801, 2016). Table 2 Program American River College Foster Youth
Foster Youth Program
Staff Contact Jessica Pressley, Former Foster Youth Liaison
Homeless Youth Cosumnes River College
None
Foster Youth
Enriched Scholars Program
Aselia Valadez Melo, Student Success and Support Program, ESP Operations
Homeless Youth
Aselia Valdez Melo, Student Success and Support Program Specialist
Additional Staff Support
Hours of Service
EOPS/CARE Staff Dana McKnight, Foster Care & Education/YESS ILP Program Coordinator NA
Mon.‐Fri: 8am–5pm
Michelle Dean, ESP Student Personnel Assistant One SPA(PT) One Student Employee (PT) Janet Alvarado, Financial Aid Officer NA
Mon.‐Fri: 8am–5pm
Sarah Aldea, Outreach Specialist Andrea Fuertes, Outreach Specialist Irina Randak, Chaffee Grant Specialist Lupe Martinez, A&R Clerk III Libby Cook, EOP&S Coordinator Christy Pimental, DSPS SPA Juan Flores, FYE Coordinator NA
Mon.‐Fri: 8am–5pm
NA
NA
Folsom Lake College Foster Youth
Fostering Success Program
Sharisse Estomo, Student Services Supervisor
Homeless Youth Sacramento City College
Libby Cook, Coordinator, EOPS
Foster Youth
Irma Rodriguez, EOPS See Vang, Outreach Faculty Coordinator Specialist Kathleen Dorn, EOPS SPA Blair McAnelly, EOPS SPA
Fostering Futures Outreach and Retention for Educational Success and
NA
Mon.‐Fri: 8am–5pm
6
Homeless Youth
Program Transfer
Staff Contact
Additional Staff Support NA
Pam Tuzza, Financial Aid Officer
Hours of Service
IV. Eligibility and Verification Process A variety of sources provide for the possible identification and referral of foster youth or homeless youth at our colleges. Students that self‐identify as current or former foster youth, or as a homeless youth are coded for reporting purposes in MIS. The source of this information can come from the Los Rios admission application, financial aid, Chaffee Roster, MIS, Independent Living Program referrals, EOP&S, staff referrals, Cal‐PASS Plus, or self‐report. a. CCC Apply—Foster youth applicants are asked about their foster care status. They are offered a variety of choices (see below), which combined capture any person who was in foster care at any age. Homeless students can state their status in the Permanent Address fill‐in section of the application.
b. FAFSA Independent Status—Questions #53 ‐ #58 on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) ask the following in order to determine if a student qualifies as “independent” based on foster care and homeless experience.
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c. d. e. f. g. h.
CA Chaffee Grant for Foster Youth—Students are identified through financial aid to be eligible for a Chafee grant. A student must have been in foster care on or after their 16th birthday and the student may not have reached their 22nd birthday as of July 1 of the award year. MIS—Students are flagged as eligible for priority registration based on foster care or homeless status. ILP Referrals—ILP’s may track which foster youth have enrolled at local campus and may be able to provide this information. A youth must be under age 21 and in foster care at any time from their 16th to their 19th birthday. EOPS—The program contains within its application and intake materials whether students identify as foster youth or homeless. Staff Referrals—Campus staff may know of students who did not identify as a foster youth on the application or through financial aid but did self‐identify to them. Cal‐PASS Plus—The data present within Cal‐PASS Plus comes as a result of each college individually uploading data to the Chancellor’s Office. The Chancellor’s Office stages that data, creates system‐wide variables, analyzes that data, and provides the system‐wide dataset to Cal‐ PASS Plus. Using a variety of techniques, CalPASS Plus matches the MIS data to CALPADS and college/university data, creating an intersegmental system of data that provides opportunities to track students across and within the K‐12, community colleges, and four‐year systems.
Foster Youth. General qualifications include being a current or former foster youth who was a dependent or ward of the court, living in foster care, or in the Kin‐GAP program (children exiting the juvenile court dependency system to live with a relative legal guardian). In order to be eligible to receive certain services, eligible foster youth must first be verified. The process utilized to verify the status of a foster youth is consistent across all four colleges. Students submit documentation, such as foster youth card, court papers, reunification documents, or any official documentation from the county in which they were a foster youth to confirm the time frame they were in care. If students have the appropriate documentation, they will be coded as “verified” on the “verified” screen in PeopleSoft. For purposes of course enrollment, “verified” students will be moved in to the Priority‐0 student group and receive Priority‐0 registration appointments. If “verified” students come in after appointments are run, staff will be manually assigned a Priority‐0 appointment. Homeless Youth. A verification process for purposes of federal financial aid has been established. Documentation, such as a letter, must be submitted to verify that the youth is homeless. Documentation must come from one of the following: 1. A Financial Aid Administrator (FAA) 2. A McKinney‐Vento Act school district liaison 3. A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development homeless assistance program director or their designee 4. A Runaway and Homeless Youth Act program director or their designee If the student cannot provide documentation from the aforementioned authorities, the financial aid administrator from the college must determine if the student is indeed a homeless youth or at‐risk of becoming homeless. This determination can be based on a documented interview. An annual re‐verification process will occur to establish the status of homeless youth.
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V. Students Served The following data reflect demographic information on foster youth currently served by the District reported by the Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research (see Appendix C) and the number of homeless youth in the K‐12 school districts in the regions surrounding the District as identified by the California Department of Education DataQuest. Currently, there is no enrollment data for homeless students. However, the CCC‐Apply application included a new field for homeless students, which went live March 31, 2017. Further implementations on CCC‐Apply in this area will go live October 27, 2017. Foster Youth. As of fall 2016 there were a total of 220 verified foster youth at the four colleges. This total number has remained relatively steady for the past four years (Figure 1). The majority of the District’s foster youth are enrolled at ARC (41.8%) and SCC (44.1%), while 17.7% enrolled at CRC and 3.2% enrolled at FLC in Fall 2016. In addition, foster youth students are predominantly female (62.7%), below poverty (65.0%) or low income (16.8%), received a BOG fee waiver (96.4%), and have the intent of transferring to a 4‐year college (72.7%). In addition, the majority of foster youth students in fall 2016 have indicated an educational goal of either transfer to a 4‐year college (72.7%) or to earn an AA/AS or certificate (22.3%). While these numbers have been garnered via Los Rio’s Office of Institutional Research, the total count of foster youth students in the district can be seen as variable depending on the source the data is retrieved and the metrics they utilize. For example, the Cal‐PASS Plus is an aggregate data source whose data is provided via MIS, CALPEDS and individual colleges and universities; MIS provides data on those students flagged as eligible for priority registration based on their foster youth status; and the LRCCD FY Liaisons provide numbers for students that are actively receiving program services irrespective of age. These different counts create a barrier for providing an accurate picture of the size and need of this population. One reliable source of data, however, is the Department of Social Services (DSS). Their data source can provide an estimate of the number of foster youth in our service areas that are within college are (18‐24). Figure 1.
Foster Youth Count by College
140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Fall 2012
Fall 2013 American River
Fall 2014 Cosumnes River
Fall 2015 Folsom Lake*
Fall 2016
Sacramento City
Source: Los Rios Community College District, Office of Institutional Research *Data not reported for less than ten students.
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Homeless Youth. The numbers for homeless youth in Figure 2 reflect K‐12 enrollment by academic year (2014 – 2017) for the three major counties that surround Los Rios Community College District (El Dorado, Placer, and Sacramento). Enrollment over the past three academic years has increased for all three counties. El Dorado County has seen the greatest increase at 23.6% from 435 to 569; Placer County a 12.8% increase from 1064 to 1219; and Sacramento County a 7.6% increase from 6336 to 6855. An important note is that these numbers are conservative. It can be difficult to accurately capture the true number of homeless youth in the region because of the transitory nature of homeless youth. As such, the data is incomplete and these numbers most likely underestimate the number of homeless in our communities, making it an even greater challenge to serve this neediest of special populations. Figure 2.
Homeless Youth K‐12 Enrollment by County 7000 6500 6000 5500 5000 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0
El Dorado Placer Sacramento
2014‐2015
2015‐2016
2016‐2017
Source: California Department of Education, Data Quest
VI. Services Provided A myriad of organizations at all levels of government—National Association for the Education for Homeless Children and Youth, National Center for Homeless Education, California Community College Chancellor’s Office, California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN), Casey Family Program, California College Pathways, California Community Colleges Student Mental Health Program, California Homeless Youth Project Sacramento State University, University of California Davis, and Sierra College—have been working with a number of stakeholders throughout the state and their regions to expand efforts to most effectively assist the foster youth and homeless youth student populations. Various levels of best practices have been identified from a comprehensive literature review that are intended to provide a stronger network of support, a holistic approach to care, and a hand‐off to educational partners (see Appendix D for a list of resources). Table 3 below represents an inventory of these best practices and what foster and homeless youth support services are currently being offered by the four Los Rios colleges.
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Table 3 Theme
Best Practices
Multiple sources for identification and verification1 Coordination with state and education entities2 Priority registration Financial Aid assistance (Chafee Grant) Outreach efforts3 Targeted messaging to foster youth and Increase Awareness of Campus and Other college community4 Assistance and services at night and Local Resources online5 Assistance locating year‐round housing6 Providing Comprehensive Staff/faculty professional development7 Support Services Creating clear pathways to employment through workshops/training8 Summer bridge programs9 Academic advising and follow‐up10 Utilizing a single‐point‐of contact11 Creating a campus support program12 Post‐graduation career planning and assistance (referrals)13 Assistance with affordable child care14 Mental Health Services/Resources15 Assistance garnering school materials, such as textbooks, backpacks, etc.16 Transportation assistance17 Graduation cap and gown18 Food assistance19 Transfer assistance20 Educational grants21 On‐Campus Clothing Drives/Bank22 Refurbished laptops23 On‐campus health clinic or services24 Building Supportive Mentoring programs25 Relationships Transitional life coaches26 Peer‐to‐peer support programs27 Community building events28 Intra‐departmental collaborations29 Developing Partnerships to Collaborations with county and state Enhance Resource Department of Health and Human Services30 Availability
Increase Access to Institutional Program and Services
Improving Program Evaluation and Services
Continuous collection of population data31
ARC FY HY
CRC FY HY
FLC FY HY
SCC FY HY
**
**
*
*
* *
* * *
**
Service available. * Proposed services as part of a new foster youth program slated to go live fall 2017. **In progress.
