Cooperating-Agencies-Foster-Youth-Educational-Support-Program-Application-to-Participate_8_31-2015

CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE STUDENT SERVICES AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS DIVISION APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES DISTRICTS COOPERATING AGENCIES FOSTER YOUTH EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS 2015-16 Academic Year ATP# 15-0026 APPLICATION DEADLINE: MUST BE RECEIVED AT THE CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE BY P.M ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS Calendar of Key Dates iii Purpose of Application/Background Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate Highlights Instructions and Specifications A Introduction B Eligibility C Category for Which Funding is Available D Minimum Required Objectives E Application Review and Selection Process F Application Format and Instructions (1) Contact Page (2) Abstract (3) Table of Contents (4) Service Numbers (5) Statement of Experience (6) Program Design (7) Program Management, Staffing and Support (8) Anticipated Outcomes  Sample Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Student and Program Outcomes 10 Project Budget Plan 11 (9) (10) Submission Procedure 12 G Evaluations and Reports 13 H Rejection of Application 13 I Rubric/Scoring Criteria 13 Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 i  Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Scoring Criteria 14 J Funding Conditions 15 K Application Scoring 18 L Notification of Selection 18 M Protest Procedure 18 Appendix A – Application Forms and Instructions 19 Contact Page 20 Signature Page 21 Application Budget Plan Instructions 22 Application Budget Plan Form 24 Appendix B – Additional Information 26 Senate Bill 1023 (Chapter 771, Statutes of 2014) 27 Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Expenditures Guidelines Cal-PASS Plus: Accessing Institutional Foster Youth Data 33 Getting to Good Foster Youth Student Data 34 30 Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 ii CALENDAR OF KEY DATES ACTION Application to Participate for the California Community Colleges Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Applicants’ Webinar Last Day to Submit Clarifying Questions Deadline for Submitting Applications Reading of Applications DATE August 28, 2015 September 8, 2015 September 18, 2015 October 9, 2015 October 13-14, 2015 Notification of Intent to Award Funds October 16, 2015 Protest Deadline October 23, 2015 Final approval by Board of Governors November 17, 2015 Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 iii California Community College Chancellor’s Office Purpose of Application for Participation for the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program The 2015-16 State budget includes up to $15,000,000 to fund the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support (CAFYES) Program CAFYES was established in 2014 by Senate Bill 1023 (Chapter 771, Statutes of 2014), (see Appendix C) When enacting this bill, the Legislature found “it is necessary and appropriate to take steps to encourage the enrollment, retention, and transfer of current and former foster youth in California’s community colleges by establishing an education program that provides services that promote their academic success Providing academic support to current and former foster youth in California’s community colleges serves a significant governmental and public interest, namely the reduction in poverty and criminal justice involvement among youth who have been in foster care in California.” CCC districts are eligible to apply for this funding on behalf of their Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) programs to coordinate and direct the CAFYES funding The allocations provided through this Application to Participate (ATP) process are separate and apart from both existing EOPS funding and funding for the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education program Funded activities shall include, when appropriate, but not necessarily be limited to, outreach and recruitment, service coordination, counseling, book and supply grants, tutoring, independent living and financial literacy skills support, frequent in-person contact, career guidance, transfer counseling, child care and transportation assistance, referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, unmet need grants and other related services The primary purpose of this ATP is to provide funding to up to ten CCC districts, creating college CAFYES programs to provide targeted support to current and former foster youth under the umbrella of existing EOPS programs Successful districts will be notified of their first year’s funding in December 2015, with the expectation that colleges will begin implementation in January 2016, ending the year on June 30, 2016 However, it is anticipated that funding will be available on an ongoing basis, barring reductions by the Legislature in a future budget cycle Consequently, applicants are asked to provide a three year implementation strategy in their applications Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application To Participate Highlights ATP Specification Number: 15-0026 ATP Title: Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Program Division: Division Vice Chancellor: Division Dean: Program Staff Contacts: Student Services Denise F Noldon Sarah Tyson Janet Fulton and Kelly Gornik Initial Funding Period: Funding Source: 2015-16 Academic Year Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Total Funding Available: Required Match: Up to $15,000,000 No match required Eligible Applicants: Districts are eligible to apply on behalf of their college Extended Opportunity Programs and Services programs Districts may apply on behalf of multiple of their colleges Only one allocation per district will be awarded; however the allocation can cover multiple colleges within that district Number of Awards: Ten (10) Instructions and Specifications A Introduction This document contains general instructions, procedures, formats, and timelines for submitting an Application to Participate (ATP) for the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support (CAFYES) program to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) Applications must be submitted using the format and sequence described in these instructions and must address the application specifications Applicants must articulate plans through 2017-18 in anticipation of continued funding, although the initial award is solely through 2015-16 B Eligibility Districts must agree to the following standards and conditions to be eligible to apply: ● Community college districts will be allowed to submit only one application; however, a single application may include multiple colleges within the district Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 ● C Selected