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Academic Competitiveness Grant and National SMART Grant General Session Overview David Bergeron

This session provides an overview of the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and National SMART Grant programs, including student eligibility and academic year issues. It also discusses the reporting process and federal updates.

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Academic Competitiveness Grant and National SMART Grant General Session Overview David Bergeron

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  1. Academic Competitiveness Grant and National SMART Grant General Session Overview David Bergeron Jeff Baker Kay Jacks

  2. The Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA) Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)

  3. Other Sessions • Session # 5 - ACG and National SMART Grant • Student Eligibility and Academic Year Issues • Session # 6 - ACG and National SMART Grant • Transfer Student, Secondary School Program of Academic Rigor, and Academic Major Issues. • Session # 17 - ACG and National SMART Grant • Reporting from CPS to COD. • General Session - Federal Update (Friday)

  4. Authorization and Funding • Funding for these programs is not subject to the annual appropriations process: • 2006-07 -- $790 million • 2007-08 -- $850 million • 2008-09 -- $920 million • 2009-10 -- $960 million • 2010-11 -- $1.01 billion

  5. Rules and Regulations • Interim Final Regulations for the 2006-2007 award year published on July 3, 2006 • Invitation to comment through August 17, 2006 for possible changes for the 2007-2008 award year • Received 80 comments • Final Regulations for the 2007-2008 award year published on November 1, 2006 • Institutions may implement changes made in the final regulation for the 2006-2007 award year

  6. Rules and Regulations • One Significant Change: • July 3 interim final rule required student to have received a Pell Grant in the same payment period (e.g., term) to receive an ACG or National SMART Grant • November 1 final rule requires student to have received a Pell Grant sometime in the same award year to receive an ACG or National SMART Grant

  7. Rules and Regulations Negotiated Rulemaking for the 2008-2009 Award Year 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

  8. 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

  9. Basic Program Requirements

  10. Programs Are Similar in Some Ways

  11. Separate and Distinct Programs

  12. 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 the student’s third and fourth academic years

  13. Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

  14. ACG Eligibility Requirements • 1st-year students • Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study after January 1, 2006 • May not have been previously enrolled while in high school as a regular student in an ACG eligible program • 2nd-year students • Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study after January 1, 2005 • Have a 3.0 or higher GPA at the end of 1st year

  15. While in High School Not eligible if enrolled as a “regular student” in an ACG eligible program May be eligible if not enrolled as a “regular student” in an ACG eligible program After High School No previous enrollment restriction for a student enrolled after high school Previous Enrollment Restriction for 1st- Year ACG

  16. ACG: Options for Rigorous Program • 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 (SSI) Programs

  17. ACG: Options for Rigorous Program • States were given the option of retaining, modifying or adding rigorous programs of study by submitting those for review by November 1, 2006 for high school seniors graduating in 2007 for 2007-08 • Several states – Kentucky, Minnesota, & South Carolina -- submitted programs that will be approved • Most states made no changes • A few states have made minor changes to previously approved plans

  18. ACG: Documenting Rigorous Program • A set of courses as outlined in the final regulations • 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

  19. ACG: 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

  20. ACG: 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 all eligible students based on records they have (e.g., high school transcripts, test scores) • Institutions are also responsible for determining eligibility if student informs the institution directly

  21. ACG: Documenting Rigorous Program • Documentation from cognizant authority • 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 the student completed a rigorous program • NSLDS will store the data

  22. ACG: Grade Point Average • For second academic year, student must have a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 from the first academic year • GPA determined one time, after completion of first academic year • For a student who transfers after completing first academic year, the new institution must calculate GPA using the grades from all coursework accepted from prior schools

  23. National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)

  24. Computer Science Engineering Technology Life Sciences Mathematics Physical Sciences Designated Critical Foreign Languages National SMART GrantMajor Fields of Study Identified by CIP* code in DCLs GEN-06-06 and GEN-06-15 *Classification of Instructional Program

  25. National SMART Grant Major Fields of Study • Requires that a recipient: • Declare an eligible major; or • Show intent to declare eligible major if school policy does not yet allow a major to be declared • Institution must have a process for monitoring that the student is making progress toward completion of the program with that eligible major

  26. National SMART Grant Grade Point Average • For each payment period, a student must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 that: • Includes all coursework required for degree in approved major • Is calculated through last completed payment period • Is reviewed prior to each disbursement