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VII. Definitions Due to the complexity that exists in understanding the challenges faced by the foster youth, it is critical to have a firm grasp on the various terms, program, and legislation associated with this population. Table 4 below provides definition to some of the most important terms associated with foster youth. Table 4 Student Group
Term
Foster Youth
AB 12 – California Fostering Connections Act AB 194 (Beall) (2011)
Definition
Provides access to federal funding for foster care services for dependents and wards beyond their 18th birthday (until age 21). Requires the California State University and California Community College districts, and requests the University of California, to grant priority registration for enrollment to foster youth or former foster youth up to the age 24. AB 1228 (2015) Expands priority housing at Community Colleges, UCs and CSUs for former foster youth to also include homeless youth. AB 1393 (Skinner) – Foster Requires community college campuses that have on‐campus youth (2009) housing to give priority for housing to current and former foster youth during the academic year as well as during school breaks. California Chafee Grant Awards up to $5,000 annually during the academic year to qualified students who have been in the foster care system to pursue an academic college education or technical and skill training. Foster and Kinship Care Provide quality education and support opportunities to caregivers Education Program (FKCE) of children and youth in out‐of‐home care so providers may meet the educational, emotional, behavioral and developmental needs of children and youth in the foster care system. Foster Youth Any child who has been removed from the custody of their parent(s) or guardian(s) by the juvenile court, and placed in a group home or foster home. Their dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth’s 16th birthday and who is no older than 25 years of age at the commencement of the academic year. Foster Youth Success Initiative An effort of the California Community Colleges. (FYSI) All California Community Colleges to have a FYSI Liaison to support current and former foster youth help find financial assistance and resources to go to and complete college. Independent Living Program Provides training, services and programs to assist current and former foster youth achieve self‐sufficiency prior to and after leaving the foster care system. Each county in California has the discretion to design their program according to need of their communities. SB 1023 – Cooperating Agencies Authorizes the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office Foster Youth Educational (CCCCO) to enter into agreements with up to 10 CCC districts to Support (CAFYES) Program provide additional funds for services in support of postsecondary education for foster youth. Transitional Housing Placement Transitional housing placement opportunity for foster and Program (THPP) probation youth who are at least 16 and not more than 18, who are currently in the child welfare system. The program’s goal is to provide a safe living environment so youth can practice the skills necessary to live on their own upon leaving the foster care support system. Transitional Housing Program Transitional housing placement opportunity for emancipated
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Student Group
Term
Definition
for Emancipated Foster/Probation (THP‐Plus) Homeless Youth
AB 1228 (2016)
AB 1995 (2016)
AB 801 Postsecondary Education: Success for Homeless Youth in Higher Education Act (2016)
College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) (2007)
Higher Education Opportunity Act (2008) McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act (1987)
foster youth, aged 18‐24, who emancipated from the child welfare system. Provide a safe living environment while helping youth achieve self‐sufficiency so that they can learn life skills upon leaving the foster care support system. Counties electing to participate in the program provide supervised independent living housing and support services. Provide priority for campus housing to current and former homeless youth that is identical to that priority extended to current and former foster youth under existing law. Request that campuses provide housing in housing facilities that are open for uninterrupted year‐round occupation to current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth at no extra cost during academic or campus breaks Campuses to develop a plan to ensure that current and former homeless youth and current and former foster youth can access housing resources during and between academic terms, including during academic and campus breaks. Requires the Community Colleges to allow homeless students free access to campus shower facilities. Allow homeless youth to receive some of the same services and exemptions that are available to foster youth and former foster youth, such as priority enrollment and fee waivers at state universities and community colleges within California with the goal of helping reduce barriers to college attendance due to lack of financial support and resources. Unaccompanied homeless youth qualify as independent students for purposes of federal financial aid. Federal financial aid packages to be calculated based on their own income and assets, and not those of their parent(s) or guardian(s), and eliminates the need for the signature of a parent or guardian on the youths’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Access to Federal TRIO programs, establishment of awareness campaigns, increased support services in colleges and universities. Establishes the definition of homeless youth. o Individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence o Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason; living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative housing; living in emergency or transitional shelters; abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement o Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings o Children and youths living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings
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VIII. College‐Level Efforts PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT American River College 1. Fostering Achievement and Moving toward Excellence (FAME) Program Efforts Throughout the 2016‐2017 academic year American River College provided a plethora of services to its foster youth students along with a wide range of outreach efforts in the community. FAME services include: Academic, career, and personal advising Monthly resources including meal vouchers and transportation assistance Backpacks filled with school supplies for students completing monthly contacts Workshops on a variety of important topics Priority registration Financial aid application assistance (FAFSA, scholarships, Chafee) Study skills support Major exploration and transfer preparation Career development including assistance with job search, resume and cover letter development and interview support Connection to resources on‐ and off‐campus Social events Book voucher through the John Burton Foundation Book lending library Drop‐in tutoring in math and science Peer mentoring University campus tours Referrals to off campus housing FAME outreach services provided within the community: Feeder high school visits ILP (Independent Living Program) classroom visits Attended High School/ County Resource Fairs to represent the Los Rios Community colleges Attended ILP resource fair to give information about foster youth services and EOPS Attended Local Group homes and AB 12 Housing sites to give information on college and the foster youth services available. Cosumnes River College 1. Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support (CAFYES) Program Application Submission, 2016 While not successful in its first submission, CRC provided a $86,100 program proposal would expand EOP&S enrollment and increase services to meet the needs of foster youth attending Cosumnes River College and feeder school district students with transition plans to ensure proper matriculation and ease the from high school to community college and from community college to a university. The goal of the program is to strengthen partnerships with regional universities to increase transfer rates, build and strengthen partnerships in the community, and have a positive impact on the foster youth attending
14
Cosumnes River College by providing the support they need to meet their goals. Specific benefits of the program would include: Assistance in successfully completing the appropriate matriculation process Financial aid application and processing assistance Foster Youth Success (CAFYES) Liaison to assist with navigation of on‐ and off‐campus resources. Departmental collaboration with EOP&S and DSPS to provide early assessment screenings to ensure all resources are available to students. New student and continuing student orientation available at the start of each semester. o CAFYES program information o Presentations: Program guidelines and Financial services and updates o Campus tours and Study group formation o Major exploration and Campus involvement A four to six week Summer Bridge Program for continuing students and required new students. o Intensive, targeted coursework and tutoring: Study skills and learning styles, Time management; Classroom etiquette and expectations; Career counseling; and Computer literacy Participation in Sacramento County Foster Youth Education Community College Orientation Day. Academic advising and Student Education Plan (iSEP) development. Assistance with employment and/or internship allocation. Housing referrals 2. Enriched Scholars Program (ESP) Events Throughout the academic year, Cosumnes River College provided a wide range of informational workshops as well as community building events for their foster youth student population to further provide valuable resources and skills. The developed workshops and events included: College Success Welcome Day Tips for Classroom Success CRC, CYC and FYEF Scholarship Workshops Money Management and Housing Options Learning Styles Employability Skils Training (3‐day training, including Myers Briggs Assessment, resumé, mock interviewing, Launch Path App.) CSU Guardian Scholars Transfer Information End of Semester Celebration Luncheon (recognition of Honors GPA’s degree/certificate graduates, personal development workshop) Targeted Notifications: employment, scholarship, and internship opportunities Folsom Lake College 1. Student Services Program Proposal Fostering Success Program (FSP), 2017 This $63,311 program will provide direct services to current and former foster youth attending Folsom Lake College for the lifespan of a student. The Program aims to equip and empower its students with the skills, awareness, services and support network that allow them to achieve personal and academic success. Specific services include: High Touch Connections: o Academic advising and tutoring o Counseling o Peer mentor program
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Program Events: o Workshops o Priority‐0 registration o End of the year celebration Day‐to‐Day Needs: o Book voucher and school supplies o Transportation assistance—monthly gas card and parking permit o Graduation cap and gown and FSP sash 2. On‐ and Off‐Campus Collaborations Though Folsom Lake College’s foster youth program will not be active until fall 2017, college and its FY Liaison continue to be active in maintaining strong relationships with departments on the campus and with organizations off the campus to garner more resources for foster youth as well as provide information about the challenges and needs faced by this student population. Notable events include: Presentation to the Sacramento County of Education’s Foster Youth Higher Education Collaborative on November 17, 2016: In collaboration between Folsom Lake College’s Foster Youth and Disabled Students Programs & Services to present an overview of DSPS services. El Dorado County of Education’s 2017 Foster Youth Summer Work Program: Folsom Lake College hosted the Summit at the El Dorado Center. The Summit consisted of a week‐long series of daily, one hour activities facilitated by FLC’s Outreach, Foster Youth and EOP&S staff. Sacramento City College 1. Fostering Futures Outreach and Retention for Educational Success and Transfer (FFOREST) Equity funded program since 2016, provides all FY parallel supports to what EOPS offers eligible students. FFOREST supports those students that do not meet the 9 unit requirement with counseling, case management, academic monitoring, school supplies, registration support, textbook stipend, food stipend, transportation support, and community building activities. Student progress is monitored on a monthly basis.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES Staff at all four colleges ‐ American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Sacramento City Colleges – continue to be engaged in the Chancellor’s Office and statewide efforts to further support foster youth and homeless youth student populations. 1. 2017 California Foster Youth Education Summit District Foster Youth Liaisons as well as other personnel attended the Summit hosted at the Hyatt in Sacramento. The Summit included discussions, presenters and workshops on topics of interest to the stakeholders who support the educational achievements of foster youth from early childhood through college and career. Topics included the following: Beyond Graduation Rates: Leading Indicators for Foster Youth Education The Power of Partnerships and Multi‐Disciplinary Teams in Your School District Trauma Informed Practice for Schools Appropriately Increasing Foster/Probation/Homeless Graduation Rates
16
Setting up Students for College: Avoiding the "Remediation Trap" A2HE: A Multi‐Agency Collaborative Effort to get Foster Youth Students from High School to College and Career Ways Advocates, Providers, and Districts Can Partner to Serve the Needs of Foster Youth Maximizing CALPADS Foster Youth Data to Encourage Agency Collaboration Overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences Foster Care and LGBTQIA Linking with Higher Ed: University Graduate Students Provide Content Workshops for College and Career Event New Statewide Data on Foster Students in CA 2. 2016 California Community Colleges Extended Opportunity Programs and Services Association (CCCEOPSA) Conference The CCCEOPSA’s fall conference serves to be the premier annual event that brings together EOP&S students, staff, faculty, and administrators from all 113 EOP&S programs across the state, as well as the Chancellor’s Office staff in one local to address legislation and best practices to serve students who meet the Title 5 statutory requirements for eligibility. Keynote speakers and breakout sessions are dedicated to addressing pertinent and timely issues affecting the over 80,000 students who are economically and educationally disadvantaged and served in programs across the state. Five (5) breakout sessions at this year’s conference provided insight on how to effectively and work with the foster youth population within the college setting. 3. Student Conference 2016, March 14‐16 The conference highlighted the best practices that facilitate partnerships and collaboration for the purpose of inspiring student learning and success. Presentations showcased innovations, model programs and policies, research projects, best practices, and further elaboration on the relationship between SSSP and Student Equity work in the California Community Colleges.
