Eastern Regional Passport Group
2023-05-16 14:30 - 16:00 UTC | Zoom
The Eastern Regional Passport Group facilitates collaboration among local service providers, addresses barriers, and further empowers students who have experienced foster care or unaccompanied homelessness to achieve their secondary and post-secondary educational and training goals. You are invited to join our group if you work in the secondary or postsecondary space and support Passport to Careers eligible students in the Eastern Washington region, and would like to connect with professionals. These meetings are facilitated by the College Success Foundation. Please email passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org for more information.

South Central Regional Passport Group
2023-05-18 11:00 - 12:30 UTC | Zoom
If you work in the secondary or post-secondary space and support Passport to Careers eligible students in the South Central area/Region 2* and would like to connect with other professionals and share resources, consider joining this group! The South Central Passport group convenes quarterly and meetings are facilitated by the College Success Foundation. Please email passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org for more information.
*Region 2 includes Yakima, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Tri-Cities – Kennewick, Pasco, Richland.

2023 Passport to Careers Annual Conference
2023-05-23 00:00 - 2023-05-24 23:59 UTC | DoubleTree by Hilton, 18740 International Blvd, SeaTac, 98188, United States
The Passport to Careers State Conference is an engaging two-day event with multiple opportunities to network, connect, share, learn, and be inspired by professionals actively supporting youth with foster care and/or unaccompanied homeless experience to reach their academic goals. In addition, you will have the opportunity to hear about new concepts and emerging issues that you can directly apply to your work.

Webinar: Equitable Strategies for Mental Health Support
2023-05-23 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Mental health is an area of increasing concern for students that we serve, so to strategically address student needs, we must examine how we define equity and implement strategies that center the most marginalized populations. This session will allow participants to reflect on their understanding of equity; share and debrief challenges related to student mental health that they have experienced, and learn equitable strategies related to life skills, social connectedness, help-seeking, and beyond.
Panelists:

Erlinda Delacruz: Senior JED Campus Advisor, The Jed Foundation
Emilia George: JED Campus Advisor, The Jed Foundation

Webinar: Empowering Students with Learning Differences Through the Transition to College
2023-05-24 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
This webinar will highlight the major differences between high school and college, such as IDEA vs. ADA, time management, academic responsibility, and self-advocacy. Intended for college-bound students, families, and professionals, this presentation will examine areas of transition such as self-advocacy, career awareness, goal setting, and campus resources essential in supporting students’ success as they move into postsecondary settings.
Join speakers from the East Carolina University (ECU) STEPP Program as they share some of the efforts and methods they use with their students to get them ready to be full-fledged ECU students.
Speakers:

Adam Denney, Director at STEPP Program, East Carolina University
Ashley Cooper, Transition Specialist at STEPP Program, East Carolina University

WPN Webinar: 2023 Legislative Update: Removing Obstacles for the Passport Population
2023-06-07 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Join members of the Passport Leadership Team Advising Structure Workgroup to learn about and discuss policy successes from the 2023 legislative session. We will also debrief the PLT engagement in advocacy this year and ask for input on how to move these conversations forward.
Register
Presenters:
Juliet Schindler is the Executive Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships with College Success Foundation. Juliet develops and implements CSF’s state and federal government relations work and advocacy outreach, and works closely with legislators, agency and budget staff on CSF’s state funding and policy agenda. She also oversees CSF’s work on the Passport to Careers program, including as staff to the PLT Advising Structure Workgroup.

Emily Stochel is the Program Manager of Government Relations & Advocacy with College Success Foundation. Emily works with community partners, legislators, and other stakeholders to support policies and legislative advocacy work that aligns with CSF’s mission and values. Emily has special expertise in advocacy relating to those experiencing foster care and homelessness, as she has been working and volunteering in the child welfare field for over ten years in different capacities, and has experienced foster care and homelessness first-hand.

Curtis Anderson first entered state care at the age of seven before being returned to his family at eight. Curtis was homeless on and off prior to this. Curtis would later permanently re-enter the child welfare system at the age of 13. Thanks to the support of Passport to Careers at SCC, Curtis was able to continue pursuing higher education and obtained a bachelor’s from Eastern Washington University. Curtis is now pursuing a Master of Social Work degree which he will complete in June. Curtis has focused on education as a form of self-empowerment for both him and the students he now works with as a Graduate Assistant at Eastern Washington University. Curtis takes a macro-focused approach in an attempt to improve the systems and policies that affect those who are homeless and in foster care.

