WSAC State Aid Update to WFAA July 2012

1. WSAC State Aid Update to WFAA July 2012 A Washington Opportunity Pathway

2. Agenda • New state agency – WSAC • SNG Review Underway • Pending Projects • Unit Record Training • Counseling & GEAR UP Web Sites • Student Loan Study – H.E.L.P. • College Bound Scholarship Status A Washington Opportunity Pathway

3. WSAC Replaces HECB The Council will consist of 9members. • 5 selected by the Governor, 1 of which is a student. • 4 from public four-year institutions, the community and technical colleges, the independent non-profit institutions and OSPI. www.wsac.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

4. Council’s Major Functions • State financial aid programs and services that support educational access and affordability. • College savings opportunities through the Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET) program. • Early outreach and success programs (College Bound Scholarship; GEAR UP). • Authorizing out-of-state institutions to operate in Washington and monitoring program quality and finances. • Developing a 10-year roadmap for higher education, including recommendations for initiatives and resources. • Setting minimum college admission standards. A Washington Opportunity Pathway

5. State Need Grant Review • New legislation directs Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) and WSAC to analyze effectiveness of State Need Grant program. • Outcomes of students receiving SNG • Options for prioritizing SNG • The extent to which access and degree attainment for low-income students has been improved • Whether funding has been utilized efficiently to maximize enrollment and degree attainment of low-income students • SFA workgroup expanded to conduct comprehensive policy review – began in May and meeting to complete report by Fall. A Washington Opportunity Pathway

6. Review Purpose & Guidelines • Does Washington have the right policy goals? • What is the right mix of award amounts and students served? • When should the state program align with federal policies? • What policies should be tied to persistence and completion? • Are there regulatory areas campuses would benefit from additional flexibility? • Policies should consider: • Equitable opportunity regardless of sector • The nature of economic cycles • State’s role in student financial aid A Washington Opportunity Pathway

7. Workgroup Has Reviewed • Current financial aid environment • Demand for financial aid • Increases to tuition & tuition authority • Federal and state policy changes • Approaches of ten other states • Historical changes in SNG program & funding model • Overview of SNG policies & data • Historical served/unserved data by MFI & sector • Enrollment levels & student profile • Coordination with other aid • Student/family assets A Washington Opportunity Pathway

8. Some Initial Discussion • Collapse the 5 MFI categories into 3 (0-50, 51-60 and 61-70) • Continue to permit summer awarding • Continue to allow 15 quarters of eligibility • Allow campuses to reduce grants • Avoid consideration of tax credits in eligibility • Priority deadlines should continue to be set at the campus level rather than statewide • There is not sector agreement for year-in-school awards • Proposal to tie SNG with Pell as a percentage in excess of T/F A Washington Opportunity Pathway

9. Next Steps • August meeting • Draft report • Share with financial aid community • Prepare for 2013 Legislative session • Evaluate WSIPP report regarding student outcomes A Washington Opportunity Pathway

10. Unit Record Training • For 2011-12 need-based recipients and federal loan borrowers • August 23 – 2 to 4 p.m. • August 30 – 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Webinar sessions – will be recorded • Individual assistance also available • Currently reviewing edits & setting parameters • SWS to residents only for 2011-12 A Washington Opportunity Pathway

11. Upcoming Projects • Higher Education Loan Program review of finance methods and program design • First meeting July 31 • Report due December 1 • Counseling web site for SNG students • Developing student videos • Leveraging new GEAR UP web site • Conditions of Award need URL by July 2013 • Campuses need January 2013 • Auto enrollment of foster youth in College Bound Scholarship – process with DSHS begun A Washington Opportunity Pathway

12. College Bound Scholarship • Applications increase each year • Have over 15,000 applications from 7th graders for 2017 • Nearly 9,500 seniors have filed the FAFSA COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

13. Complete College Bound Applications by CityFor Classes of 2012, 2013, and 2014 College Bound Scholarship Students COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

14. CBS Eligibility • To apply for the scholarship: • 7th or 8th grader eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch (FRPL) or • Meet the program’s income standard • Participate in TANF • Foster youth • Sign pledge • To receive the scholarship: • Graduate from Washington high school • 2.0 GPA • No felony • Income within 65% Median Family Income • Enroll within one year of graduation • 4-year scholarship • File FAFSA COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

15. OSPI Data Match • Conduct match twice annually to verify application data and collect data such as current school and GPA • Senior data match conducted every 2 weeks starting in mid-July • WSAC collecting transcripts from students not matched with OSPI • Campuses will be notified when data updated COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