17
IX. References American Academy of Pediatrics (n.d.) “Mental and Behavioral Health.” Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en‐us/advocacy‐and‐policy/aap‐health‐initiatives/healthy‐foster‐care‐ america/Pages/Mental‐and‐Behavioral‐Health.aspx. Au, Nancy and Hyatt, Shahera (2017) “Resources Supporting Homeless Students at California’s Public Universities and Colleges.” California Homeless Youth Project. Retrieved from http://cahomelessyouth.library.ca.gov/docs/pdf/CollegeSupportsReportPDF4‐27‐17.pdf. California Department of Education, DataQuest, Enrollment Multi‐Year Summary by Grade 2016‐2017. Retrieved from http://data1.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/dqcensus/EnrGrdYears.aspx?cds=00&agglevel=state&year=2 016‐17. California Youth Empowerment Network (n.d.) “Challenges Faced by TAY.” Retrieved from http://ca‐ yen.org/tay‐101/challenges‐faced‐by‐tay/. U.S. Government Accountability Office (2016) “Actions Needed to Improve Access to Federal Financial Assistance for Homeless and Foster Youth.” Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO‐16‐343.
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APPENDIX A: Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) Outreach Toolkit
19
20
21
APPENDIX B: Calendar of Ongoing FYSI Events and Training Opportunities Even or Training
Description
Date
Contact
Webinar: On‐Campus Support & Resources for Foster Youth in College, John Burton Advocates for Youth
Featured speaker: Deborah Pruitt, John Burton Advocates for Youth; Jessica Smith, Statewide FYSI Liaison with the Foundation for California Community Colleges; Kalynda Webber McLean, Dean of Student Success at Pierce College; and Kizzy Lopez, Renaissance Scholars Program with CSU Fresno. Attendees learned about the support and resources available to current and former foster youth on college campuses. Attendees learned about tools to access and gather data, and how this can be used to inform FYSI programs and services. Guest Speaker: Debbie Raucher, California College Pathways
March 9, 2017
Available here: https://www.youtube.co m/watch?v=R8097OkdM Zg&feature=youtu.be
April 20, 2016
Available here: http://extranet.cccco.ed u/Portals/1/SSSP/FYSI/4. 20.2016%20Data%20to% 20Promote%20FY%20Suc cess%20(FINAL%20Slides ).pdf
Webinar: Data to Promote Foster Youth Success
Regional Calls
Regional Drive‐In Events
Blueprint Conference
FYSI Connect
The calls are an opportunity to receive Region 6 Call: important updates and information, as Tuesday, well as troubleshoot problems August 8 together. Region 3 Call: Thursday, August 10 Regional Drive‐In Events are designed Region 6 Event: for FYSI Liaisons and their local Monday, community partners in a spirit of September 11 collaboration to support foster youth pursuing higher education. Presented by John Burton Advocates October 16‐17, for Youth: This dynamic event 2017 at combines meaningful networking Sheraton opportunities with in‐depth Gateway LAX workshops presented by professionals with a passion and aptitude for supporting foster youth. FYSI CONNECT will present October 18, opportunities for FYSI Liaisons to: 2017 at Four connect foster youth students to Points financial aid and other important Sheraton LAX, services, connect with statewide FYSI directly after partners to learn about resources, and Blueprint connect with each other to exchange Conference ideas and best practices.
Region 6: Anaisa Alonzo Region 3 Call: Tia Holiday
Region 6: Anaisa Alonzo
22
APPENDIX C: Los Rios Foster Youth Enrollment Summary and Data
23
24
25
APPENDIX D: Best Practices Sources 1. Student Mental Health Program (2015) “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” Retrieved from http://cccstudentmentalhealth.org/docs/CCCSMHP_TransitionAgedFosterYouthFactSheet.pdf 2. “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” 3. Casey Family Programs (2016) “Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care.” Retrieved from http://www.cacollegepathways.org/wp‐ content/uploads/2016/01/2_supportingsuccess.pdf 4. “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” 5. “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” 6. “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” 7. “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” 8. The White House Office of the Vice President (2014) “Fact Sheet: Improving Outcomes for Our Nation’s Foster Youth.” Retrieved from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the‐press‐ office/2014/12/08/fact‐sheet‐improving‐outcomes‐our‐nation‐s‐foster‐youth 9. “Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care.” 10. Deborah Lowe Martinez (2014) “Accessing Resources for Foster Youth in Higher Education.” UC Berkeley. Retrieved from http://californiacasa.org/wp‐ content/uploads/2014/02/Accessing_Resources_HigherED_Deborah_Lowe_Martinez.pdf 11. California College Pathways (2014) “AB 194 in Action: A Review of Implementation of Priority Registration for Foster Youth at California’s Public Post‐Secondary Institutions.” Retrieved from http://www.cacollegepathways.org/wp‐content/uploads/2016/01/ab_194_in_action_final.pdf 12. “Accessing Resources for Foster Youth in Higher Education.” 13. The Walter S. Johnson Foundation, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Programs, California College Pathways, and Great Expectations (2013) “2013 National Convening on Foster Youth and Higher Education, Conference Proceedings.” Retrieved from http://www.cacollegepathways.org/wp‐content/uploads/2016/01/2013‐national‐ convening_proceedings‐1.pdf 14. “No Time to Lose: A Policy Agenda for Foster Youth.” 15. “Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care.” 16. Sierra College CAFYES 17. “Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care.” 18. Sierra College Guardian Scholars Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support (CAFYES) Program Application (2015). 19. “Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care.” 20. “Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care.” 21. Sierra College CAFYES 22. California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Student Financial Assistance Programs Unit Foundation for California Community Colleges (2015). “Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) Manual: A Guide for Financial Aid Administrators and Student Support Services.” Retrieved from http://extranet.cccco.edu/Portals/1/SSSP/FYSI/FYSI%20Manual%20Full%20Color%20(FINAL%2010.2 015)%202.pdf. 23. “Foster Youth Success Initiative (FYSI) Manual.” 24. “No Time to Lose: A Policy Agenda for Foster Youth.” 25. “Accessing Resources for Foster Youth in Higher Education.” 26. “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.”
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27. 28. 29. 30. 31.
“Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” “Accessing Resources for Foster Youth in Higher Education.” “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” “Supporting Transition‐Aged Foster Youth.” “Supporting Success: Improving higher education outcomes for students from foster care.”
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Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research Fall 2017 Foster Youth Student Profile A Mini Profile Based upon Fall First Census Data January 2018 The Fall 2017 Foster Youth Student Profile is the first in a series of companion reports to the 2017 Fall Student Profile with a focus on special populations at the time of Fall first census. The purpose of this report is to provide insights into the demographics, socioeconomic status indicators, and the educational goals of special population students who attend Los Rios colleges. The data from this report were generated from the official Fall first census research database. Because there are a relatively small number of Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges the profile is primarily from a district-wide perspective. For the purposes of this report Foster Youth are identified as those students who have been verified as being in a court ordered Foster Youth program. Students are then matched against the Los Rios Community College Office of Institutional Research (LRCCD OIR) Fall first census database to verify enrollment at a Los Rios college. LRCCD Foster Youth First Census Enrollment Chart 1: LRCCD Foster Youth Student Enrollment: Fall 2013 to Fall 2017 300
212
244
203
212
197
Fall 2015
Fall 2016
Fall 2017
200 100 0 Fall 2013
Fall 2014
Note: District-wide data based on unduplicated enrollment counts. Enrollment data for purpose of this report is based on LRCCD OIR Research database.
Overall, enrollment of Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges at first census has declined slightly from 212 students in Fall 2013 to 197 students in Fall 2017.
LRCCD Foster Youth Student Demographic Profile at First Census The next section of the Foster Youth Profile presents a demographic profile including gender, age, race and ethnicity of Foster Youth students attending Los Rios colleges at Fall 2017 first census. ] Chart 2: LRCCD Foster Youth Enrollment by Gender: Fall 2017 127 (64.5%)
66 (33.5%)
Female
Male
4 (2.0%)
Unknown
Enrollment by gender illustrates a higher proportion of Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges are female (64.5%) while 33.5% are male.
Chart 3: LRCCD Foster Youth Enrollment by Age Group: Fall 2017 75 (38.1%)
71 (36.0%)
20 and Under
21 - 24
25 - 29
47 (23.9%)
4 (2.0%)
30 - 39
Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges tend to be young; 38.1% are 20 and under while 36.0% are 21-24. 1
Over thirty percent, 32.5%, of Foster Youth district-wide are the first in the family to attend college, known as First Generation) which is slightly higher than the 28.0% of all students who are first generation students.
Chart 4: LRCCD Foster Youth Enrollment and All LRCCD Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity: Fall 2017 First Census 45.0 30.0
37.1 28.4
24.4
18.3 9.6
15.0
27.8
24.4 13.2
6.1
6.7
0.0 African American
All Asian/Pacific Islander
Hispanic/Latino
Foster Youth
Multi-Race
White
All LRCCD Enrollment
Note: LRCCD have “Native American, Other, and Unknown” race/ethnic categories; these categories have been eliminated due to small N’s.
Substantially higher proportions of Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges are African American when compared to all LRCCD students, 28.4% and 9.6%, respectively. It is important to note the small numbers of Foster Youth which can impact the proportional distribution. Higher proportions of Foster Youth identify as multi-race (13.2%) than do all students (6.7%) across the district in Fall 2017.
Demographic Profile of LRCCD Foster Youth by Socioeconomic Status (SES) Indicators Important to understanding the demographic profile of LRCCD Foster Youth enrollment is to provide additional information about the income and poverty level as these factors may have an impact on students’ journey to success. Employment and BOGW fee waiver (now the California College Promise Grant) data are also provided in this section of the Profile report. Chart 5: LRCCD Foster Youth Student Enrollment Proportions by Income Level: Fall 2017 125 (63.5%)
Below Poverty
41 (20.8%)
Low
Middle And Above
7 (3.6%)
24 (12.2%)
Unable to Determine
Over half, 63.5%, of Foster Youth indicate income levels below poverty while 20.8% indicate low income levels.
Chart 6: LRCCD Foster Youth Student and All LRCCD Student Enrollment Proportions by Employment Status: Fall 2017 60.0 40.0 20.0 0.0
30.8 8.2
15.3
Full Time
40.4
27.0
12.8
Half Time or More
16.9
Less Than Half Time
Foster Youth
7.8
14.6
Not Seeking
24.7
Unemployed
All Students
Note: Proportion of unknown/unspecified employment status not included
Slightly higher proportions of Foster Youth are employed half-time or more or are unemployed when compared to all Los Rios students in Fall 2017. Conversely, lower proportions of Foster Youth are employed full-time than are all Los Rios students.