participants will use funding to support their Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) programs to coordinate and direct services for current and former foster youth in California: ▪ Whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth’s 16 th birthday, ▪ Who are no older than 25 years of age at the commencement of any academic year in which he or she participates in the program, and ▪ Who are enrolled in at least nine (9) college semester credits during the semester in which they enter the program Category for Which Funding is Available Specification Number Specification Title Number of Awards Available 15-0026 Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Up to ten (10) Funds Available Per Award $3,000 to $5,000 per eligible student served Initial Term of Funding 2015-16 Academic Year The CCCCO retains sole discretion in awarding these funds Up to $15 million will be disbursed as a new categorical apportionment for those districts that submit applications and are awarded funds to enhance and strengthen services to the eligible target population The program is funded for 2015-16 and initial awards will be made for only 2015-16 However, the Chancellor’s Office is asking for budget plans through 2017-18 in anticipation of continued funding All awards granted through this ATP will be subject to final approval by the CCCCO and the Board of Governors Districts that propose to serve the largest number of foster youth will receive priority for program funds However, other factors will also be considered during the awards process This includes geographic diversity, successful history of serving the target population, quality of program design, the breadth and strength of internal and external partnerships, and plans to leverage other funding, such as Student Equity, other categorical, district, and external funds The strongest applications will be those that depict sound plans to expand and maximize existing activities and collaborations to serve eligible current and former foster youth The CCCCO also reserves the right, after district selection, to negotiate requested award amounts, budget items and amounts, and proposed activities to ensure that the overarching goals of the program are met and that proposed scopes of work are realistic and achievable within the funding period D Minimum Required Objectives This goal of this funding is to encourage the enrollment, retention, and transfer of current and former foster youth, as outlined in Ch 771, Stats 2014, by expanding and strengthening the capacity of EOPS programs to support the higher education success of eligible students Its ultimate objective is to ensure more current and former foster youth attending California Community Colleges earn a certificate, degree and/or prepare for transfer to a four-year institution CCCCO expects districts and college EOPS programs to develop comprehensive and coordinated sets of services and programs that involve internal and external community partnerships, identifying and addressing barriers including health and well-being to the academic success of current and former foster youth To this end, the CCCCO is seeking applications from community college districts to expand and enhance the capacity of their EOPS programs to serve eligible current and former foster youth through college and community partnerships that will: Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 3 Identify eligible students at the participating colleges and conduct ongoing review and assessment of their needs and strengths, Create a coordinated and comprehensive program of services to address the needs of students who are current and former foster youth, as suggested by available data, Consider how best to leverage external support, such as provided through Extended Foster Care and other programs, and internal support through other categorical programs, to avoid service duplication and supplanting, Engage and involve other college programs that work with foster youth and are professionally connected to systems that support foster youth, Build and maintain collaborative partnerships with both internal and external partners provide services and supports to CAFYES participants based identified needs, and Evaluate and monitor program services, partnerships, and program and student outcomes, to inform any necessary program redesign, and ensure participants are completing key benchmarks associated with longterm academic success (e.g., course completion, term-to-term persistence) Ch 771, Stats 2014, highlights the following activities as examples of the types of services to be offered (see Appendix B.1 for more details about required and allowable activities): ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Outreach and recruitment, Service coordination, Counseling, Book and supply grants, Tutoring, Independent living and financial literacy skills support, Frequent in-person contact, Career guidance, Transfer counseling, Child care and transportation assistance, and Referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, and other related services Important aspects of the CAFYES program are to navigate providing services to students already receiving similar services, in order to supplement and not supplant those services, strengthen and expand partnerships, and build upon existing successful models and programs for sharing and replication across the community college system CAFYES is designed to support collaboration with both internal college partners (e.g., other categorical programs and other programs that serve foster youth), and external partners (e.g., county health and human services agencies, county probation, Independent Living Programs, non-profit organizations, etc.) to meet identified needs of CAFYES participants Throughout the funding period, provisions should be made to use available data to identify, monitor and inform program development and ongoing implementation to ensure services are effectively supporting the target population and linking participants to services in the community that will support them to complete a postsecondary education Also, selected districts / colleges must participate in a minimum of three (3) program-related statewide meetings and professional development opportunities to be held in Sacramento Travel and personnel time to participate in these meetings should be included in the ATP E Application Review and Selection Process Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 Steps in the evaluation and selection of applications submitted for consideration are as follows: The CCCCO will a preliminary program review in response to the specific minimum requirements for submission as outlined in Section F.