Schoolhouse Connection Youth Leadership and Scholarship Program
2023-06-12 08:00 - 2023-11-24 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
This is one of the only national scholarship programs specifically serving youth that have experienced homelessness with financial assistance and staff and peer support to get into and complete higher education.
Applications will be accepted starting June 12.
More information

Northwest Regional Passport Group Meeting
2023-06-13 14:00 - 15:30 UTC | Zoom
This regional group is for professionals and educators in the Northwest region/Region 3* that work in the secondary or post-secondary area and support Passport to Careers eligible students. Please contact passport@collegesuccessfoundation.org for more information.
*Region 3 includes Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and/or San Juan Counties.

WSAC Webinar: Passport to College
2023-06-20 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Register

WSAC Webinar: State Workstudy Updates and Portal Walkthrough
2023-06-20 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom

WSAC Webinar: Washington College Grant - Connect (WCG-C)
2023-06-22 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom

WSAC Webinar: All About the WAFSA
2023-06-22 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom

Webinar: Targeted Education Case Management for Students in Foster Care: Models and Impact
2023-07-12 12:30 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
The American Bar Association’s Legal Center for Foster Care and Education and the Youth Law Center invite you to attend a webinar “Targeted Education Case Management for Students in Foster Care: Models and Impact”. The webinar will highlight two exemplary practice models that provide targeted education case management for students in foster care. Treehouse provides academic and other essential support for more than 6,000 youth in foster care across Washington State each year. The National Center for Youth Law’s Compassionate Education System initiatives work in partnership with a deeply invested team of state and local partners, students, and parents to create a future in which the vast majority of system-involved youth graduate high school with the widest array of possibilities for their future. Both organizations will provide an overview of their programs, examples of impact, and strategies to better support the educational needs of students in foster care.
REGISTER

College Access Professionals 2024-25 FAFSA® Demonstration
2023-08-17 10:00 - 23:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Webinar for college access professionals will provide a tour of new features and discussion on important updates for 2024–25 FAFSA form!
The webinar exclusively for college access professionals will share a tour of new features and discuss important updates to the FAFSA experience. The demonstration will include a look at the new roles page, inviting contributors, new question order, student demographic questions, the parent wizard, and other exciting features. Attendees will also view how to provide consent to retrieve and disclose Federal Tax Information (FTI).
There will be an opportunity to ask questions.
Register Now

Western Regional Passport Group Meeting - virtual
2023-08-17 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
If you are interested in learning more, please email us at passport@collegesuccecssfoundation.org.

South Central Regional Passport Group Meeting - in person
2023-08-28 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Perry Technical Institute, 2011 W Washington Ave, Yakima, WA, 98903, United States

Pierce Kitsap Regional Passport Group Meeting - in person
2023-08-29 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | University of Washington – Tacoma

Eastern Regional Passport Group Meeting - in person
2023-09-12 10:30 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Spokane Falls Community College, 3410 W Whistalks Way, Spokane, WA, 99224, United States

Webinar: ARP-HCY Info Session with ED- SchoolHouse Connection
2023-09-12 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
In the wake of the pandemic, a nationwide housing shortage, persistent chronic absence, and alarming child and youth mental health crises, students and schools face unprecedented challenges – including increasing homelessness.
American Rescue Plan — Homeless Children and Youth, or ARP-HCY funds, are one-time funds that can help meet these challenges. ARP-HCY funds are designated to support the identification, enrollment, and school participation of children and youth experiencing homelessness, including through wrap-around services. These funds must be obligated by September 30, 2024 and spent by January 31, 2025.
SchoolHouse Connection is hosting this ARP-HCY Info Session featuring presenters from the U.S. Department of Education to provide strategies for meeting urgent needs, including allowable and strategic uses of funds, and examples and tools from state and local educational agencies. We encourage participation from school leaders, homeless liaisons, state education agency staff, and community partners
Featured Presenter: Adam Schott, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education.
Register