Chart 7: LRCCD Foster Youth Student Enrollment Proportions with California College Promise Grant* by College: Fall 2017 98.4 93.8 100.0 96.7 96.4 100.0 50.0 0.0 ARC (61)
CRC (45)
FLC (8)
SCC (87)
LRCCD (190)
*formerly BOG Fee Waiver
With the higher unemployment proportions of Foster Youth it is important to note that 96.4% of all Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges received a California College Promise Grant (formerly BOG Fee Waiver) in Fall 2017. 2
Foster Youth Enrollment by Educational Goal, Major, and Unit Load at Fall 2017 First Census The educational goals of Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges generally reflect the goals of all Los Rios students. Transfer being the goal of almost eighty percent of Foster Youth it is important to present an overview of enrollment by student major specifically focused on the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) majors and unit load; all important measures of the student pathway to transfer. Chart 8: LRCCD Foster Youth Student Enrollment Proportions by Educational Goal by Colleges: Fall 2017 4.2 3.3 3.2 100.0 12.5 15.6 17.7 22.9 80.0 60.0 40.0 20.0 0.0
79.0
ARC
87.5
72.9 CRC Transfer to 4-Year College
3.6 17.8
81.1
FLC AA Degree or Certificate
78.7
SCC All Other
LRCCD
Substantial proportions of Foster Youth, 78.7%, indicate a goal of transferring to a 4-year college which is higher than the 60.5% of all students across the district.
With almost eighty percent of Foster Youth indicating a goal of transfer it is important to provide an overview of the Top 5 Majors Foster Youth students indicate as their major which follow: General Education/Transfer (13.7%), Psychology (12.7%), Business Administration (7.1%), Biology (7.1%), and Administration of Justice (6.1%). Chart 9: LRCCD Foster Youth Student Enrollment Proportion by ADT Majors: Fall 2015 to Fall 2017 50.0 33.9 40.0 27.3 25.0 25.0 22.9 22.9 21.9 30.0 14.3 13.2 20.0 10.0 0.0 ARC CRC FLC Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017
27.4
31.1
15.9
SCC
Note: Data reflects students’ interest in an ADT major but may not necessarily align with student’s course-taking behavior.
Chart 9 provides the proportions of Foster Youth who have indicated an ADT major ranging from 33.9% at ARC to 22.9% at CRC. The proportions of Foster Youth who have indicated an ADT transfer pathway as their educational goal have increased over the three years especially at ARC and SCC.
Table 1: LRCCD Foster Youth Student Enrollment Proportion by Unit Load: Fall 2017
ARC CRC FLC SCC LRCCD
Up to 5.9
6 to 11.99
12 to 14.99
15 or Over
Full-Time Unit Load (based on 12 units or more)
14.5 22.9 37.5 11.1 16.2
62.9 50.0 50.0 48.9 53.3
17.7 27.1 12.5 26.7 23.4
4.8 0.0 0.0 13.3 7.1
22.6 27.1 12.5 40.0 30.5
Of all the Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges, 30.5%, were full-time taking 12 or more units at Fall first census. Higher proportions, 40.0%, of SCC Foster Youth took 12 or more units. Worth noting are the 13.3% of the Foster Youth students attending SCC who took 15 or more units which may qualify these students for the Community College Completion Grant (CCCG) which requires students to enroll in 15 units per term.
Chart 10: Enrollment Proportions of LRCCD Foster Youth Student with a Goal of Transfer by Unit Load: Fall 2017 24 (15.5%)
81 (52.3%)
Up to 5.9
36 (23.2%)
6 to 11.99
12 to 14.99
14 (9.0%)
15 or Over
As noted above, almost eighty percent of Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges indicate a goal of transfer, however, over half (52.3%) of Foster Youth students with a goal of transfer are taking “mid” unit loads between 6 to 11.99 units in Fall 2017 while a lower 32.2% are taking full unit loads of 12 or more units. 3
Next Steps for Research Of the Foster Youth attending Los Rios colleges in Fall 2017 first census how many persisted to the end of the Fall 2017 term? Did students successfully complete their courses? Did students who enrolled in full-time unit loads remain full-time at end of semester? Identify milestones markers for Foster Youth students; for both those students with a goal of transfer as well as those on a CTE program pathway. Have Foster Youth students who took classes in Fall 2017 enroll in Spring 2018? Continue to “follow” these students on their educational pathway to completion either earning a degree or certificate or successful transfer.
This report was written by Betty Glyer-Culver, Director of Institutional Research based on Fall first census data generated from the Los Rios Research Database managed by Petr Lensky. Thanks to De Doan, former Research Analyst, for initial analysis of special population data. For further information please email:
[email protected], LRCCD Office of Institutional Research (OIR). All district reports are available on the LRCCD OIR website at: http://irweb.losrios.edu
4
LRCCD: Foster Youth Table Talk Discussions Protocol Spring 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS I.
Introduction .......................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
II.
Discussions Calendar............................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
III.
Recruitment/Insentives ....................................................................................................... 5
IV.
Informed Consent ................................................................................................................ 7
V.
Protocol ................................................................................................................................ 8
VI.
Analysis & Reporting ............................................................................................................ 8
I.
INTRODUCTION
Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD) received a planning grant from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation to establish a comprehensive planning process to develop strategies for improving and expanding support for enrolled foster youth. This includes: a) An assessment of existing systems; b) The creation of formal partnerships with community-based organizations and regional partners; c) An evaluation of current data tracking systems; and d) Gathering student input. Additionally, one of the goals of this planning grant consists of an evaluation plan to support continuous process improvements through gathering data on student needs, understanding campus climate via focus groups and surveys and conducting institutional research to analyze foster youth performance and completion trends.
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II.
DISCUSSIONS CALENDAR
Focus group sessions will be held throughout the college from March 12-16, 2018. American River College
Cosumnes River College
Folsom Lake College
Sacramento City College
Date
Wed., March14
Fri., March 16
Mon., March 12
Fri., March 16
Time
11am-12:30pm
11am-12:30pm
12-1:30pm
1-2:30pm
TBD
Bookstore Conference Room
TBD
City Café #2
Tyler Rollins
Heather Tilson
Jill Bradshaw
Tiffanie Ho
Caitlyn Spencer
Aselia Valadez
Sharisse Estomo
Irma Rodriguez
Location Lead Facilitator Staff Contact
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III.
RECRUITMENT/VOUCHERS
EMAIL INVITATION
Greetings, You have been selected to participate in a Foster Youth Table Talk Discussion on how your college can support foster youth. We want to hear directly from current and former foster youth like yourself to learn about your experiences and how we can best help foster youth who are enrolled in college succeed. Discussions will be kept confidential and will only be used to inform how we can best support foster youth students succeed in their educational goals. The Table Talk Discussion will take place at each campus as follows: American River College
Cosumnes River College
Folsom Lake College
Sacramento City College
Date
Wed., March14
Fri., March 16
Mon., March 12
Fri., March 16
Time
11am-12:30pm
11am-12:30pm
12-1:30pm
1-2:30pm
Location
TBD
Bookstore Conference Room
TBD
City Café #2
Staff Contact
Caitlyn Spencer
Aselia Valadez
Sharisse Estomo
Irma Rodriguez
Foster youth who attend will receive: Free lunch
$100 worth of gift cards Your voice is important. Please don’t miss this opportunity to join other students like yourself to share your experiences. To RSVP click HERE or contact Zitlali Torres at
[email protected]. RSVP by March 6th 2018.
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Kind Regards, FLYER
INCENTIVES & REFRESHMENTS Refreshments
• Panera Bread Sandwiches, cookies, chips and bottled water.
Incentives
• $100 worth of gift cards Page 6
IV.
INFORMED CONSENT Consent to Participate in Focus Group
You have been invited to participate in a focus group investigating the college experience of foster youth students at [INSERT COLLEGE NAME]. The purpose of this focus group is to learn more from current and former foster youth about your experiences and needs on our campus. You are the experts, and we want to hear from you. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to respond to a series of questions. The information you share will be kept confidential and will be used to improve campus support services for foster youth. You can decide what questions you feel comfortable answering. Although the focus group will be audio-recorded, your responses will remain anonymous and no names will be mentioned in the report. The focus group will last approximately 90 minutes. Your participation is voluntary and you can decide to stop at any time. To compensate you for your time you will receive a gift card at the conclusion of the focus group. If you have any further questions regarding this focus group, you may contact [INSERT FACILITATOR NAME] at [INSERT CONTACT INFORMATION]. Please sign below if you have read and understand the information above and if you agree to participate: Signed: ____________________________________________ Date: ___________________
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V.
PROTOCOL
The purpose of conducting focus groups is to create an evaluation plan to support continuous process improvements through gathering data on student needs and understanding campus climate. FOCUS GROUP AGENDA Agenda Item Welcome Icebreaker Activity Establish Ground Rules
Table Talk Discussions Closing
Activity • Refreshments become available • Mingle with attendees and facilitators • Icebreaker activity-Peer Bingo? 1. Establish importance of their participation and the impact of their feedback. 2. Establish ground rules: o One person speaks at a time o There are no wrong answer o No debating or cross-talking o Respect all responses 3. Remind students o Their responses will remain anonymous. o They can skip questions they don’t feel comfortable answering. o They can leave at any time. • Table Talk discussions • Thank students for participating • Clearly explain next steps • Distribute gift cards Total Time= 90 minutes
Duration 20 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes
45 minutes 15 minutes
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS & SCRIPT Thank you for joining us for our table talk discussion today. We are looking forward to hearing from each of you about your experiences at [college name). As a reminder, your responses will be kept confidential. We will be taking notes during our conversation today to make sure we capture your stories. There are no right or wrong answers, feel free to share only as much as you feel comfortable. Everyone’s story is important to this conversation, please be respectful of each other’s responses. We are here to learn from you in our college-wide commitment to help other foster youth students like yourselves.
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I.
TRANSITION TO COLLEGE
First, let’s talk a little bit about when you first made the decision to attend [college name] 1. What was that one moment that got you to start thinking about attending college? 2. We are excited you are here; please share with us your educational and career goals. 3. Before starting [college name}, what were some of your biggest concerns about attending college? 4. Tell us a little bit about your experiences completing the “steps to success” when you first enrolled. Did you understand the process and why you were going through the steps? What did you find helpful and also maybe a little confusing during this process? 5. Looking back, What is the one thing you wished you had known when you first started the college path that you would want to share with foster youth students first starting this journey. II.
CAMPUS CLIMATE & ENGAGEMENT
The next set of questions will help us understand how you are adjusting to college life 6. Do you feel that you are part of the [college name] community? Do you feel welcomed and supported on this campus…tell us a little bit about why or why not? 7. Outside of your classes are you involved in any college activities? How do these experiences add to your college story? 8. Can you think of other ways our campus community can welcome and support foster youth students like yourselves? III.
ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS
Now let’s talk about what kinds of support services you use on campus and how satisfied you are with your experiences. First off let’s start with a pretty basic question; 9. How familiar are you with the support services offered at [college name]. [Note to facilitator: provide example of services if necessary] How do you hear/learn about the various services available on campus? 10. What one support program or service on campus has been most helpful to your success as a student? 11. Do you feel like you receive the support you need to succeed in your classes? 12. What other types of student services do you wish were available to you? The next series of talking points will focus on your experiences with the financial aid process. 13. Generally speaking, what has been your experience when applying for financial aid? 14. Are you aware of the different types of aid available to students? 15. How did you learn about the financial aid process 16. Are you comfortable reaching out for help with the financial aid process? 17. Reflecting on your experiences, what more can the college do to help foster youth with the financial aid process? Page 9
And finally, the following questions focus on advice you can provide to foster youth students like yourselves 18. If you were in-charge of (COLLEGE NAME) for the day, what one thing would you change and why? 19. As we end this conversation, what do you hope [college name] learned from your stories and experiences today that will help provide the best student educational experience especially for foster youth students like Thank students for participating and clearly explain next steps.