(10), in relation to: (1) application format; (2) mandatory signatures; and (3) number of copies Failure to comply with the specific minimum requirements may be grounds for automatic rejection of an application Applications will be reviewed and scored by review panels consisting of one EOPS representative (from a non-applicant district), one Foster Youth Success Initiative representative (from a nonapplicant district), one CCCCO staff member and one community representative Application components will be scored as noted in Section I District Superintendent/Chancellors will be notified if their district’s application is selected for allocation Public notification of selected districts will be posted on the CCCCO website after the Board of Governors’ approval is received F Application Format and Instructions The following instructions prescribe the format and sequence for the development and presentation of the application All questions must be answered and all requested data must be supplied All narrative portions of the application should be in 12 point, Calibri font, double line-spaced, and with a minimum 1inch margin There is a one-page application contact page Applications may be submitted by any CCC district, but only one application may be completed per district Multi-college districts may apply for program implementation at more than one college within their district This may include all colleges within the district or only a subset of the colleges Applicants are encouraged to include as many colleges as possible in the application in order to maximize the reach of the program As the number of students to be served is a significant factor in the scoring criteria, multi-college districts that include all colleges in their applications will score more competitively Districts submitting an application that encompasses multiple colleges should so using a single narrative; however, the information requested for each application question must reflect each individual college separately If the activities are the same at multiple colleges, this may be incorporated by reference and does not need to be repeated (e.g., the proposed strategies, services and activities for College B will be the same as those described for College A above) It is also acceptable if the responses provided differ by college based on the individual needs of each college In this case, separate narratives should be provided for each section An example for the first application question is provided below Example: SERVICE NUMBERS College A The anticipated number of eligible foster youth to be served is…, etc Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 College B The anticipated number of eligible foster youth to be served is…, etc etc When submitting for multiple colleges, districts may exceed the page limit in direct proportion to the number of colleges included in the application (e.g., if the page limit for a section is two pages and the district is applying on behalf of three colleges, the page limit for that section is six pages) When submitting an application, an applicant must follow the application format Failure to follow the format may result in the rejection of the application The application format is as follows: (1) Contact Page Use form in Appendix A Complete the CONTACT PAGE by: (1) indicating the district (along with the associated colleges) that is submitting the application; (2) completing the project application title; and (3) providing all required contact information from the representatives noted in Appendix A.1 Complete a separate contact page with the appropriate information for each participating college (2) Abstract Limit to one page The ABSTRACT should be a brief summary of the application, which addresses each of the application’s narrative sections and be attached directly behind the Contact Page(s) (3)Table of Contents The TABLE OF CONTENTS shall be on a separate page, with each component of the application’s narrative listed and page numbers indicated The narrative pages for the application should be numbered in sequence on each page (4)Service Numbers Limit to four pages per participating college Per Ch 771, Stats 2014, applicants proposing to serve greater numbers will receive priority for funding Numbers will be considered in light of the quality of the proposed program Note: Because programs are anticipated to engage in a ramp up period during Year and Year 2, Year numbers will be used when evaluating ATP budgets Compile an unduplicated list of presently enrolled current and former foster youth, identifying their student identification numbers and names, relying on these data streams; CCCCO Management Information Systems - DataMart, Cal-PASS Plus, CCCApply, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, California Chafee Grant, Priority Registration, OPS, self-identification and from external partners Additional tips are depicted in Attachment B.3 , “Getting to Good Foster Youth Student Educational Data,” (California College Pathways) Data validation should include a reconciliation of the data sources: CCCCO Management Information Systems – DataMart: Identify enrolled foster youth through a Special Populations search Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 COOPERATING AGENCIES FOSTER YOUTH EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAM CAFYES Budget Plan – Page College Fiscal Year _ Object Code Category 1000 (Certificated/Academic Salaries) Proposed Expenditures A B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Subtotal C xxx xxx xxx xxx CAFYES $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ EOPS $ $ $ $ $ Other* $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Subtotal _ _ _ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ $ $ $ $ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Subtotal _ _ _ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ $ $ $ $ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Subtotal xxx xxx xxx xxx $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ $ $ $ $ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ _ _ xxx $ _ $ _ _ xxx $ _ $ _ _ xxx $ _ $ _ _ xxx $ _ $ Subtotal $ _ $ COOPERATING AGENCIES FOSTER YOUTH EDUCATION SUPPORT PROGRAM $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ 2000 (Classified Salaries) 3000 (Employee Benefits) 4000 (Supplies and Materials) 5000 (Other Operating Expenses) Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program Application to Participate #15-0026 24 CAFYES Budget Plan – Page College Object Code 6000 (Capital Outlay) 7000 (Other Outgo) Category Fiscal Year _ Proposed Expenditures A B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Subtotal C xxx xxx xxx xxx CAFYES $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ EOPS $ $ $ $ $ Other* $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ xxx _ xxx _ xxx _ xxx _ Subtotal _ _ _ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ $ $ $ $ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ $ _ * Describe the source(s) for any “other” funds included: EOPS Director Date Supervising Administrator of EOPS Director Date Chief Business