  27. Other General Requirements

  28. Both ProgramsGrade Point Average (GPA) & Incompletes • All coursework taken in the payment period must be used in the calculation of a student’s GPA • If a complete GPA for the payment period is not available, school can make an interim disbursement at its risk. Includes: • When the GPA has not yet been officially calculated for the payment period • When there is one or more grades of “incomplete” for courses taken in the payment period

  29. Both ProgramsNeed-Based Grants • Total of ACG/National SMART Grant, EFC, Pell, and all estimated financial aid cannot exceed cost of attendance • ACG and National SMART Grant may not replace EFC in need equation • To avoid an over-award, an institution may reduce other aid, including FSEOG, or it may reduce the ACG or National SMART Grant

  30. Both Programs 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

  31. Both ProgramsDisbursements • 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 Grant concurrently from more than one school • All R2T4 requirements apply to the new grant programs

  32. Both ProgramsRemaining Eligibility • Determination of remaining eligibility based on percent of scheduled award remaining • Example: Student with second year ACG for two quarters for a total of $866 has received 66.7% of the 2006-07 scheduled award of $1,300. Student is only eligible, as a second-year student, for the remaining 33.3% of the ACG scheduled award ($434 of $1,300) • Note: Scheduled award may be different if balance of an academic year is in a new award year

  33. Both ProgramsAcademic Year • Student’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 instructional time (26 weeks for clock-hour programs)

  34. Both ProgramsAcademic Year - Credit Hours • An institution’s Title IV Academic Year will often be different from the grade level progression used for most institutional purposes and for loan limits for FFEL and Direct Loans (e.g., 30 credit hours to progress from grade level 1 to grade level 2) • Regardless 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

  35. Both ProgramsAcademic Year - Credit Hours • 24 Credit Hour Definition – • First Academic Year is 0 to 24 credits • Second Academic Year is 25 to 48 credits • Third Academic Year is 49 to 72 credits • Fourth Academic Year is 73 to 96 credits • 30 Credit Hour Definition • First Academic Year is 0 to 30 credits • Second Academic Year is 31 to 60 credits • Third Academic Year is 61 to 90 credits • Fourth Academic Year is 91 to 120 credits

  36. ACGAssociate’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 • For example, for an AA program that requires 65 credits, the second academic year is from 31 credits to 65 credits • See DCL GEN-06-18

  37. National SMART GrantBachelor’s Degree Fourth Academic Year • For 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 • For example, for an BA/BS program that requires 130 credits, the fourth academic year is from 91 credits to 130 credits • See DCL GEN-06-18

  38. Determine the actual number of weeks of instructional time 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 Both ProgramsAcademic Year – Weeks of Instructional Time For the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 award years, an institution with a 30-week academic year and standard terms ( Formula 1) may: - OR -

  39. Both ProgramsAcademic Year – Weeks of Instructional Time • May exercise option • On a student by student basis; • For same student for different terms; • For transfer credits differently than for home-earned credits • NOTE: An institution must determine the actual number of weeks of instructional time for a student who requests that such a determination be made or questions whether they have completed an academic year • See DCL GEN-06-18

  40. Business Processes

  41. ACG: Documenting Rigorous Program • Documentation from cognizant authority • 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 the student completed a rigorous program • NSLDS will store the data

  42. ACG Applicant Self-Identification Process • Starting July 1, 2006, the Department began notifying potentially eligible students about the ACG program • Changed the FOTW to ask questions about high school and rigorous programs • Offered a “call-in option” for non-electronic filers

  43. ACGApplicant Self-Identification Process • After July 1, 2006 • FOTW Filers: Potential ACG recipients will submit the additional information at the time they complete their FAFSA • Paper Filers: Potential ACG recipients will receive a SAR comment directing them to the web site and toll-free number

  44. ACGApplicant Self-Identification Process • Student presented with questions on their high school curriculum • High school completed after January 1, 2005 • State where high school curriculum completed • Drop-down box with state designated programs • AP/IB course and test completion question • Listed courses question

  45. ACGApplicant Self-Identification Process • As of November 10, 2006, 681,986 students have self- identified themselves • Clearly some students do not meet minimum criteria • Institutions can use other data such as age to “screen” applicants….no follow-up necessary • See Electronic Announcement dated October 24, 2006

  46. Quick Reference to the Recognized State Rigorous Secondary School Programs of Study http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/attachments/0713HERAOperGuidanceAttachA.xls ACGRecognized State Rigorous Programs

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