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VI.
ANALYSIS & REPORTING
Transcriptions will be sent to the Office of Institutional Research for coding and analysis.
Page 11
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research Foster Youth Focus Group Report May 2018 The Los Rios Community College District has roughly 200 to 300 known foster youth enrolled at the four colleges during any given semester, though colleges estimate that the actual numbers of foster youth enrolling at Los Rios colleges are much higher. In Spring 2018, four focus groups for foster youth were conducted at the four colleges, American River College (ARC), Cosumnes River College (CRC), Folsom Lake College (FLC), and Sacramento City College (SCC). The Foster Youth Focus group project was sponsored by Victoria Rosario, District Director of Human Services and Support Programs as part of the Walter S. Johnson grant. Each of the four colleges Foster Youth support teams provided input to the questions asked of our students and Research teams at the colleges helped to conduct the conversations. Students were given a gift card in exchange for their time in the focus groups, which lasted about one hour each. Common themes from the focus groups were evaluated to discover what concerns these students experienced when attending their Los Rios college, what services the colleges could provide to better support their education goals, and what obstacles remained in their path as they worked to complete their higher education. These themes included reasons for going to college, concerns about money to both pay for college and support themselves while attending college, a lack of support by their families and the college, and a desire for a sense of community.
Reasons for Going to College Are Varied There are a variety of reasons why students enroll in college, and for foster youth students, the decision to go to college can be a complicated one. One student in the focus group cited that attending college was not a choice, but a necessity for them, “it was required for my job,” (FLC). Another student said that they were doing it “for myself. And I actually a couple of weeks ago got an offer to go to Quantico, Virginia to work with the FBI and I’m going to take it,” (ARC). One student wanted to go to college as a child but thought of it as a pipe dream until high school, when their “counselors there and teachers there were very supportive and even though I was kinda scared of not being able to afford attending college, they gave me so many resources and helped me to actually like see that college was
May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
a possibility which wouldn’t completely bankrupt me,” (SCC). Another cited wanting to use college as a stepping stone to give back to the community “ultimately I would like to have a business and serve the community around me,” (CRC). Some of the foster youth students attending the focus groups mentioned that college might be a way of making it out. One student said that “college seems like it’s a good stepping stone to a get above poverty level and to maybe have some part of control over your life and do you want to do and not work minimum wage until the day you die,” (ARC).
Concerns Once Foster Youth Arrive at a Los Rios College Once enrolled in college, many students struggle with paying for school and being successful in their academic courses. For foster youth, these stressors may be particularly difficult for them. In all of the foster youth focus groups, money was a major point of contention for students; many of them depend on financial aid and scholarships; applying for these resources takes time and requires information that may not be readily available to this student population. In addition, the need to hold down a job or care for their children may affect the student’s ability to perform well in classes or to utilize the services provided by the school to aid in course success, such as tutoring or meeting with advisors.
The Struggle Around Money One of the primary concerns that foster youth experienced across all focus groups district-wide was money. College can be cost-prohibitive for students, but foster youth students are typically eligible for financial aid and scholarships to help them with this hurdle. For many foster youth students at Los Rios colleges, paying for their courses is a primary hurdle when it comes to attending college. When asked what their biggest concerns about college were, financial burdens were frequently described, “Money. Money for one. When you’re applying for college you didn’t even know if you have to pay money,” (SCC). In addition to needing money to pay for college, students also need to be able to support themselves through school. Basic needs must be met before students can thrive in a college environment. One student put it simply, wondering “how do I pay all my bills and still be in school?” (CRC). Many of the foster youth in the focus groups mentioned struggling with homelessness and being hungry. Financial Aid and Scholarships
Financial aid and scholarships are often a critical necessity for these students to attend school. For foster youth, these opportunities can help them immensely: “helped me secure the purchase of a car. Prior to that I had to rely on rides from friends and family,” (FLC). However, financial aid and scholarships can also be seen as obstacles to enrollment, as foster youth may not have the correct paperwork, the support from family members, or assistance from the departments on campus or their county support workers to know what aid is available to them, when deadlines are approaching, and what is required of them to complete the applications.
May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
The amount of paperwork required for financial aid can be a burden on students, and that “the questions on the financial aid thing sometimes are confusing,” (SCC). One foster youth believed that their aunt was pivotal in being able to apply for financial aid, “I would feel really anxious and I would have probably filled it out wrong if it hadn’t of been for the fact that I had someone there telling me to put,” (SCC). Despite how long the paperwork can take, students noted that it is worth it in order to go to school. “It definitely takes some time and effort and there’s a lot of hoops that you have to jump through and a lot of paperwork that you have to do, but once you put toward that work, it can be very successful and you can get a large payoff out of it. And do just fine,” (ARC). Several students said that they were unaware of the financial assistance they could have had until it was too late. When asked what they wished they knew at the beginning of college, one student said “I wish I would have known about the services before going out of high school and applied to the foster care grant, because like now that you hit a certain age you can’t apply for it,” (CRC). Another student suggested that colleges “Develop a timeline of financial aid deadlines and benefits so that you can strategize such things as Chafee and Cal Grant, so you can take advantage of those benefits before you age out,” (FLC). However, simply applying for financial aid can be difficult due to the possibility of the student not knowing their foster parents’ income and whether or not they qualify for financial aid in the first place. One of the focus group members at ARC noted that “FAFSA will ask for like your parent’s like income – for a foster kid, what if you’re bouncing around from foster home to foster home and you don’t know what your income is,” while another adds “especially if you bounce between homes, you don’t know how much you make,” (ARC). Books are required for many courses at Los Rios colleges and some foster youth students struggle to afford them. It was revealed that FAME did not cover the full cost of a student’s textbooks, “for all my textbooks for this semester it was $500 and they covered a little under $400,” (ARC). Another noted that when instructors require a textbook that is not found in the bookstore, they struggle because “you also can’t use that voucher anywhere else,” (ARC). One student said that when they were having problems getting their financial aid paperwork done, they once “had to drop a class because I couldn’t afford my textbooks,” (CRC). Another student agreed and added that they “ended up not dropping a class because I couldn’t get books and I wasn’t getting my financial aid and then after that the next semester I just tried to take classes that didn’t require any books,” (CRC). This student indicated they probably should have dropped the class because they were unable to purchase textbooks. Even courses that require students to buy supplies for as little as a few dollars can put pressure on foster youth students. Students spoke about this: “Student: …Now they’ve changed the rules with English classes that you have to take a certain co-requisite, but then they don’t tell you that you have to pay $10. Like, what If you can’t afford $10 because some people they don’t even have a $1 to their name. A lot of us are like that… Student: I’ve got $4.
May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
Student: I’ve got a dollar Student: …I mean but it’s like that but they don’t tell you about things like that Student: until after you sign up for the class Student: and you’re like wow I’m in debt now,” (ARC). Scholarships help foster youth students with the financial burden of attending college, though some students were unaware of scholarships that were available to them, “it should be like advertised more like we should know about more scholarships; we should have like and I hate to say it, but like, we kinda like need to be spoon fed a little bit,” (SCC). Even if they know that the scholarships exist, the amount of time put into applying for these scholarships is not guaranteed to pay out in the end. "I’ve put in maybe 50 applications for scholarships just for foster, and I haven’t got a single one,” (ARC). Students also were concerned for other foster youth receiving the scholarships, a student who had previously had a scholarship noted that they did not want to apply for it again, saying that “I just won the money and that’s unfair so I’m just gonna wait and let everyone else receive their money,” (ARC). Meeting Basic Needs
Beyond the academic pressures of attending college courses, foster youth students may be weighed down by the pressures of assuring that their basic needs are met. Food and housing, which many students may take for granted, are on the minds of some foster youth students. Housing and food were often compromised on, “I just need a roof over my head; that’s really all I cared about. Didn’t really care about eating and of course I was clean, but it didn’t really matter to me if I ate,” (ARC). When asked about what their biggest concerns were when attending college, “homelessness, and remaining motivated to stay in college,” (FLC), which was mirrored by a student at another college, “I would say that my biggest, like, struggle before beginning is because I was, like, going through different stages of homelessness and staying in different households, I was worried about how that would translate to me being successful in college and not having the finances to provide for myself,” (CRC). One student speaks of being homeless “I was homeless for about six months after I kicked out by my foster family when I turned 18,” (SCC). Another student said that homelessness was one of the factors that led to them not being able to apply for scholarships: “I was generally considered a very good writer so people kept telling me apply for these and you’ll get them but like what was going on in my house in my place that I was getting kicked out of I went to high school from the homeless shelter by train like two hours each way and it was just like there were so many things going on in my life and then on top of that I had a lot of just mental health issues I was working through I just didn’t have mental faculties to get these things which would have helped me so much,” (SCC). Other Student Needs
Foster youth also cited transportation and child care as a reason why attending classes and meetings with advisors could be difficult for them. At FLC, one student cited
May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
“transportation” when asked what their biggest concern was when deciding to go to college. This was also true for another student who had moved to go to school elsewhere before deciding to go to CRC, “my biggest thing was transportation, how do I get out here? It’s a really far drive,” (CRC). Several of the students attending the focus groups had children, which increased the level of difficulty of attending classes or making meetings with staff members, “I went to the financial aid thing to get help because I got three little kids at home and they told me to come back on a different day and I’m like, well I’m busy that day,” (CRC). When asked what other services may be of use for foster youth, one student said “Child care. I had to limit class options due to childcare issues,” (FLC).
Struggling in Academic Coursework In addition to the hurdle of paying for college and being able to attend classes, several students in the focus groups explained that they worry about struggling in their classes. One student said that their biggest concern about attending college was “falling behind in my classes. My biggest fear was failing and forgetting to turn in assignments,” (FLC). A student at Sacramento City College explains why college may be especially difficult for foster youth students: “No, I don’t think that we received the support to help us succeed at all. I think one of the most important things that’s overlooked is through the time in high school where a lot of our peers are have parents to help them build good study habits, we have zero of that […] And, so, when it goes to the next level the way it translates is I just don’t have those good study habits and it’s just like we’re constantly playing catchup and that’s a hard game to play and it gets really exhausting and to the point where sometimes you want to give up and you want to just tap out and it’s really hard to compete with you know other students, which it is a competition when you’re trying to get to the next level you know and go to better school and whatnot” (SCC). Even when services are available to students to help them with their challenges in class, attending tutoring sessions or meeting with instructors can be difficult for foster youth. One student knew that they needed tutoring and wanted to attend, but “I don’t have time to go to tutoring … because at times I feel I gotta pay rent; I gotta buy food; I gotta pay for gas. I need to do that stuff and in order for me to do that and this financial aid check that’s not really doing that much so I’m going to have to get a job I mean I do got a job but I can just afford to miss work to have a tutoring session that’s going to last me two hours instead of a eight to nine shift that’s gonna help me pay for my rent for the next month,” (SCC).