Officer Date Superintendent / President Date Chancellor’s Office Approval: Chancellor’s Office Staff Date 25 Appendix B Additional Information 26 Text of Senate Bill 1023 (Ch 771, Stats 2014) 27 Expenditure Guidelines 30 Cal-PASS Plus: Accessing Institutional Foster Youth Data 33 Getting to Good Foster Youth Student Data 34 26 EDUCATION CODE - EDC TITLE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION [66000 - 101060] ( Title enacted by Stats 1976, Ch 1010 ) DIVISION COMMUNITY COLLEGES [70900 - 88810] ( Division enacted by Stats 1976, Ch 1010 ) PART 48 COMMUNITY COLLEGES, EDUCATION PROGRAMS [78015 - 79420] ( Part 48 enacted by Stats 1976, Ch 1010 ) CHAPTER Miscellaneous [79120 - 79420] ( Chapter enacted by Stats 1976, Ch 1010 ) ARTICLE Support Services for Foster Youth Attending Community College [79220 - 79229] ( Article added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec ) 79220 The Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges may enter into agreements with up to 10 community college districts to provide additional funds for services in support of postsecondary education for foster youth This program shall be known as the Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Program, and shall expand the number of students participating in the Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and shall not displace other students The funding provided pursuant to this article shall be separate and apart from the funding provided under existing cooperative agencies resources for education programs pursuant to Article (commencing with Section 79150) In addition to the delivery of Student Success and Support Program services, as defined in Section 78212, services shall include, when appropriate, but not necessarily be limited to, outreach and recruitment, service coordination, counseling, book and supply grants, tutoring, independent living and financial literacy skills support, frequent in-person contact, career guidance, transfer counseling, child care and transportation assistance, and referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, and other related services (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79221 (a) A community college district that wishes to participate in this program shall apply to the board of governors for funding pursuant to this article The application of each participating community college district shall provide the estimated number of foster youth who will be served The application shall also describe the extent of cooperation between the local county child welfare department, the county probation department, the local educational opportunity programs and services program, and the district to ensure that services provided under this article to eligible youth are coordinated with, and not supplant, other services provided by the county and state (b) If more than 10 community college districts apply for funding under the program, the board of governors shall give priority to those districts with the higher number of eligible students (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79222 A student participant in this program shall meet both of the following requirements: (a) Be a current or former foster youth in California whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth’s 16th birthday (b) Be no older than 25 years of age at the commencement of any academic year in which he or she participates in the program 27 (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79223 The board of governors shall adopt regulations that authorize the director of the Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services at each community college to accept students who are enrolled for at least nine units into this program (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79224 It is the intent of the Legislature that, consistent with the requirements and intent outlined in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 78215, and to the extent that a participating community college meets the responsibilities outlined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 78212, any student who participates in the program pursuant to this article participate in the program of services outlined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 78212 (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79225 The board of governors, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, shall adopt regulations for the program The board of governors shall be responsible for the administration of funds for the program To the extent possible, the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the Chief Probation Officers of California, and other advocates, shall consult with the chancellor’s office to ensure that services provided under this article to eligible youths are coordinated with, and not supplant, other services provided by the county and state (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79226 Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, commencing March 31, 2018, and every two years thereafter, the board of governors shall submit a report to the Governor, the education policy committees of the Legislature, and the California Child Welfare Council describing its efforts to serve students who are current and former foster youth These biennial reports shall also include a review on a campus-by-campus basis of the enrollment, retention, transfer, and completion rates of foster youth, including categorical funding of those programs The reports shall also include recommendations on whether and how the program under this article can be expanded to all community college districts and campuses (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79227 This article shall be operative in a fiscal year only if funds have been appropriated for purposes of this article for that fiscal year (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015.) 28 79228 The board of governors may authorize the chancellor, consistent with the requirements the board may impose, to designate up to percent of the funds allocated pursuant to this article for program administration (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 79229 The board of governors may authorize the chancellor, consistent with the requirements the board may impose, to designate up to percent of the funds allocated pursuant to this article for program development and program accountability (Added by Stats 2014, Ch 771, Sec Effective January 1, 2015 See ongoing operational condition prescribed in Section 79227.) 