Homeless college students in Colorado will now have an easier time making sure they get in-state college tuition rates, because of a bill signed into law in Tuesday.
Up until now, homeless students had to use their parents’ address as proof of their residency in Colorado. That created a lot of problems for young people estranged from their parents and living elsewhere.
The upshot: While they might qualify for federal student aid, they couldn’t pay in-state tuition.
Under the new law, students under 22 years old can use documents like school and motor vehicle records to establish residency. The new law will affect a growing number of students. The number of unaccompanied homeless youth in Colorado’s public schools has increased 50 percent from the 2009-10 school year to 2012-13.