Lack of Support Many foster youth students in the focus groups district-wide cited a lack of ongoing and consistent support as a concern about attending college. The support could be lacking from the college, from their biological or foster families, or from the foster system as a whole.
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Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
From their Families Some foster youth felt a lack of support from their biological families. One student explained that members of their biological family “try to take credit for my successes and it’s like you’ve not even been there,” (ARC). Another student adds that “my aunt that helped raise me, she decided she wasn’t going to talk to me anymore, so I didn’t know what to do,” (CRC). Other foster youth students in the focus groups found that their biological families were a source of inspiration and support, “Seeing my mom….She had me at 15 and (the fact that) she still graduated college motives me,” (FLC). Some foster youth described relationships with foster families as positive, such as one student who said “there was like one particular spot where I stayed from 6 – 13 and that kinda instilled like who I am today,” (ARC). While some foster youth found that their foster families were supportive of their education, others described less than ideal home situations with foster families that did not help to provide the support they need to achieve their education goals. One student noted that “I don’t think I’ve ever had a foster parent tried to teach me anything,”(SCC).
In the Foster System Foster youth paperwork is a hurdle for many students when receiving aid. In order to receive scholarships specifically for foster youth, students need to have paperwork that documents them as foster youth. Unfortunately, they can be unaware when enrolling in college that they need this paperwork, “they didn’t tell us that we had to have verifications and documentations that verifies that you’re in foster care,” (ARC). Among students in the focus groups, there was confusion over where to go to in order to acquire their foster youth paperwork for this purpose. One student mentioned “I guess you’re supposed to go to the new courthouse, but I went and asked them for the main papers; and they don’t have them,” (ARC). Another student noted that there was problems going from one college to another with regard to foster youth paperwork for financial aid requirements, “when I went to sac city and did my financial aid there, they accepted that [foster youth] paperwork and it was fine, but when I came to CRC they said this isn’t sufficient,” (CRC). In addition to struggling with providing the correct paperwork to receive benefits, many students felt as though they were just another case in the system. One student said that “because people are going to leave and you’re another case number.” (ARC). Another mentioned that people “think that after we get out of the system that we’re not going to survive,” (SCC).
From the Colleges Many students had good relationships with staff members at their high schools, as one student reflects, “I was really close to my school staff to the point where like I would often get sick and when I was in the nurses office I’d talk with the staff a ton and I was very close to them and that was part of why I had so much, it was so easy for me to get all that help,” (SCC). On one student’s mind was the worry that they would not get the support they needed from the college in comparison to high school, “my high school was pretty intimately involved with that kinda stuff … probably my biggest worry honestly though is I had this kinda extra support in
May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
high school to the point where people were making a lot of exceptions for me,” (SCC). This feeling of a lack of support from college in comparison to high school was apparent in other students as well. One student said that the high school “counselors helped you with your game plan and all that and then I get to college and all of a sudden it’s all on me to do everything and I was just like uh, ok,” (ARC). Other students, however, felt that there was a lack of support in high school as well, “they should know who the foster kids are in high school that need extra support you know,” (SCC). When asked what the colleges could best do to support the students, foster youth emphasized the desire for consistent staff and space to meet with counselors and each other at colleges. A student noted that this may be because “we kinda we tend to get attached to people just because we’ve been broken away from our families or whatever the case may have been,” (ARC). Students at ARC were fond of the individual that provided guidance at their college but could use more support beyond just a singular individual, noting that “I feel like I don’t have really have anyone else besides [redacted]. She’s nice. I love [her], but like it would be nice to have a little bit more support,” (ARC). One foster youth at CRC noted that “it’s already hard enough for me to interact with peers because I am also an introvert, so if I make a connection with, say, [redacted], and now I hear that he’s leaving, well like, I thought we were friends, and now you’re leaving and now I have to turn around and meet someone new and do that whole thing all over again, it’s kind of misleading in a way,” (CRC) while another student responded “and it’s been like that for most of our life,” (CRC). Another student expanded “as foster youth students, there’s people coming and going all of the time and for us to have this program where we’re supposed to be able to talk to these people in the office, but they’re constantly leaving, we already have trust issues,” (CRC). This consistent staff and space provides students with a feeling of community, which was desired across all colleges by foster youth.
Desire for a Sense of Community In college, students often find communities to be part of that helps to foster a sense of belonging. For foster youth, this age is a pivotal time frame for them as they begin to age out of the foster youth system. When asked what opportunities they would like to have, one student said “I think I would like more meet and greet kinda opportunities because I don’t have any friends here yet,” (ARC). Students at CRC brainstormed about how to make more connections on campus. One student inquired about having their own space, “we need our own space, like our own lounge, not just that small area, somewhere we can just sit down and communicate with each other if we wanna do our homework there or eat there or you know just have conversation,” (CRC). Another student suggested that the college hire “permanent staff in the ESP program because [we] get connected with the staff … if you’re permanent, you get to know all of us a little bit about us,” (CRC). Other students concurred that having more opportunities to interact with other foster youth would be ideal, “meet-ups can be overwhelming, but an event would be
May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
good,” (FLC). Many of the students remarked that they enjoyed the focus group, “I think Sac City should have more groups like this for the foster youth to come together,” (SCC).
The Collective Voices of Foster Youth Attending Los Rios Colleges There were several main concerns that were addressed in the focus groups across all colleges. Foster youth generally wanted more consistent staff, had problems with paperwork for financial aid and scholarships, desired more support in their academic pursuits, and needed communication about additional resources for transportation, textbooks, child care, and to have their basic needs met. Many foster youth students desired a consistent staff member for their foster youth centers. Students expressed that much of their experience being in the foster youth system was defined by having individuals come in and out of their lives and that this aspect of their lives made it difficult for students to open up and trust other people to be there for them. Temporary staff members do not have the same ability to be a consistent figure in a foster youth student’s life than a permanent staff member. Hiring permanent staff members could give foster youth students the consistency they desire and allow them to form meaningful and ongoing relationships with individuals equipped to help them. Students expressed that one of the major hurdles is paperwork, both to apply for financial aid and scholarships, as well as the paperwork for their foster youth status. Students were frustrated with mixed signals that they had received from the colleges and more than once were students faced with having to drop classes because financial aid was delayed and they could not get their books. Unlike many other students, foster youth students do not often have parents who are able to help them keep track of their paperwork. Across all focus groups, students desired more assistance with the paperwork and deadlines associated with financial aid and scholarships. Some students were not aware of all of the aid available to them and what the deadlines for applications were, while others expressed that the amount of paperwork was a hurdle because of missing information or a lack of time to complete the applications. Several students said that they struggled with classes either in the past or currently. An unsteady home life is not an ideal basis for good schoolwork, though the foster youth students at the focus groups were serious about their studies. Students expressed the need for more academic support provided by the colleges to make up for their lack of academic support at home. However, some students said that they found it difficult to use the academic support services the colleges already provided due to time constraints. Many students needed to work or take care of their children. In addition to academic services, students requested to be more informed about other services provided by the schools, such as transportation to and from campus, child care information, and services that may help them with getting their basic needs met, as many students expressed struggling with homelessness and food insecurity. Despite many hurdles being in their way, the resilience and dedication of foster youth students was apparent in the focus groups. They each found their way into college despite many of them struggling with money, basic needs, course success, and a lack of support from family May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
and institutions. Most of the foster youth were glad to have attended the focus groups and provide feedback, “I feel like a lot of staffs and people around us don’t really care about our feeling or anything but for you guys to actually have this type of event and actually sit here and listen to us that actually means a lot to me and all the rest of us. So, thank you,” (ARC).
The Foster Youth Focus Group Report was written by Megan Leonard, Research Analyst, LRCCD Office of Institutional Research. The LRCCD Office of Institutional Research gratefully acknowledges the help and guidance from Tyler Rollins, Tiffanie Ho, Sabrina Sencil and Jill Bradshaw as well as the support of Nancy Edmondson. Additional thanks to Zitlali Torres for her amazing efforts in support of the Foster Youth Focus Group project.
May 2018
Los Rios Community College District Office of Institutional Research
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES: WALTER S. JOHNSON SPECIAL PROJECTS FUND
APPLICANT INFORMATION Organization’s Legal Name EIN (if applicable) Telephone Address Web Address Mission and History (max. 200 words)
Los Rios Foundation 94-2506591 Office: 916-568-3075 1919 Spanos Court Sacramento, Ca 95825 www.losrios.edu
Fax: 916-286-3657
The Los Rios Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves as the fundraising entity for the colleges of the Los Rios Community College District, and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Los Rios Foundation’s Mission is to invest in the students of the Los Rios Community Colleges to help them achieve their aspirations through education. The Los Rios Community College District is a 2-year public college district providing administrative services and governance for 4 community colleges serving the greater Sacramento area. The results of a March 17, 1964, election led to the 1965 formation of the Los Rios Junior College District to govern Sacramento City College (1916) and American River College (1942). When the district was formed there were 10,632 students attending the two colleges. One of the first actions of the new Los Rios district was to form a planning committee which, in 1967, acquired new land for future colleges: north of Sacramento in Natomas, south near Elk Grove, and east near Folsom. That committee proved to be accurate in their predictions of growth, which has been invaluable to the district over time. Cosumnes River College opened in 1970; and Folsom Lake College in 2004.
