Academic Competitiveness Grants and National SMART Grants Jeff Baker Federal Student Aid

Academic Competitiveness Grants and National SMART Grants

Jeff BakerFederal Student Aid

U.S. Department of Education

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The Higher Education Reconciliation Act

of 2005 (HERA)

National Science and Mathematics

Access to Retain Talent Grant

(National SMART Grants)

Academic Competitiveness Grant

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Authorization and FundingFunding for these programs is not subject to annual appropriations process:

2006-07 -- $790 million

2007-08 -- $850 million

2008-09 -- $920 million

2009-10 -- $960 million

2010-11 -- $1.01 billion

Rules and Regulations Interim Final Regulations for 2006-2007 published

on July 3, 2006. Invitation to comment through August 17, 2006 for possible changes for 2007-2008

Received 80 comments.

Final Regulations for 2007-2008 award year will be published on November 1.

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Rules and Regulations

Likely Changes: Permit a student to receive an ACG or National

SMART Grant if they received a Pell Grant in the same award year, rather than the same payment period.

Clarify that a student’s academic year progression is based on attendance in all eligible programs in which the student has enrolled over the course of the student’s undergraduate education.

Rules and Regulations

Negotiated Rulemaking for 2008-2009 and Beyond

Federal Register Notice published on August 18 Regional Meetings –

Berkeley, CA – September 19 Chicago, IL – October 5 Orlando, FL – November 2 Washington, DC – November 9

Rules and Regulations

Negotiated Rulemaking for 2008-2009 and Beyond

Tentative Calendar Sessions: December 2006, February

and March 2007 NPRM: May 2007 Comments: July 2007 Final Rule: November 1, 2007 Effective Date: July 1, 2008 with possible

early implementation

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Institutional Responsibilities

Institutions are responsible for implementing the new programs, within the guidance provided.

The Secretary recognizes that institutions will face significant challenges in implementing the programs with virtually no lead time for the 2006-2007 award year.

These facts will be considered during reviews of an institution’s implementation of the programs.

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Programs Are Similar in Some Ways

Student EligibilityU.S. Citizen Only – No Eligible Non-Citizen

Pell Grant Recipient During Same Award Year

Full-time Enrollment for Payment Period

Enrolled in Degree Program

Progression by Student Academic Year

Only One Scheduled Award for Each Academic Year

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Separate and Distinct Programs

ACG National SMART1st & 2nd academic years of a two or four year degree program.

3rd & 4th academic years of a four year degree program.

Requires completion of rigorous secondary school program of study.

Requires student to be in a designated major.

1st Academic Year - $7502nd Academic Year- $1,300

3rd Academic Year - $4,0004th Academic Year - $4,000

GPA of at least 3.0 as of the end of 1st academic year only.

GPA of at least 3.0 as of the beginning of each payment period.

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Duration of Student Eligibility

For ACG, students are restricted to one grant for the student’s first academic year and one grant for the student’s second academic year.

For National SMART Grant, students are restricted to one grant for each of of the student’s third and fourth academic years in an eligible major.

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Academic Competitiveness Grants

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ACG Eligibility Requirements

1st year students May not have been previously enrolled while in

high school as a regular student in an ACG eligible program.

Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study after January 1, 2006

2nd year students Have completed a rigorous secondary school

program of study after January 1, 2005 Have a 3.0 or higher G.P.A. in an eligible program

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Previous Enrollment Restriction for 1st Year ACG

While in High School

Not eligible if enrolled as a “regular student” in an ACG eligible program

Can be eligible if not enrolled as a “regular student” in ACG eligible program

After High School

No previous enrollment restriction for a student enrolled after high school.