16. CBS Cruncher • Agency matches College Bound applicant data to the incoming FAFSA applications, and the results are presented to campuses via the CBS Cruncher. • Provides campuses with a list of students eligible for awarding consideration and information about students who are not eligible. • WSAC identifies applicants, verifies HS graduation/GPA and monitors timeframe • Campuses monitor all other eligibility criteria including income and determine award amount COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

17. Cruncher “how to” • Search for students using name, SSN, or a file upload • Identify those who are “OK to Award” • “OK to Award” includes valid CB applicants who are likely to meet high school requirements or have met them, and who meet timeframe requirements, etc. • Campuses are not required to verify high school requirements or enrollment deadline unless the student inquires. • Campuses may alter the value for “HSRequirementsMet” and “EnrollmentDeadlineMet" • Match students to verify “OK to Pay” beginning in August when OSPI data are available • Depending on point in the awarding cycle, this may be the field to review in lieu of “OK to Award” COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

18. Cruncher Results • Sort by column heading • Determine eligibility by “OK to Award” or “OK to Pay” columns • College Bound Application status displayed for informational purposes • Campuses may edit “HS Req Met” and “Enrollment Deadline Met” fields COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

19. Initial Awarding Policies/Eligibility Criteria • SNG awarding policies should not be altered to serve more students with CBS and stretch SNG dollars. • Package a student with SNG if it is still being awarded under your policies. • CBS will be increased to meet the maximum if it has not been met with SNG or other state grant aid. • Passport, Opportunity Grant & Opportunity Scholarship • CBS will count as self-help for SNG purposes. • No minimum award in CBS. COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

20. Initial Awarding Policies/Eligibility Criteria • Four-Year Scholarship & Part-time Enrollment • The four year scholarship will be pro-rated for part-time enrollment • Must be used within 5 years of HS graduation • Like SNG, a small CBS award will count against their terms of eligibility. However, there is a limited timeframe they can use the award and if eligible, CBS should be awarded. • Part-time awards will be reduced in the same manner as SNG (75% for 9-11 quarter credit hours or equivalent, 50% for 6-8 quarter credit hours or equivalent, and 25% for 3-5 quarter credit hours or equivalent). • Less-than-halftime eligibility will mirror SNG policy at this time. COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

21. State Need Grant and College Bound • 2007 funding model and CBS program design envisioned that every CB student would receive • Although the Legislature has continued to provide increases to SNG to keep pace w/tuition and fees, SNG is not an “entitlement” • Unprecedented college enrollment in recent years has left nearly 30,000 un-served SNG students • February 1 deadline was set to maximize use of SNG by CBS students COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

22. Survey Says – Policy/Process Issues • How to consider high assets in awarding • How often should we view the cruncher to see OK to Award • Gift Equity in SNG and CBS self-help • Upper income receiving full CBS award & when out of SNG • When to review “verify” category – who can change it • Awarded SNG to higher MFI in CBS population • Delay in finalized information created phone calls • Students expected to see CBS on initial award letter • Sent full amount and replaced partial with SNG later • Manual program and monitoring eligibility throughout the year • Student eligibility for future years will not be understood COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

23. Survey Says – Communication Issues • Surprised full COA not covered • Unclear which fees would be covered • When will awards be adjusted? • Notification of students above 65 MFI • Students above 65 MFI frustrated they are not receiving “guarantee” • Want full CBS on top of SNG • When will they be notified if requirements are met? • Who to contact to appeal if they think they applied? • If not eligible, what about future years? • When will we get book money? • What’s the HECB? • Will it transfer and be guaranteed? • What about summer quarter? • FAFSA match letter leads impression they will receive award • Creating a website with explanation linked from their FA portal COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

24. Survey Says – Awarding Process • Successfully programmed into new software • Sent email to students from cruncher explaining awards adjusted later • Some Opportunity Scholarship adjustments • Included a conditional message on the award • Track code will notify student at time of disbursement if still not OktoPay • Manually added after initially awarded • Unique fund code that awards full value if 60-70 MFI • All CBS notified of status including those not eligible • Will check several times over summer and prior to disbursement and put a “hold” on any student not OK • Included “estimate until verified by HECB” language • Evaluating all applicants not just admits COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway

25. Survey Says – Campus Plans • Plan to award as part of preliminary awards • May depend on when tuition is set and SNG is known and automation • Too early to assess • Need to finish this year to evaluate • Need to automate – taking far too much time • Need the state to create change files campuses can download regularly rather than re-submitting SSNs • Announce eligibility but not an amount until finalized • Seems to be working fine COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP 1-888-535-0747 collegebound@hecb.wa.gov A Washington Opportunity Pathway