Organizational Overview including Core Programs (Provide a brief bulleted list of the core programs with one-sentence description of each one)
Last Updated: August 25, 2017
Los Rios includes: American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake and Sacramento City colleges; major education and outreach centers in Davis, Elk Grove, Natomas, Placerville, Rancho Cordova and West Sacramento; and we offer: • specialized workforce and economic development programs for business, government and organizations throughout the region; • AA/AS degrees; • Certificates; and • transfer education opportunities that allow students to complete freshman and sophomore years and transfer to a four-year college or university - in more than 70 1
career fields. CONTACTS Name of Head of Organization (Executive Director, Public Agency Director, Dean of a Specific School at a University, etc.) Title Telephone Address (if different than org address) E-mail Address
Dr. Brian King
Chancellor Office: (916) 568-3021
Fax:
[email protected]
Name of Project Manager/Director - the primary contact for this project. (if different from above) Title Telephone Address (if different than org address) E-mail Address
Dr. Victoria C. Rosario
Name of Grants Administration Contact (If a separate person is responsible for managing grants & contracts.) Title Telephone Address (if different than org address) E-mail Address
Kristin Frame
Associate Vice Chancellor, Student Services Office: (916) 568-3150 Fax:
[email protected]
Director, Institutional Advancement Office: (916) 568-3123 Fax:
[email protected]
(Do not return this in .pdf format – return in WORD format)
FISCAL SPONSOR (if applicable) Project Contact at fiscal sponsor org (Dr./Ms./Mr.) Name and Title Organization’s Legal Name EIN Telephone
Office:
Fax :
Address E-mail Address Web Address PROJECT DETAIL Project Title Funding Requested/Term (Total Amount/Total Years) Starting and Ending Dates
Last Updated: August 25, 2017
Foster Youth Planning Grant $15,000/6 months October 1, 2017-April, 2018
2
If awarded, name and email address of person responsible for signing grant agreement (if awarded, grant agreement will be sent via DocuSign to this email address) Name and address of person to receive check (if different from above)
Project Summary (50 words or less)
Walter S. Johnson Special Projects Fund Priority Area (program and subprogram area)
Target Geographic Area
Last Updated: August 25, 2017
Dr. Jamey Nye, Vice Chancellor
[email protected]
Create formal partnerships with community-based organizations and regional partners to provide foster youth with additional services based on promising and impactful practices to promote college and career success. Coordinate with educational and community-based organizations and regional partners through a newly formed advisory group to expand upon the existing support services. Check as many as applicable: Education Completion Transition-Age Foster Youth Other
California Statewide Washoe County, Nevada California County(s)/Region(s) – Please List Sacramento, El Dorado, Yolo, Placer and Solano counties
3
WALTER S. JOHNSON SPECIAL PROJECTS FUND Proposal Narrative 1. Summary of request (2-3 sentences) Summary: The Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD) will conduct a comprehensive planning process to develop strategies for improving and expanding support for enrolled foster youth, to include: a) an assessment of existing systems; b) the creation of formal partnerships with community-based organizations and regional partners; c) an evaluation of current data tracking systems; and d) gathering student input. 2. Overview of your organization, mission and key programs Los Rios is one of the nation’s most respected learning institutions and the second largest community college district in California. Our mission is to provide a vibrant learning environment that empowers all students to achieve their educational and career goals. The four colleges provide outstanding undergraduate education, offering programs that lead to certificates, associate degrees, and associate degrees for transfer in more than 70 career fields. The District also provides excellent career and technical educational programs that prepare students for job entry and job advancement through improved skills and knowledge. The District’s 2,400 square mile service area includes all of Sacramento, most of El Dorado county and parts of Yolo, Placer and Solano counties. About 75,000 students are enrolled in the colleges. 3. Background on the problem to be addressed by your proposed project Providing effective transitional services for recently emancipated foster youth in California has become a pressing issue for foster youth advocates and policy makers. While less than 0.3% of the state’s population is comprised of foster youth in any given year, nearly 50% of former foster youth will be homeless during their first two years after exiting foster care, and 33% receive public assistance. More significant is the fact that former foster youth lack the financial and emotional support that the average young person receives from their parents or guardians when transitioning into adulthood. Thus, there is a need to empower foster youth with the tools they need as they transition into adulthood via a seamless network of services that address the multitude of challenges they face after they “age-out” of the foster care system at 18 years old. Given the low rate of self-sufficiency for foster youth after being emancipated, it is no surprise that less than 10% of emancipated foster youth attend college and nearly 50% of youth leaving foster care are unemployed. Pursuing a postsecondary education is a crucial factor to the success of transition-aged foster youth – psychologically, financially and professionally. As such, there has been a pressing need to develop programs that assist in the matriculation, retention and graduation of former foster youth in colleges and universities since only 3% of foster youth who go on to college ever graduate. This planning grant will provide the District an opportunity to bring focused attention to this special population and establish comprehensive student support in partnership with our educational and community-based partners in the region. Through this work we hope to assist transition-aged foster youth develop the necessary educational and interpersonal skills they need to become self-supporting, community leaders, role models, and competent professionals. Data source: http://promises2kids.org/facts-figures/ 4. Project description To address the Walter S. Johnson Foundation’s mission of helping transition-aged foster youth become successful adults by promoting positive change to the policies and systems that serve them, Los Rios submits this planning grant proposal to explore promising and impactful practices to promote college and career success for this vulnerable population. Under the leadership of the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Services, the four colleges of the District will coordinate with other educational and communitybased organizations and regional partners through a newly formed advisory group to identify new strategies Last Updated: August 25, 2017
4
to expand upon the existing support services provided to youth who have been removed from the custody of their parent(s) or guardian(s) and placed in a group or foster home. The planning will result in the definition of a structured set of services that have proven to be effective and essential to serving former foster youth students at college campuses throughout the state of California. It is anticipated that the advisory group will include the three institutions of higher education in the greater Sacramento region: Sac State, UC Davis, and the four Los Rios colleges: American River College, Cosumnes River College, Folsom Lake College and Sacramento City College, as well as community-based organizations, advocacy groups and county offices. This planning effort in turn will inform a more comprehensive future grant submission that is intended to establish ongoing support for District services and personnel that allow for continual review of District policies/regulations in support of foster youth; facilitate the District’s involvement in various college, community, regional, county and state committees; ensure the monitoring of federal and state policy changes and regulations; and ultimately allow for the implementation of new policies, processes, and procedures that will better support college-aged foster youth. 4a. The target population and specific geographic target area. Within the four main college campuses and six educational centers, there are approximately 255 current and former foster youth students enrolled (Table 1). This number, however, is not consistent when cross referenced with other data sources, as the same metrics are not utilized across the system. For example, Cal-PASS Plus is annual aggregate data source whose data is provided via MIS, CALPEDS and individual colleges and universities (Table 2); California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office obtains its data via MIS by term (foster youth students flagged by college personnel as eligible for priority registration). The differences in counts create a barrier for portraying an accurate picture of the size and need of this population. Table 1. Foster Youth Enrollment by College (CCCCO) ARC
CRC
FLC
SCC
Spring 2017 86 58 9 102 Source: Ca Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, Data Mart, Special Population/Group Student Count, Spring 2017 Table 2. Foster Youth Enrollment by College (Cal-PASS Plus) ARC CRC FLC SCC 2016-2017 153 79 14 121 Source: Cal-PASS Plus, Community College Foster Youth Dashboard, 2015/16 As a means to ensure that the District provides the most adequate services to the greatest number of current and former foster youth, the chart below describes five goals that have been developed for this planning proposal, and includes the following proposal requirements: 4b) Goals and positive change expected to occur as a result of the project. 4c) Key activities that will be completed during the grant period. 4d) Partners to maximize impact. 4e) Leveraging this grant for further grant opportunities
Last Updated: August 25, 2017
5
Los Rios Community College District Work Plan 4b. Goals and Positive Changes 1. Program Planning to outline a strategic direction to support college-aged foster youth. 2. Strengthen engagement efforts at the District and campus level to secure stakeholder buy-in and program sustainability.
3. Create and sustain partnerships with community-based organizations and regional partners to strengthen the recruitment and referral process for college-going foster youth students.
4. Data Sharing to streamline the identification of prospective foster
4c. Key Activities Within 30 days of receipt of funding: • Evaluate existing services and identify gaps per best practices. • Hire one classified staff to oversee planning activities.
4d. Partners • • • • •
Los Rios District Office American River College Cosumnes River College Folsom Lake College Sacramento City College
Resource Needs • SPA (TEMP) $14.93hr X 8hr X 72 days = $9,116 (includes benefits)
Within 60 days of receipt of funding: • Representatives to be included • FY • Form an Advisory Group composed of from the following Conferences-campus stakeholders to coordinate offices/departments: $1601.50 each implementation strategies for services. X 2 staff = o Admissions $3,203 o Financial Aid • Assess unintentional student o EOPS barriers/obstacles. o Counseling Services • Schedule professional development o Disabled Students opportunity for faculty/staff to better Programs and Services understand the emotional/legal needs of FY. (DSPS) • Support campus liaisons to attend a o TRIO programs professional conference focused on foster o Academic Advising youth. o Instructional Faculty • Develop inter-departmental protocol to o Foster Youth better serve foster youth. o CalWORKs • Designate a point-of-contact person at key o Other equity-minded departments to whom FY can be referred. programs as needed Within 90 days of receipt of funding: • Sacramento County Office of • Advisory Group • Form an Advisory Group to identify Education Monthly community resources and opportunities for Meetings (food • Sacramento County Child coordination and materials) Welfare Office $170 each X 5 • Consult with colleges outside of the LRCCD • Sacramento County Probation meetings = that have more established programs and Department $850 processes. • THP-Plus providers • Invite community-based organizations and • Independent Living Programs agencies to the campuses to participate in (ILP) events/activities specific to the population. • Sacramento State University • Identify outreach assistance strategies. • Sierra College • Establish new partnerships, and renew and • Butte College strengthen existing relationships to garner • University of California Davis valuable resources for students, such as • Foster Youth Education Fund refurbished laptops, and school supplies. • Sacramento CASA • Establish presence at county meetings & • John Burton Advocates for legislative hearings regarding funding and Youth support for FY initiatives. • Develop a pipeline of resources/information for faculty/staff and external partners. • Link colleges to identified ILP programs. Within 150 days of receipt of funding: • California Department of Social • Better understand how foster youth are Services (CDSS) identified/verified. • Sacramento County Health
Last Updated: August 25, 2017
6
youth students and transmit essential data to provide targeted wrap-around services.
• Explore the exchange of data between LRCCD and CDSS. • Collect population data, placing importance on the following data: o Foster youth (FY) on each campus o New and continuing FY students o Rate of retention o Student G.P.A.s o Units attempted and completed o Degree, certificate or transfer counts o Priority registration counts o Pell/Cal/Chafee Grants or BOG Fee Waiver recipients o Academic probation counts o Referrals made o How students hear about the program • Establish a standardized protocol for identifying and verifying foster youth across all four colleges. Within 180 days of receipt of funding: 5. Evaluation Plan to support continuous • Gather data on student needs. process improvements. • Understand campus climate via focus groups and surveys. • Conduct institutional research to analyze foster youth performance and completion trends.
and Social Services
• LRCCD Office of Institutional Research • ARC Foster Youth Program • CRC Enriched Scholars Program • FLC Fostering Success Program • SCC Fostering Futures Outreach & Retention for Educational Success/Transfer
• Stipends to each College (materials and food for student focus groups)-$180 each college X 4 colleges = $720
4e It is our hope that with a concrete plan with strategic goals and measurable outcomes we will successfully earn the opportunity to apply for an implementation grant from the Walter S. Johnson Foundation and other regional and statewide corporate and private foundations to further support this work.
5. Potential challenges in meeting your goals and how you expect to overcome them. Goals
1. Program planning to outline a strategic direction to support college-aged foster youth. 2. Strengthen engagement efforts at the District and campus level to secure stakeholder buy-in and program sustainability. 3. Create and sustain partnerships with community-based organizations and regional partners to strengthen the recruitment and referral process for college-going foster youth students.
Last Updated: August 25, 2017
Challenges
• Securing time for appropriate staff to attend professional development opportunities, especially those outside of the immediate service region. • Establishing designees at key departments. • Maintaining continuous communication between key departments on available resources. • Connecting with decision-making authority for each potential partner. • Explore existing/new Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) as appropriate.
