Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM)’s Post

For an undocumented family, there are many barriers to attending college: financial challenges, lack of awareness, immigration status, and more. I have been supporting a student for two months now, trying to finalize her FAFSA, but we have not been able to complete it. She went to her financial aid office at Michigan State University and was told they could not help her. We have called the FAFSA helpline every week. We call at 8 am because if you call by 8:30, they will state that there are too many phone calls coming in and that we should call at another time. Then they hang up. Today, I sat with her mother, who is fearful that her daughter won't be able to study. She asked me, "Can I make small payments?" A single parent, willing to do anything for her daughter to graduate. We finally got through, only to be told that a parent without a Social Security number has to add 000-00-0000 to the section when asked. WRONG. That is no longer the process for the new FAFSA. The agent apologized and was unable to help us. We were transferred, but by this point, it was past 8:30, meaning there were too many calls, and we had to try at another time. Students in mixed-status families are already facing mountain-high barriers. This experience highlights the urgent need for better support systems and clear guidance for undocumented and mixed-status families. Education is a right that should be accessible to all, regardless of immigration status. We need better training for financial aid offices to ensure that every student has a fair chance at pursuing higher education. If anyone has suggestions or resources that could help, please reach out. #EducationForAll #UndocumentedStudent

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, there are roughly 580,000 DACA recipients in the United States. DACA or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals refers to a U.S. policy that provides some protections for certain young, undocumented immigrants. One of the challenges that DACA recipients face is that they do not qualify for federal financial aid as they are not U.S. Citizens. However, there are things that DACA students can do to make college more affordable: 1) Some states do offer financial aid to undocumented students. 2) In-state tuition can be a more affordable option. 3) Research scholarships and grants specifically for DACA students. 4) Work-study programs in certain states. 5) Private loans may be an option, but borrow responsibly. In the comments you can find a guide by Zach Skillings and Cecelia Gilmore about how to pay for college as a DACA student, as well as our list of scholarships that DACA recipients are eligible for.

Biden’s latest education handout would go to illegal immigrants First paragraph is opinion by Angela Morabito • “The Biden administration is pursuing a misguided policy that would allow illegal immigrants to access taxpayer-financed college preparatory programs.  The migrant crisis, fueled by the current administration, is already stretching our country’s social services programs to the point of collapse. Using taxpayer dollars to help undocumented students get to college, when many American students are ineligible for the very same programs, perfectly encapsulates this administration’s misguided policy positions: Tax hardworking citizens to support pet policies that appease a leftist base and do it all through an opaque regulatory process to avoid public outcry.”      From fighting Texas on protecting the border to crippling our country economically the Biden Administration keeps up the Socialist push.    For the American Citizen his focus appears on building a robust IRS to keep our tax money coming to fund this treason!  This globalist agenda is intent on bringing down the United States—reducing us to a third world country.  

It's the 70th anniversary week of Brown v. Board of Education and this week's lead story by our news editor Aaron Foley looks at the challenges migrant students and their families face in getting access to public education. "But decades after that ruling, de facto segregation—though not the same as redlining or housing covenants—still persists in public schools nationwide, largely due to local policies and statutes that have long been at fundamental odds with the Supreme Court ruling. And while many of these policies do not target education specifically, their residual effects spill over into how Americans pursue education, and chip away at the right of students to a quality education. "Since Mayor Eric Adams enacted a 60-day limit for migrant families in New York City shelters, the new deadline has caused turmoil for families of children enrolling in Department of Education schools already stretched thin with resources to aid these families, critics and advocates say. And with more and more migrants arriving daily, critics say that their right to a free, quality public education is being denied because of a lack of resources. Those who do enter the system may bring down test scores, graduation rates and other crucial statistics for the public school system that determine everything from funding and resource allocation to how our school system is perceived in comparison to neighboring districts." https://lnkd.in/eyNgqyh5

More about the infamous "FAFSA Fail" as described by the house committee. #highered #collegesanduniversities #financialaid #admissions #FAFSA https://lnkd.in/gbfxPPXN

The errors may inflate the size of a student’s aid package, and thus create a false illusion of how much aid a student is eligible for. #politics #education #fafsa #studentaid https://lnkd.in/esUXRKy4

In contrast to recent years, the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be released by the end of December (this month). Here are 7 key changes expected on the 2024-2025 FAFSA as a result of the passage into law of the FAFSA Simplification Act. #FAFSA #FAFSASimplificationAct #FinancialAid #StudentAid #HigherEducation #Scholarships #College https://lnkd.in/e62vCmEB

Curious about Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) and how it helps vulnerable immigrant children find safety and stability in the U.S.? Check out our latest blog at Casas Immigration! Learn about the requirements, benefits, and how SIJS can open doors to education, work, and even U.S. citizenship. 🌟 Ready to explore your options? Read the full blog and reach out to us for a consultation at (312) 971-7221. #SIJS #ImmigrationLaw #CasasImmigration

Thousands of educators from across the nation will be in #Houston starting this weekend for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) annual convention. Before things get underway Monday, more than 100 education professionals will spend some time doing service projects in the Houston area. Sunday, teachers will restore three homes in the city's historic Fourth Ward Freedmen's Town, established by freed Black families in 1865. Zeph Capo, president of the Texas AFT, said it is important to preserve history during a time when many people are trying to erase it. "Students in Houston complete their public-school education and may never know the story of the individuals that established this area within their own city," Capo cautioned. "Because it's not something that is prioritized, it's certainly not something that the state Board of Education has said is important." In the 1920s and '30s, the Fourth Ward neighborhood was dubbed Houston's Black Wall Street. Educators will also revitalize a community space where a historic church once stood, and will re-rock the prayer labyrinth. Also on Sunday, educators will host a free clinic to help lawful permanent residents apply for U.S. citizenship. Volunteers will help people fill out the N-400 application and immigration lawyers will be in attendance to answer questions. Capo noted sometimes, educators need to step outside the classroom. "The purpose of our work, teaching the fundamentals -- the ABCs and the 123s -- but it really is, as a public service is intended to create educated, critical thinking citizens that are able to carry out the running of our country," Capo emphasized. Capo added Texas educators have held similar citizenship clinics across the state and this weekend's event will be used as training for teachers from other regions. Disclosure: The American Federation of Teachers-Texas contributes to our fund for reporting on Education, Livable Wages/Working Families, Mental Health, and Youth Issues.

CHILDREN AT RISK is proud to join the Education for All campaign, led by the National Immigration Law Center, to protect K-12 public education access for all children, regardless of immigration status. This coalition of 35 organizations, including leading education, immigrant rights, and civil rights groups, is dedicated to ensuring that every child can continue to access a free public education, a fundamental right and pillar of our democracy. “Providing free public education to all children living in America ensures that no state is allowed to inadvertently create an underclass of children by depriving them of an education,” said Linda Corchado, senior director of immigration at Children at Risk. “Free public education ensures that not one child is placed at a permanent and insurmountable competitive disadvantage, because if there could ever be a silver bullet to eradicate poverty, it is the unencumbered right to an education.” Together, we stand against those who aim to weaken our public schools by targeting immigrant communities. Learn more: www.education4all.us #EducationForAll #ChildrenAtRisk #ProtectOurKids #EqualAccess #NILC #EducationRights #ForChildren