“Your foundation begins here” GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
BENEFITS ACCESS FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION • An initiative geared toward increasing access to public benefits for community college students Supporting colleges developing sustainable models that build benefits access into the everyday activities across of the college BACC is a partnership between CLASP, the American Association of Community Colleges and five foundations GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
FINANCIAL NEED CONTRIBUTES IN MANY WAYS TO FAILURE TO COMPLETE GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
HYPOTHESIS Providing students who are struggling to make ends meet with information about public benefits and assistance in applying for them will improve student success and college completion rates and reduce material hardship . GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
WHAT ARE “PUBLIC BENEFITS”? • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) • Health insurance (Medicaid and CHIP) • Family programs • TANF, child care subsidies, Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food and formula, free and reduced school lunch • Refundable Tax Credits • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) & American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) • Special programs • Disability benefits, Veterans benefits, Unemployment Insurance (UI), Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), Workforce Investment Act (non- Title II) • Community Resources GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
PUBLIC BENEFITS CAN FILL THE GAP Source : Economic Policy Institute, “State of Working America,” http://www.stateofworkingamerica.org/charts/view/182 GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
GATEWAY COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE B enefits A ccess for C ollege C ompletion GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
NEED FOR INITIATIVE • 75% of Gateway students report incomes at or below 150% of poverty level indicating a higher risk of dropping out of college due to financial reasons. • 90% of Gateway students are eligible for Federal Pell Grants designed to help low-income individuals gain access to postsecondary education. GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
INITIAL PLANNING • Strong Support from Core Team, College Leadership and additional champions • Plan was created to equip staff and faculty with the appropriate level of training to provide access to benefits • Started small with 5 cohorts then expanded to the entire college • Training Included: • Poverty Awareness Day and Poverty Simulation • Student testimonials • Marketing Themes • Take 5 Seconds • Short Term Assistance for Long Term Success • Hiring a Success Coach GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
SUCCESS COACH Success Coach provides intrusive case management and serves as point person. • Inform students about the existence of programs • Help students understand how to apply • Screen students to determine if they are eligible and assist them to apply • Assist students to provide needed documentation and understand any barriers to eligibility • Follow-up with benefits programs/local offices to troubleshoot on behalf of individual students • Advocate for policy changes that streamline benefits receipt for students GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
SUSTAINABILITY • Embedding as a routine college function and offer access through a variety of momentum points through the entire Gateway experience • Add in and not an add on • Provides multiple delivery options to encourage students to apply • Incorporating in emergency funds at college • Early Alert-transition to Starfish • Expanding to other departments (ex. VETS, Human Service Program) GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
AMAZING RESULTS BACC Student Comparable Student Total Students Served to Date (March 2014) 307 N/A Average GPA 2.75 2.24 73.6% 54.7% Retention Rate of BACC Students (Spring 13- Spring 14): $142,091 N/A Estimated Retained Revenue (Spring 13-Spring 14): GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
BACC to your ROOTS Where we are today………. Case management by providing referrals and resources for: • Student Self Check • State benefits • External-Community Resources (housing, utility assistance) • Internal College Resources Empowering students: • Teaching them to self-advocate • Organization techniques Developing Peer Mentoring Program: • Outreach to students • Classroom presentations, marketing • Continue to build community relationships • Advocating for their fellow peers GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
GETTING STARTED • Identify the need on your campus • Seek buy-in from leadership • Seek out individuals on campus and in the community already doing this work • Form a committed team • Create an action plan • Strengthen community partnerships • State agencies (Gateway-Kentucky and Ohio) • Safety Net Alliance GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM 14
INTEGRATION • Integrate benefits discussions/application into college functions • Financial aid, career services, support services, advising and counseling processes • Integrate a module about benefits in orientation, student success courses, and other courses • Use students to help market, do outreach, and serve students GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM 15
LESSONS LEARNED • Receiving buy-in from leadership and employees: Faculty and staff are looking for ways to assist students to make ends meet but don’t have time. • Getting students in the door: Providing public benefits is new for the college, and receiving it from college staff is new for students. GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
WHY DON’T MORE STUDENTS ACCESS BENEFITS? • Lack of information, misinformation about eligibility Don ’ t know that programs exist Think they are not eligible Don ’ t know how to apply or where to get help Feel the benefit is not worth the hassle Don ’ t see themselves as target for public benefit programs • Applying is often time consuming, frustrating Same information collected multiple times Need documentation of income, family status • Stigma and other social/cultural barriers GCTC STUDENT PARENT SUPPORT SYMPOSIUM
CONTACT INFO Shellie Baker Shellie.baker@kctcs.edu Sarah Young Sarah.Young@kctcs.edu GCTC NEW HORIZONS PRESENTATION
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