Overcoming Challenges
• Schedule regular planning meetings. • Provide monetary support to fund conference attendance. • Provide updates to administration on new directions to foster departmental involvement. • Create a regular meeting schedule to keep all parties engaged. • Create a FY LRCCD listserv. • Engage General Counsel early to mitigate legal obstacles. • Provide transparent communication so all partners are aware of new developments. • Promote participation of community partners through communications on progress and
7
Goals 4. Data sharing to streamline the identification of prospective foster youth students and transmit essential data to provide targeted wrap-around services. 5. Evaluation plan to support continuous process improvements.
Challenges • Establishing a standard definition for foster youth and transition-age foster at the program level. • Obtaining congruence of a data sharing protocol between departments within the institution and with external partners. • Garnering student participation. • Short timeline to gather student impressions.
Overcoming Challenges
highlight their services to students. • Host a data summit with all parties involved at onset of the process. • Establish clear definitions for this population moving forward. • Partner with Foster Youth Education Fund to survey their students who attend our campuses. • Provide student incentives to participate in campus focus groups.
6. Sustainability plan (this question can be skipped if not relevant to the request) Unless the project or program is of limited duration, please include the plan to sustain the work after the grant funding has ended, including plans to continue the project using general support, government funding or other designated funding sources. NA 7. Evaluation efforts (this question can be skipped if not relevant to the request) 7a State whether you intend to utilize an internal evaluation process or a third-party evaluator. In consultation with the District’s Office of Institutional Research, we will use an internal evaluation process to evaluate existing services and service gaps to transition-age foster youth and create an evaluation plan to include focus groups and surveys. Strategies will be based on evidenced- based programs demonstrated to have a positive effect on serving the needs of youth exiting foster care in pursuit of a college degree or certificate. 7b Explain how you will be able to gauge the success of your project We will be successful at the end of this planning project if we: a) have outlined a strategic direction in support of foster youth that addresses the disparity in collegegoing and completion rates; b) have engaged members of the college community as well other educational and community-based organizations, through the Advisory Group, in a dialogue that is focused on better identifying, referring, and enrolling college-aged foster youth; c) have explored opportunities for a data exchange that supports this effort; and finally, d) have reached out to foster youth on our campuses to involve them in the development of our project and help us better understand the barriers they face; and use their input to provide better services that position them for success at any of the Los Rios colleges. This planning grant will provide Los Rios with a much needed resource to bring key stakeholders together who share a common vision of addressing the disparities that exist for foster youth seeking enrollment in our region’s community colleges. It will create an enhanced awareness of the special needs of this most vulnerable population and allow us to have a focused and intentional dialogue about how to make a difference in their lives. A successful planning process will allow LRCCD to create a road map for what we need to do to internally improve our services to current foster youth and transition-age foster youth and to create external partnerships to support these efforts on a region-wide level.
Last Updated: August 25, 2017
8
EXHIBIT B: Community Initiatives: Walter S. Johnson Special Projects Fund PROPOSAL BUDGET FORM - Regular Grants
A - PROJECT INFORMATION Organization Name Los Rios Community College District CI- WSJSPF Grant # Total Organization Budget Total Project Budget $ (If request is for general support, leave blank) CI- WSJSPF Request $
15,000 0.0%
CI- WSJSPF Funds as % of Total Project Budget Grant Term (Grant term is the period from the start to the end of the proposed work.
October 1, 2017 - March 31, 2018 (6 months)
Total Project Budget
B & C - EXPENSES
B1 - Personnel Costs. Use one line for each position. State titles and not names of employees. List total % FTE each employee will work on the project (NOT the % requested). Use Insert Sheet Rows to add rows/personnel. Student Personnel Assistant (TEMP) $14.93hr X 8hr X 72
$ $ $ $ $
Total
8,600 8,600
B2 - Benefits. Include health, dental, retirement, Social Security, Workers' Comp., etc. Fill in number for percentage of salaries and formula will automatically populate the benefits line (maximum 30%).
Enter Benefits Rate here >>>> (Use blended* rate if more than one rate)
6.0%
$
516
B3 - Consultants. Include type of consultant and specify rate and number of hours/days (e.g., $50/hour for 20 hours) next to consultant type. Address complex calculations in the budget narrative.
B - Subtotal Personnel and Benefits
$
-
$
9,116
C - Other Costs. Include items related to the project, such as program expenses, printing, travel, indirect costs, and fiscal sponsor fees (if applicable; FSF should not exceed 10%). Indirect costs should not exceed 15% (include rate in the description column and specify what is covered in the Budget Narrative). Conferences @ $1,601.50 X 2
$
3,203
Stipends to each College (materials and food for student focus groups) $180 X 4 Monthly Meetings (food and materials) @ $170 X 5 Indirect @8% C - Subtotal Other Costs
$ $ $ $
720 850 1,111 5,884
TOTAL EXPENSES
$
15,000
Updated: 6/11/2018
EXHIBIT B: Community Initiatives: Walter S. Johnson Special Projects Fund PROPOSAL BUDGET FORM - Regular Grants
D - INCOME SOURCES (Complete Section D only if instructed) Secured Income. Include name of the sources and dollar amounts that have been approved for the project. $ $ $ $ D1 - Subtotal Secured Income $
-
Pending Income. Include the name of the sources and the amounts of potential grants/revenue sources that have been applied for, as well as the anticipated decision dates.
D2 - Subtotal Pending Income D3 - Grant Request from CI-WSJSPF TOTAL SECURED & PENDING INCOME. Should approximate Total Project Budget. If significant shortfall or excess is expected, explain in the Budget Narrative how the shortfall will be addressed or excess will be used. TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET PROJECT REVENUE SHORTFALL/EXCESS
$ $ $ $ $
-
$
-
$ $
15,000 (15,000)
Budget Narrative Use this section to explain the proposed budget, including any calculations which are not selfexplanatory. For example, please provide an explanation to address an anticipated project revenue shortfall, etc.
1. Student Personnel Assistant: With limited personnel available, personnel would be hired on a temporary basis to assist in overseeing the planning of activities. This individual would become the liaison for the colleges within the District as well as external partners. 2. Conferences: Given the special academic needs for foster youth students, it becomes critical that lead personnel within this project acquire the professional development necessary so that this special population recieves the greatest level of serviecs and provide them a strong path toward academic success. 3. College Stipends: As a result of their particular life circumstance, available resources to foster youth must must meet their needs. Data in the form of focus groups will be gathered to inquire as to students' current experience on their respective college and how the institution can improve services. Stipends for food and materials to conduct the focus groups will incentivize colleges to collect this critical data and will incentivize students to attend the focus gorup and provide their feedback. 4. Monthly Meetings: An advisory group of external partners will be assembled to identify resources and opportunities for coordination. Five monthly meetings will take place during the duration of the project. To ensure accommodations to participating partners, food and various discussion materials will be provided to all advisory group members.
Please return this form in an EXCEL format (not .pdf)
Updated: 6/11/2018
EXHIBIT B: Community Initiatives: Walter S. Johnson Special Projects Fund PROPOSAL BUDGET FORM - Regular Grants
A - PROJECT INFORMATION Organization Name Los Rios Community College District CI- WSJSPF Grant # Total Organization Budget Total Project Budget $ (If request is for general support, leave blank) CI- WSJSPF Request $
15,000 0.0%
CI- WSJSPF Funds as % of Total Project Budget Grant Term (Grant term is the period from the start to the end of the proposed work.
October 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018 (9 months)
B & C - EXPENSES
Total Project Budget
B1 - Personnel Costs. Use one line for each position. State titles and not names of employees. List total % FTE each employee will work on the project (NOT the % requested). Use Insert Sheet Rows to add rows/personnel. Student Personnel Assistant (TEMP) $14.93hr X 8hr X 72
$ $ $ $ $
Total
-
B2 - Benefits. Include health, dental, retirement, Social Security, Workers' Comp., etc. Fill in number for percentage of salaries and formula will automatically populate the benefits line (maximum 30%).
Enter Benefits Rate here >>>> (Use blended* rate if more than one rate)
6.0% $
-
B3 - Consultants. Include type of consultant and specify rate and number of hours/days (e.g., $50/hour for 20 hours) next to consultant type. Address complex calculations in the budget narrative.
B - Subtotal Personnel and Benefits
$
-
$
-
C - Other Costs. Include items related to the project, such as program expenses, printing, travel, indirect costs, and fiscal sponsor fees (if applicable; FSF should not exceed 10%). Indirect costs should not exceed 15% (include rate in the description column and specify what is covered in the Budget Narrative). Conferences @ $4,194.50 X 2 Stipends to each College (materials and food for student focus groups) $1,000 X 4 Monthly Meetings (food and materials) @ $300 X 5 Indirect @8% C - Subtotal Other Costs
$ $ $ $ $
8,389 4,000 1,500 1,111 15,000
TOTAL EXPENSES
$
15,000
Updated: 6/11/2018
EXHIBIT B: Community Initiatives: Walter S. Johnson Special Projects Fund PROPOSAL BUDGET FORM - Regular Grants
D - INCOME SOURCES (Complete Section D only if instructed) Secured Income. Include name of the sources and dollar amounts that have been approved for the project. $ $ $ $ D1 - Subtotal Secured Income $
-
Pending Income. Include the name of the sources and the amounts of potential grants/revenue sources that have been applied for, as well as the anticipated decision dates.
D2 - Subtotal Pending Income D3 - Grant Request from CI-WSJSPF TOTAL SECURED & PENDING INCOME. Should approximate Total Project Budget. If significant shortfall or excess is expected, explain in the Budget Narrative how the shortfall will be addressed or excess will be used. TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET PROJECT REVENUE SHORTFALL/EXCESS
$ $ $ $ $
-
$
-
$ $
15,000 (15,000)
Budget Narrative Use this section to explain the proposed budget, including any calculations which are not selfexplanatory. For example, please provide an explanation to address an anticipated project revenue shortfall, etc.
1. Student Personnel Assistant: With limited personnel available, personnel would be hired on a temporary basis to assist in overseeing the planning of activities. This individual would become the liaison for the colleges within the District as well as external partners. 2. Conferences: Given the special academic needs for foster youth students, it becomes critical that lead personnel within this project acquire the professional development necessary so that this special population receives the greatest level of services and provide them a strong path toward academic success. 3. College Stipends: As a result of their particular life circumstance, available resources to foster youth must meet their needs. Data in the form of focus groups will be gathered to inquire as to students' current experience on their respective college and how the institution can improve services. Stipends for food and materials to conduct the focus groups will incentivize colleges to collect this critical data and will incentivize students to attend the focus group and provide their feedback. 4. Monthly Meetings: An advisory group of external partners will be assembled to identify resources and opportunities for coordination. Five monthly meetings will take place during the duration of the project. To ensure accommodations to participating partners, food and various discussion materials will be provided to all advisory group members.
Please return this form in an EXCEL format (not .pdf)
Updated: 6/11/2018