29 Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Educational Support Expenditure Guidelines Ch 771, Stats 2014, authorizes the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to enter into agreements with up to ten community college districts to provide additional funds for services in support of postsecondary education for foster youth as part of a new categorical program known as Cooperating Agencies Foster Youth Education Support (CAFYES) program This program will provide funding that is separate and apart from existing funding to allow Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) to coordinate and offer a more intensive level of services, programs and activities to eligible students, Eligible students are current and former foster youth whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the youth’s 16th birthday, who are no older than 25 years of age and who are enrolled in at least college units at the time of entry into the program General criteria for expending CAFYES funds Expenditures must ensure the delivery of services for eligible former and current foster youth students attending California community colleges including but not necessarily limited to, the following services and activities: outreach and recruitment, service coordination, counseling, book and supply grants, tutoring, independent living and financial literacy skills support, frequent in-person contact, career guidance, transfer counseling, child care and transportation assistance, and referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, and other related services (see Section J for examples) Acceptable Uses of CAFYES Funds CAFYES funds may cover the full cost of providing EOPS-CAFYES services to CAFYES students These funds are intended to expand the number of foster youth receiving services through EOPS Colleges are not required to provide core EOPS services to CAFYES students with EOPS funds; however, it is an option CAFYES funds may be used to fund both core EOPS services and over-and-above CAFYES services, or colleges may use EOPS monies to fund core EOPS services and CAFYES monies to fund over-and above CAFYES services to CAFYES students Additionally, colleges may supplement these funds with additional Student Equity funds or other sources if they so choose For example, SSSP may provide CAFYES students with core SSSP services Applications that leverage other fund sources to maximize CAFYES funds will receive additional points CAFYES funds may be used to support the following three funding categories as outlined in the Budget Plan Form in Appendix A.2 and A.3 CATEGORY A: PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE Category A funds are used for the activities and functions which directly contribute to the planning, implementing, and evaluating of program-wide efforts to attain CAFYES goals and objectives Category A funds may be budgeted in object codes 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000 and 6000 Some examples of acceptable uses of CAFYES funding for Category A include:     Salaries and benefits for the administrative functions of the EOPS director related to CAFYES as well as staff time for program-wide support functions such as data collection, reporting, research and evaluation Contracts to consultants to provide relevant program services and supports in line with students’ needs and gaps in existing capacity (contracts must be approved in advance by the CCCCO) The use of newsletters or other media for program promotion and advertising Equipment (must be approved by the CCCCO) 30 CATEGORY B: STUDENT SERVICES Category B funds are used to provide services to CAFYES eligible students that are “over and above” those available to the general student population and that are specifically geared to CAFYES students These services should directly assist eligible CAFYES students to realize their educational goals and objectives Category B funds may be budgeted in object codes 1000-7000 Some examples of acceptable uses of CAFYES funding for Category B include:          Outreach and recruitment, Service coordination, Counseling, Tutoring, Meal tickets Independent living and financial literacy skills support Career guidance, Transfer counseling, and Referrals to health services, mental health services, housing assistance, and other related services Personnel costs may include counseling staff; instructors; other academic staff; academic advisement, outreach/ recruitment, supportive services, staff support; peer advisors, peer counselors, peer tutors, peer recruiters, peer outreach workers, student workers; tutors and other staff as appropriate along with associated benefits costs Travel and conference fees or other training expenses are allowable for CAFYES personnel only This includes travel costs for CAFYES staff to attend training or participate in other types of learning opportunities specifically related to developing improved capacity to meet the specialized needs of foster youth Mileage reimbursement is permitted for CAFYES staff who attend CAFYES-related meetings (e.g., regional meetings, meetings with county child welfare/probation departments, CAFYES-related training opportunities), or conduct outreach to high schools, public agencies, community-based organizations, etc CATEGORY C: DIRECT AID TO STUDENTS Category C funds are used for direct aid which may be awarded to eligible CAFYES students who have documented unmet financial need Direct aid may be dispersed in the form of a check or voucher, is part of the student’s financial aid package and must be coordinated with Financial Aid CAFYES direct aid may be awarded in the form of an EOPS grant, EOPS work study or as an EOPS emergency loan Category C funds may be budgeted in object codes 2000, 3000, and 7000 Some examples of acceptable uses of CAFYES funding for Category C include:       Book and supply grants, Child care and transportation assistance Limited housing assistance (i.e deposit, rent) CAFYES grants and Work study grants Meal tickets Monetary limits in the amount of $900 for grants, $1,800 for work-study and $1,800 for combined grants and work-study not apply to CAFYES students In addition, the CAFYES program does not have a required category C obligation NOTE: For any category, CAFYES funds shall not be used to supplant any federal, state or local assistance 31 Unacceptable Uses of CAFYES Funds CAFYES funds shall be used to allow EOPS to enhance and strengthen staffing and program activities to identify, outreach to and provide services and needed referrals for services to eligible former and current foster youth at California community colleges Funds shall not be used for the following purposes or to cover the following expenses: a Supplanting salaries, employee benefits, services, financial aid, and other expenditures that are currently covered by other funding b Personnel salaries, employee benefits, consultant contracts, funding for activities and programs which are clearly not CAFYES-specific c Indirect costs (e.g., heat, light, power, janitorial services and district-associated costs) d Staff travel and conference and CAFYES meeting attendance expenses for personnel whose employed time and responsibility is not within the CAFYES program e Recreational or entertainment functions for