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Student must have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study

ED has outlined options to meet requirement in the regulations

ACG Eligibility Requirements

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Options for Rigorous Program

1. State Designated Program

State Submitted Program

An advanced or honors program established by a state and in existence for the 2004-2005 or 2005-2006 school year

State Scholars Initiative

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Options for Rigorous Program

2. A set of courses as outlined in the final regulations.

3. Completion of at least two Advanced Placement (AP) courses with passing test score of 3 or two International Baccalaureate (IB) courses with passing test score of 4.

http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/about/ac-smart/state-programs06.html

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Options for Rigorous ProgramSet of Courses

4 years of English 3 years of math

Two of which must be Algebra I and above 3 years of science –

Two of which must be Biology, Chemistry, or Physics

3 years of Social Studies 1 year of a language other than English

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Documenting Rigorous Program Institutions are responsible for determining the

eligibility of students who self-identified. On at least the standard(s) selected by the

student. Institutions are encouraged to identify eligible

students based on records they have (e.g., high school transcripts, test scores).

Institutions are also responsible if student informs the institution directly.

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Documenting Rigorous Program Documentation from “cognizant authority”

can be provided by – The student “Cognizant authority” directly

For home schooled students, the parent or guardian is the cognizant authority.

For transfer students, an institution may rely on another school’s determination that student completed a rigorous program.

NSLDS will store the data

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ACG Applicant Self-Identification Process Department notifies potentially eligible students of how

to provide additional eligibility information.

Student provides additional information on website or calls toll-free number. More than 400,000 have provided info.

Department sends responses to schools. Note: Does not apply to National SMART Grant where

school has all its needs to identify and award.

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Secondary School Coursework In instances where the student completed the secondary school curriculum in a system where the high school did not include grade 9, colleges should use their normal processes for ensuring that coursework completed in grade 9 is included.

If the grades 10-12 high school transcript shows completion of three years English, the college can assume that the student completed a year of English in the ninth grade.

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Secondary School Coursework If the high school transcript shows completion of

Algebra II, the college can assume that the student completed Algebra I.

If the high school transcript shows completion of Geometry and the college knows that the

requirements of the student’s school district requires the completion of Algebra I before Geometry can be taken, the college can assume that the student completed Algebra I; otherwise, the college cannot assume Algebra I was completed.

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Secondary School Coursework If the high school transcript shows completion of

the second year of a foreign language, the college can assume that the student completed the first year of that same language.

American Sign Language counts as a language other than English

A computer programming language does not count as a language other than English.

If the state allows an ESL course to meet its high school English graduation requirements, then it is OK for English requirement.

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ACG Grade Point Average

ACG - For second academic year, student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 from the first academic year. Only determined one time, after completion of

first academic year.

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ACG Grade Point Average

ACG Example – Student completes first academic year after Spring term and has a cumulative GPA of 2.9. Student attends summer and earns high grades so that new cumulative GPA preceding the Fall term is 3.1. Student is not eligible for second year ACG because GPA for the first year was not at least 3.0.

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ACG Grade Point Average

ACG Example – Student completes first academic year after Spring term and has a cumulative GPA of 3.2. Student attends summer and earns low grades so that new cumulative GPA preceding the Fall term is 2.8. Student is eligible for second year ACG because GPA for the first year was at least 3.0.

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ACG Grade Point Average

For a student who transfers after completing first academic year, new school must calculate GPA using the grades from all coursework accepted from prior schools.

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National SMART Grants

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Computer Science Engineering Technology Life Sciences

Mathematics Physical Sciences Designated

Foreign Languages

Identified by CIP* code in DCLs GEN-06-06 and GEN-06-15*Classification of Instructional Program

National SMART GrantMajor Fields of Study

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Requires that a recipient – Declare an eligible major; or Show intent to declare eligible major if school

policy does not yet require a major . Institution must have process to monitor that student

is making progress toward completion of the program with that eligible major.

National SMART GrantsMonitoring Major

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Grade Point Average

National SMART Grant – For each payment period student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 –

Includes student’s entire program – all coursework required for degree in approved major

Calculated through last completed payment period

Reviewed prior to each disbursement

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Both Programs

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Need-Based Grants Total of ACG/National SMART, EFC, Pell, and all

estimated financial aid cannot exceed cost of attendance.

