1. A Foster Youth’s Journey…
from Middle School to Post-Secondary Education

2. Middle School Experience
• Did family problems negatively impact on
your school experience / attendance?
• Did you ever feel judged or labeled?
• Did you have adults in your life that you
could turn to with problems?

3. Best and Worst
Practices
• What does it look like when a school-related staff
member responds to the needs of a foster youth in
middle school in a way that is LESS than helpful?
• "What does it look like when they do it right?"

4. Extra-Curricular Activities

5. High School Experience
• How many school changes did you
have?
• Did the schools use the same textbook?
• Did your credits transfer?

6. Barriers to College Preparation
• Foster youth attend five high schools on average
• 65% percent change schools mid-year
• With each transfer, lose 4-6 months of progress
• Only 15% enrolled in college prep courses in high
school

7. Recommendations from Casey
Family Programs
• Expect students in foster care to be
successful in school and prepare them
for postsecondary education or training.
• Know your students coming from foster
care, meet their caregivers and social
workers, and commit to school stability
for the student whenever possible.
• Arrange for students to participate in
course work and activities that maximize
their postsecondary education and
training options.

8. Recommendations from Casey
Family Programs
• Arrange for career/vocational
assessments, work experiences, and
career exploration type experiences.
• Help students learn about and apply for
colleges and/or training programs that
are of interest and appropriate
(academically, financially, career wise,
supportive, geographically, etc.) –
follow through with the enrollment
process.

9. • Steps to take
• Order to take them in
• Resources available

10. Best and Worst
Practices
• Who, if anyone helped you during your time in high
school to prepare for college?
• What more could have been done to help you to
prepare in order to succeed?

11. Tips On Choosing A College
• College visits
• “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”
• Out-of-state tuition is much higher
• Consider housing situation (dorm vs. apartment)
• Does this school have an Ohio Reach Liaison?

12. Name That Logo

13. • Ohio Reach is a statewide initiative to
increase the number of foster care youth
who enroll in and graduate from college.
• Part of how we do this is by establishing
Foster Care Liaisons at Ohio universities
and community colleges.

14. Ohio College Opportunity Grant
(OCOG)
Available for Former Foster Youth
At Community Colleges
Eligibility Requirements
ETV eligibility form
Students must provide Financial Aid Office with
that form. Financial Aid office must double-check
that student is listed on their roster as eligible for
OCOG.
The amount will reflect $0, but the Ohio Board of
Regents will override that after receiving the ETV
notification.

15. Ohio College Opportunity Grant
(OCOG)
If School Doesn’t Know About the OCOG
Or How to Apply It
Questions About the OCOG?
Contact the Ohio Board of Regents
Financial Aid Help Desk
1-888-833-1133
http://regents.ohio.gov/sgs/ocog

16. Students complete an online application
once a year at www.statevoucher.org

17. Ohio ETV Program Home Page

18. What Can ETV pay for?
* ETV funds pay for college and vocational school
related costs.
However, with fewer funds to award, ETV’s first
priority is to award funds to remaining tuition,
books. An effort is ALWAYS made to supersede loans
when possible.
• Then, if not paid by other stipends, ETV attempts to
pay requests for rent, living expenses, and
computers. Almost every student’s situation
is different.
For more information on the federal definition of “cost
of attendance,” visit www.ed.gov/policy.

19. What Forms Are Required
for OH ETV?
1. Financial Aid Release Form: Student should take
the ETV to the financial aid office, where it is
completed and faxed to OH ETV.
2. Cashier’s Statement: Student should take the ETV
to the
cashier/bursar’s office, where it is completed and
faxed along
With dated copy of the student’s ITEMIZED BILL for
that term.
Students cannot be funded without completed ETV
forms
and a current school bill.

20. Students can check on the
status of their paperwork.

21. Students can view check
disbursements made to them or a third
party.

22. Staying in touch with OFA
to receive/maintain ETV
1. Stay in touch with OFA: If they lose touch with a
student after 5 attempts by phone and email, the
youth’s application is “made inactive” until OFA
hears from them.
2. Keep track of user name/password: Students
should watch their STATUS Page, which shows
them term by term, what forms and transcripts
are received or missing. They can see what checks
have been issued for them, or to them, term by
term.
Students can update their personal information 24/7,
so that they will get their checks at the right
place, and OFA can write and call them monthly.

23. Board
Game
Oh io Reach

24. College Experience
• What was your biggest
challenge?
• What are you most proud of?