If students are completely undocumented, they have no SSN, and the school district is almost certain to be aware of that fact. If they were formerly documented, and were awarded an SSN, but have fallen out of that status, the school district might not be aware of the current situation. But in that latter case, the family surely knows.
In addition, there are scads of students who are legally in the US (F1 and J1 students here independently, and F, G, H, J, etc. visa dependents) who can’t file the FAFSA.
@Mwfan1921 I know that students don’t need an SSN to enroll. But it has been my understanding that in many school districts the SSN is recorded if one is available. That sort of information would be in a school district database and could possibly allow the guidance team to determine which students are likely to need waivers based on status. Perhaps in Illinois no SSN’s are recorded anywhere for students?
Don’t know about SSN’s being used anywhere, but I can’t recall giving any schools my kids’ SSNs.
Regardless, our HS is adamant that undocuments should feel safe and do not ever have to feel pressure to divulge that they are in fact undocumented.
As a separate, yet related situation, home room teachers and counselors do not know which kids have free lunch either, unless the student or parent chooses do disclose this info. Test fee waiver forms are accessible to all, so that college counselors don’t necessarily see who takes them.
True…there are many students here on visas that can’t file FASFA.
I guess if the waiver process is too difficult/pain, people can just say that they’re here illegally or on visa and voila! Lol
My understanding is that the waiver can be as simple as the student or a parent signing a piece of paper stating that they know what the FAFSA is for and they decline to complete it. Not difficult and not a pain.
I imagine schools will track the students who are not eligible to file a FAFSA & give them automatic waivers. They do have access to the information they need to do that.