ACG and National SMART may not replace EFC in need equation.

May reduce other aid, including FSEOG, to avoid an overaward.

May reduce ACG/National SMART award to avoid an overaward.

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Determining Enrollment Status

Schools must have the same policy for determining enrollment status for Pell Grants and for ACGs and National SMART Grants.

Schools must use same recalculation policy, such as recalculation date (census date), that is used for Pell Grants.

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Disbursements

Funds maintained and disbursed according to Title IV cash management rules.

Disbursements made on payment period basis. If disbursement is for a cross-over payment

period, Pell Grant and ACG/National SMART Grant must be assigned to same award year.

Student may not receive ACG or National SMART concurrently from more than one school.

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Remaining Eligibility

Determination of remaining eligibility based on % of Scheduled Award.

Example: Student with second year ACG for two quarters for a total of $866 has received 2/3 of the 2006-07 Scheduled Award of $1,300. Student is only eligible, as a second year student, for the remaining 1/3 of the Scheduled Award.

Note: Scheduled Award may be different if balance of an academic year is in a new award year.

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Academic YearStudent’s progress and duration of eligibility in an eligible program is measured in Title IV academic years. A Title IV academic year is defined in the HEA to be –

A minimum of either: Twenty-four semester credit hours, or Thirty-six quarter credit hours, or 900 clock hours.

--AND—

A minimum of 30 weeks of instruction (26 for clock hours) .

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Academic Year - Credit HoursRegardless of how many credit hours an institution uses to define a program’s academic year, full-time for an undergraduate is a minimum of: 12 semester hour credits for a semester or trimester;

or 12 quarter hour credits for a quarter.

Title IV Academic Year is often not the same as grade level progression for institutional purposes and loan limits (i.e., 30 credit hours to progress from grade level 1 to grade level 2).

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Academic Year - Weeks of InstructionFor the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 award years, an institution with a 30 week academic year and standard terms ( Formula 1) may –

Determine the actual number of weeks of instruction that were included for the student to complete the number of credit hours in the institution’s Title IV academic year definition.

Assume that there were 30 weeks of instructional time for each increment of credit hours that comprises the institution’s Title IV academic year definition.

- OR -

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Academic Year – Weeks of Instruction

May exercise option –

On a student by student basis; For same student for different terms; For transfer credits differently than for home earned

credits

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Academic Year - Weeks of Instruction

NOTE: An institution must determine the actual number of weeks of instruction for a student that requests that such a determination be made or questions whether they have completed an academic year.

See DCL GEN-06-18

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Associate’s Degree Second Academic Year

For the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 Award Years – For a student enrolled in an associate’s degree

program the second academic year ends when the student has completed the credits required for completion of that academic program, as published in the institution’s official academic publications.

See DCL GEN-06-18

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Bachelor’s Degree Fourth Academic YearFor the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 award years, for a student enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program the fourth academic year ends when the student has completed the credits required for completion of that academic program, as published in the institution’s official academic publications.

See DCL GEN-06-18

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Reporting of Awards and Payments Schools report student-specific awards and

disbursements with COD Release 5.2, beginning December 16, 2006.

COD can handle one grade level for loans and a different academic year for grants.

Academic year is an element in award block.

NSLDS and ACG/SMART

NSLDS will begin: Receiving ACG/SMART Grants from COD

on December 17, 2006 Displaying ACG/SMART Grants on the

website on December 18, 2006 Using a new file format for Transfer Student

Monitoring/Financial Aid History onJanuary 1, 2007

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Upcoming Training

HERA Training

Stand Up Training More than 50 sites across country

Began late September

Will offer a Spring series also

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Words to Live By

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Aristotle –

"To give away money is an easy matter and in any man's power. But to decide to whom to give it, and how large and when, for what purpose and how, is neither in every man's power nor an easy matter. Hence it is that such excellence is rare, praiseworthy and noble."

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Baker –

“If it was easy, anyone could do it.”

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