CAFYES personnel f Purchase of equipment and furniture not approved in advance by the CCCCO g Political or professional association dues and/or contributions Due to the timing of notice of availability and allocations of funding, Year expenditures may precede the adoption of an approved plan but must be reflected in the plan submitted for approval and in year-end expenditure reports 32 www.calpassplus.org California College Pathways and Cal-PASS Plus: Accessing Institutional Foster Youth Data How to Access Cal-PASS Plus If you not have an account on Cal-PASS Plus, you will need to request access on behalf of your institution Cal-PASS Plus will verify your identity with the primary program contact on your college prior to providing access in order to preserve the security of institutional data This may take a few days To request access, visit www.calpassplus.org and select “Log-in” in the upper right corner of the web page Complete the “New Users” request by providing your name, email, phone, organization, and title Make sure to add a comment in the box called “Special Request” that says “Requesting Foster Youth Report.” This will alert Cal-PASS Plus that you want to see that data specifically To expedite verification, use your institution email and contact phone number to complete this form If you would prefer not to have a unique log on, or to speed up the process, you may work directly with your Institutional Research department to have a person with an existing account access the information more quickly Foster Youth Data Access and Quality All California Community Colleges (CCC), participate in Cal-PASS Plus The CCC community has recently developed a new data flag in their MIS data system to support the identification and tracking of foster youth Consistent use of this flag is necessary to ensure accurate data reporting If foster youth have not been flagged consistently, current and historical information regarding this population at an institution may be inaccurate in the Cal-PASS Plus system of data How to Access the Foster Youth Report How to View the Foster Youth Dashboard (Community Colleges Only) Go to www.calpassplus.org, log in, and then select the appropriate tab for “Community Colleges” or “Universities” in the center of the web page Then select “Helpful Reports” from the drop down menu From here, you will be able to select the related “Foster Youth” report Select the parameters you want using the buttons at the top of the dashboard, then hit “ Refresh” to run the report on the foster youth population at your institution You may then view the data through the dashboard or export the data to a spreadsheet for internal use, or to share with partners For questions or support in accessing data on Cal-PASS Plus, contact help@calpass.org Information regarding foster youth enrollment is also available through the Community College Data Dashboard at http://datamart.cccco.edu/Services/Special_Pop_Count.aspx Information regarding foster youth Course Retention/Success Rate is also available at http://datamart.cccco.edu/Outcomes/Course_Ret_Success_SP.aspx 33 Getting to Good Foster Youth Student Data INTRODUCTION Collecting and monitoring quantitative data is essential to advancing the California College Pathways Initiative’s common agenda of supporting foster youth with achieving four important student milestones: ! ! ! ! Equip with essential resources Enroll in a college or training program Earn a degree or certificate Embark on a career path By examining progress and outcome measures related to these common goals, professionals can gain insight into the educational experiences of their foster youth population and use this evidence to inform institutional policies, procedures and practices that impact the achievement of those students The collection, analysis, and synthesis of key metrics are among the first steps towards taking informed action California College Pathways has partnered with Ed Results in order to make foster youth data more readily available to campus practitioners through the CalPASS Plus System CalPASS Plus, created through leadership and funding by California Community College Chancellor’s Office, is an accessible, actionable and collaborative pre-‐K through 16 system of student data The system is managed by Ed Results and offers longitudinal data charts, detailed analysis of pre-‐K through 16 transitions and workplace outcomes, information and artifacts on success factors, and comparisons among like universities, colleges, K-‐12 school systems and schools By pulling data from K-‐12 school districts, community colleges and 4-‐year universities, along with labor market data, CalPASS Plus offers an opportunity to provide more robust tracking and analysis than any one system could provide independently As such, campuses that are not currently participating in CalPASS Plus are strongly encouraged to so The guidance provided below is meant to assist campus professionals to put systems in place that provide the most robust and accurate foster youth data possible Note that it is anticipated that many campuses will continue to utilize criteria to define eligibility for campus-‐based foster youth support programs that may be more limited than the broad definition of foster youth proposed by California College Pathways for data flagging The protocols for identifying and flagging foster youth described in this memo are for the purposes of data collection rather than program eligibility It is expected that campuses will continue to independently define eligibility for their specific foster youth programs based on available resources and individual campus priorities Whenever feasible, campuses are encouraged to track data for both the entire foster youth student population and those participating in targeted foster youth support programs where applicable CURRENT FOSTER YOUTH DEFINITIONS In order to gather data regarding foster youth, first we must be able to identify who the foster youth are This is complicated by the fact that there is no single standard definition of a “foster youth,” but rather a number of eligibility criteria for various financial and support programs designated for foster youth Getting to good foster youth data begins with comprehensive and consistent definitions and identification methods Generally, in order for an individual to be categorized as a foster youth, he or she must have been removed by a court from the home of his/her biological family for abuse and/or neglect and placed into a court-‐ ordered out-‐of-‐home placement Placements can include living with relatives, in a foster home or in a group home Additional eligibility criteria are typically based on the amount of time an individual spent in foster care, the age at which they exited care, and their age currently Some of the current foster youth definitions that relate to higher education include: • FAFSA Independent status – Question #53 