WPN Webinar: Using Real-Time Data to House QTBIPOC Youth and Young Adults
2023-09-13 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Zoom
Young people of color and young people who identify as LGBTQ+ are disproportionately served by systems. In this webinar, we will look at using data to end disproportionality and the importance of breaking down barriers between systems to achieve quality data and equitably end homelessness.
Presenter:
Leeze Castro (he/they) – Data & Evaluation Fellow (A Way Home Washington)
Leeze Castro (he/they), 23, is passionate about ending youth homelessness, focusing on the unique challenges faced by BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals. Leeze brings over 5 years of experience from systems-level change work as a young person with lived experience. Having started with the King County YAB (Youth Action Board) while it was facilitated by the Northwest Network, the Mockingbird Society, and eventually itself, Leeze now sits on the KCRHA’s (King County Regional Homelessness Authority) Continuum of Care Board. After double-majoring in mathematics and sociology, Leeze now joins those two passions as the Data and Evaluations Fellow for A Way Home Washington, a non-profit focused on ending youth and young adult homelessness throughout Washington State. There, Leeze makes use of data-driven strategies to tackle the organization’s mission, and to take an immediate and direct approach in addressing the ultimate goal of bringing an end to systemic inequity.
Register Today

Webinar: Getting Ready for the Better FAFSA
2023-09-25 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Presented by NCAN
Register

Passport Leadership Team Meeting- in person
2023-10-02 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles)

2023 Conference on Ending Homelessness (COEH)
2023-10-05 08:00 - 2023-10-06 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
COEH is the largest annual gathering of people working to end homelessness in Washington. We will gather virtually from across the state to learn from each other, exchange ideas and share advice, get inspired and re-energized, and organize to grow the movement to end homelessness in Washington and beyond.
This conference is for everyone – whether you are a service provider, a long-time housing justice advocate, an organizer, an elected official, or someone who wants to start learning more about how we can end homelessness in Washington, we extend a warm welcome for you to join us. We will provide multiple spaces for identity-based caucusing to reflect and process with others who share similar identities.
Registration will open July 17. Register early for the best rates!
More Information

Webinar: Financial Aid 101- for Staff
2023-10-10 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
This webinar will provide a general overview of aid available, changes for the upcoming year, how financial aid offices build budgets, and how aid is awarded. Good refresher for beginners.
Presented by College Success Foundation
Register

WPN Webinar: Understanding FAFSA Simplification for Youth Experiencing Foster Care (State, Federal and Tribal)
2023-10-11 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Big changes are coming this fall for 2024-25 financial aid applications! In this session, we will discuss the FAFSA Simplification Act, best practices in implementing changes, and how to communicate changes to partners, students, and their families. We will also share free resources to support you as you help students take their next steps
Presenter: Christina Winstead (She/Her), Associate Director, College Access Initiatives, WSAC
Register Today

Webinar: Creating an FSA ID- for Staff
2023-10-12 10:00 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Students and parents will need to create their own FSA ID to access and sign the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). They will use their FSA ID every year to fill out a FAFSA form.
Join us to learn how students and parents will create and use their FSA ID.
Presented by College Success Foundation
Register

South Central Regional Passport Group Meeting- virtual
2023-10-12 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)

Webinar: CSF Scholarships- for Staff
2023-10-16 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
This webinar will prepare you for the next CSF scholarship cycle. Learn about different programs, and changes for the upcoming year, and get a tour of the scholarship application platform.
Presented by College Success Foundation
Register

Webinar: Creating an FSA ID- for Students and Families
2023-10-17 18:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Whether you’re a student or parent you’ll need to create your own FSA ID to access and sign the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You will use your FSA ID every year you fill
out a FAFSA form. Join us to learn how to create and use your FSA ID.
Presented by College Success Foundation
Register

Webinar: Cómo crear un FSA ID (Español)- for Students and Families
2023-10-19 18:00 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Los estudiantes y padres necesitan crear la credencial FSA ID para acceder y firmar la Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes (FAFSA). Utilizaran la credencial FSA ID cada año para llenar y firmar el formulario FASFA. En esta sesión aprenderá como crear y utilizar su FSA ID.
Presented by College Success Foundation
Register