on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) asks the following in order to determine if a student qualifies as “independent” based on foster care experience: “At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a 34 dependent or ward of the court?” • Chafee grants – In order to be eligible for a Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) 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 of the award year • Independent Living Programs (ILP) – In order to qualify for services through a county ILP, a youth must be under age 21 and in foster care at any time from their 16th to their 19th birthday Some youth in guardianships may also be eligible • Priority registration – Statute defines eligibility for priority enrollment as currently in foster care or emancipated from foster care (i.e exited foster care after the 18th birthday or as an emancipated minor) and currently under age 24 Regulations allow campuses to adopt broader definitions by campus or district and some have chosen to so • Medi-‐Cal – In order to qualify for Medi-‐Cal based on foster care status (i.e no income test is applied) an individual must have been in foster care on their 18th birthday and be currently under age 26 • CCC Apply – When completing the community college application, applicants are asked about their foster care status They are offered a variety of choices (see table 2), which combined capture any person who was in foster care at any age • Transitional Housing Placement Plus Program (THP-‐Plus) – In order to participate in the THP-‐Plus program an individual must be former foster youth who exited the foster care system on or after their 18th birthday and be between the ages of 18 and 24 • Foster Youth Campus Support Program eligibility (e.g Guardian Scholars) – Many campuses have targeted on campus support for foster youth and each program defines its own eligibility criteria Some may employ restrictions such as age limitations and other are more broad and may even allow for students who were in guardianships or homeless to participate The breadth of each definition often depends on the availability of program resources and some programs have tiered definitions with different types of services being available for different subsets of foster youth In addition, some definitions are linked to funding sources (e.g programs funded through YESS ILP grants are limited to serving youth who meet the qualifications for county Independent Living Programs.) A summary of the various definitions described above is provided in Table below: Table 1: Foster youth definition summary Benefit type FAFSA Chafee ETV Vouchers ILP Priority registration1 Medi-‐Cal THP-‐Plus CCC apply Age in foster care 13 and up 16 and up 16 and up 18 and up 18 and up 18 and up Any age Current Age Any Under 23 Under 21 Under 24 Under 26 18-‐24 Any Table 2: CCC Apply Options Have you ever been in court ordered foster care?2 ! I have never been in Foster Care ! I am currently in Foster Care in California ! I was previously in Foster Care in California, and aged out3 or emancipated4 from the system ! I am currently in Foster Care in a system outside California ! I was previously in Foster Care in a system outside California, and aged out or emancipated from the system 35 ! I was temporarily in Foster Care, but did not age out or emancipate from the system TRACKING FOSTER YOUTH STATUS – COMMUNITY COLLEGES Student data within the California Community College system is tracked through a centralized database known as the Management Information System (MIS) Each community college district is required to upload student level data into this system so that aggregate data can be tracked This data is then made available to the general public online through the Student Success Scorecard5 and Datamart System.6 In 2012 a flag was added to the MIS in order to track foster youth status This was a significant development in the effort to promote foster youth post-‐ secondary educational success as it allows us to now track outcomes for this population in order to determine if current interventions are effective and creates an opportunity to spotlight promising practices and hone in on where to direct resources in order to be most impactful This is the requirement specified in statute however some campuses have chosen to adopt a broader definition as allowed by regulation Per CCC Apply: “You have been in Foster Care if, by order of a court, you have been placed in a family or group home within a foster care system Foster Care includes, but is not limited to, placement in care under the supervision of the Juvenile Court Delinquency Division As long as you were placed within the foster care system by order of a court, you were in Foster Care Having a legal guardian does not necessarily mean that you have been in Foster Care.” Per CCC Apply: “You were aged out if, you were in Foster Care when you turned 18.” Per CCC Apply: “You were emancipated if, while you were in Foster Care and under 18 years old, a court granted your independence as an ‘emancipated minor’.” Available at http://scorecard.cccco.edu/scorecard.aspx Available at http://da tamart.cccco.edu/ The way in which this flag is currently used varies significantly by campus, compromising the reliability of the data Although the vast majority of campuses are reporting this data to the MIS (90% report rate as of the fall of 2013), it is believed that the flag does not at this time accurately capture all of the foster youth on campus and may in some cases include students who are not in fact foster youth In order to get to good data, campuses must utilize common definitions and tracking methods In some cases, campuses are tracking their foster youth but are not using the flag that populates the MIS foster youth data field For community colleges, it is essential that the foster youth flag that populates the foster youth data field within MIS be used to track foster youth rather than an alternative data element within the local system When a campus uses a priority registration flag to track foster youth or tracks them manually outside of the campus data system the information is not appropriately included in the upload of local campus data to MIS This causes the foster youth report available through CalPASS Plus to be inaccurate, and therefore unreliable Moreover, it impedes the eventual inclusion of foster youth data on online portals such as the Datamart TRACKING FOSTER YOUTH STATUS – CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYSTEMS Unlike the community college system, the CSU and UC systems not have a centralized mechanism for tracking foster youth and there is no requirement that individual campuses so However, like community colleges, four-‐ year campuses must utilize common definitions and tracking methods in order to get to good data As 100% of UC campuses and most CSU campuses have specialized support programs for foster youth in place, most campuses appear to have a mechanism in place for tracking foster youth Those that not should consider updating their data systems to incorporate a foster youth flag and use the data collection mechanisms described in more detail below to populate the foster youth data element 36 VERIFICATION OF FOSTER YOUTH STATUS The only formalized mechanism currently in place to verify foster youth status system-‐wide is that used by the California State Aid Commission (CSAC) for the purposes of determining eligibility for Chafee grants The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is able to conduct a data match in order to verify eligibility of students who submit applications to CSAC for a Chafee grant across all three public college and university systems The degree to which foster care status is verified for other benefits such as independent FAFSA status or priority registration varies significantly by campus This can cause confusion and inadvertently results in inconsistent access to these benefits In a handful of locations, a college or university may have a relationship with the local Independent Living Program provider or Child Welfare agency that allows a staff person with a release of information from the student to verify foster care status directly by telephone or e-‐mail In most cases however, the student is required to bring written verification to the college such as a letter from the child welfare agency or a copy of a court order that verifies their status as a current or former foster youth USING THE FOSTER YOUTH DATA ELEMENT Until a data verification system is created that allows for communication between CDSS and college data systems is put in place, the onus is on foster youth to self-‐identify and each individual campus to track them consistently The addition of a foster youth flag to the community college MIS and most university data systems makes this job easier, but some legwork is still required by campus personnel in order to ensure that the campus is capturing accurate data In order to get the most accurate data possible it is recommended that each campus use a variety of sources to identify foster youth on campus and then populate the foster youth flag based on this information Many community colleges in particular currently populate this field solely based on the information included in the student’s application While this is a good starting place, some foster youth choose to not self-‐identify on the application due to a fear of being stigmatized and others may mistakenly identify themselves as foster youth when they not in fact qualify Strong collaboration across campus departments is key to accessing all necessary information to identify eligible youth This generally requires cooperation between admissions & records, financial aid, institutional research and student services The recommended practice for populating the foster youth flag is as follows: First identify the population of students who have been identified as a foster youth from any of the following sources: " Admissions application/CCC Apply: Community colleges should include all students who answered yes to any of the five foster youth categories Four-‐year universities should identify whether there is a question regarding foster care status on their application and if there is not, consider adding one " FAFSA – Identify any student who responded “yes” to question #53 on the FAFSA " Chafee grant applications – Identify any students who were determined through financial aid to be eligible for a Chafee grant Make sure to use the list of eligible students and not just those who actually received a grant " Priority registration – Determine who is flagged as eligible for priority registration based on foster care status " EOP/EOPS – Many campus support programs ask about foster youth status on their application or intake materials " Self-Identification – Campuses that operate a separate campus support program for foster youth such as a Guardian Scholars program may know of students who did not identify as a foster youth on the application or through financial aid but did self-‐identify to the program staff " External partners – In some counties the Foster Youth Services program housed within the County Office of Education or the County Independent Living Program or county child welfare office may track which foster youth 37 have enrolled at your campus and be able to provide you with that information Determine which of these youth have already had their foster youth status verified either through a Chafee grant application, financial aid, EOP/EOPS, a campus support program, admissions and records or through an external partner All verified students from any source should be flagged as foster youth If resources allow you to conduct follow up with those who have not verified their foster youth status, request verification through multiple means (e.g e-‐mails followed up by personal phone calls) Flag all foster youth for whom you receive verification Only after multiple attempts to contact a student without response should a determination be made to not flag the student as a foster youth If resources not allow for follow up, it is recommended that you overcount rather than undercount for the purposes of data collection.7 What this means is that you would flag all students who indicated foster youth status from any source regardless of whether the status was verified or based only on self-‐report The verification process should impose as little burden on the student as possible Students who have verified foster care status for one department should not be required to verify status independently for other departments, but rather systems should be in place that allow verification status to be communicated directly between departments When foster youth are required to bring in verification, multiple forms should be accepted such as letters from a social worker or ILP program, copies of court orders, etc as different counties may provide verification to students in different formats CONCLUSION Being able to obtain relatively accurate and complete data regarding foster youth educational outcomes is essential to any effort to improve these outcomes Without an ability to track progress, foster youth supporters will not be able to judge which interventions are most successful in order to promote the use of proven practices statewide that lead to improved outcomes Further, the availability of data will allow for stronger advocacy around policy efforts to support the foster youth population In order to make the California College Pathways goals a reality, it will take effort by a range of stakeholders and time and investment across systems and campuses It is our hope that the beginning steps described in this document towards a system of shared measurement, if implemented widely by college campuses, will lead to great things to come 38