Financial Aid Application Process

1. Financial Aid Application Process The PSR Perspective Workforce Solutions, February 20, 2013

2. Purpose The purpose of this course is to introduce the new financial aid application process and define the roles and responsibilities of the PSR/Career Office and the Call Centers.

3. Objectives • Describe the process for submitting a new financial aid application and receiving a determination of award. • Explain how to request a voucher for subsequent semesters. • List staff responsible for each task in the financial aid application process. • Identify all deadlines, in number of business days, for customers and staff in the process.

4. Role PSR • Develop relationship with customers • Guide and help them through the process • Help develop goals and a plan to reach them • Guide them along the path and help overcome challenges Call Center • Determine eligibility for financial aid • Collect documentation from the customer • Data enter eligibility and awards in TWIST and FAMS • Contact FAPO

5. Workforce Solutions Reference • WS Issuance 12-19 Managing Financial Aid – How Staff Work Together, December 21, 2012

6. We do offer scholarships. Are you interested in applying for one? I heard you could help me pay for school.

7. Financial Aid Application | Customer • Complete the financial aid application (be sure to help).

8. Determine Youth Barrier | PSR • Basic literacy deficient • Pregnant or parenting • Homeless • Dropout • Offender • Runaway • Needs help to complete education or get and keep a job: • 14-15 • Behind grade level • Habitually truant • Dependent member of a single parent family • Failed TAKS/STAR • Lacks work history • Needs extra help

9. Financial Aid Application| PSR • Tell customer: • A Customer Service Representative may call within two (2) business days • What happens if approved or denied • There are limits on scholarships • Funds may not be available (explain scholarship registry and waitlist) • Do not sign the application. • Provide Financial Aid Customer Information sheet.

10. Data Entry| PSR • Enter TWIST Data • Intake Common • Identity • Contacts • Characteristics-predictive characteristics only • Education, if you know • Employment, if you know • Optional Questions • Counselor note • Employment plan

11. Financial Aid Application | Career Office • Create pre-commitment in FAMS the same day: • $6,000 scholarship • $3,000 other • Transmit financial aid application and any supporting documents to Call Center. • Add a counselor note with the subject line “FA App Submitted.” Note: TWIST Employment Plan and FAMS pre-commitment not needed for FA for child care

12. What is the purpose of the Pre-Commitment?

13. Pre-commitment A record created in the Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) that holds funds for a customer while she completes the application process.

14. Assessment / Child Care • Quick conversation • What else can Workforce Solutions do • Not immediately eligible • Office staff puts on wait list in TWIST and give the customer the Placed on wait list letter • Call Center notifies customer she has been placed on the wait list if they add the customer to the waitlist • Call Center notifies customer when funds are available

15. Assessment | Other than Child Care • Employment goals • How financial aid will help • Overall goal and plan • School and program (if applicable) • Personal management • Followup requirements

16. Financial Aid Application/ Call Center • Contact customer within 24 hours • Request for documents • Enter a counselor note • Conversation • Documents requested • Deadlines • Process application • Within 5 days after the application is complete • Contact customer for cost information

17. Vendor Cost | Call Center • TWIST Data Entry • Counselor note: Costs received, conversations with customer re: costs • ITA • FAMS Entries • Track financial aid limits by category • Update commitments with vendor and cost information • Mark commitment “Need Now” • Notify Career Office and PSR when voucher is ready for customer

18. Cost Discrepancies | Call Center/FAPO Eligible Training Provider System (ETPS) vs. Cost Obligation Form • Handled by Call Center and FAPO • Customer must request difference • PSR verify change in ETPS • email Call Center

19. ETPS • Access: • WrkSolutions.com • Financial Aid • Training and Education • How Will You Pay for Education and Training? https://services.twc.state.tx.us/PROVIDERCERT/dispatcher?link=HREF&pageid=PUBLIC_SWL

21. Application Approved | Call Center • Notify PSR • Email • Award letter attached • Voucher ready • Child Care • Notify customer • TWIST • Program Detail • Counselor note

22. Application Approved| PSR • Prepare voucher. • Notify customer the voucher is ready. • Give customer Award Letter and review.

23. Application Approved| PSR (cont’d) • Discuss agreement • Contact us when school starts • Report • Grades and progress • Course changes • Attendance – transportation assistance • Progress (how often) • Maintain a “C” average • Can only change major once

24. Application Approved | PSR (cont.) • Have customer sign Award letter: • File in electronic file • Give customer a copy • Give the customer the prepared voucher. • Remind her to contact us when school starts. • Have her contact us for additional semester vouchers. • Record changes during the semester in counselor notes.

25. Application Approved| Data Entry | PSR • Update TWIST • Employment Plan • Contact information • Counselor notes

26. School Starts | PSR • Verify school start. • Open required TWIST services if you are with NCI or Rescare. • Training Service: • Start date: date school starts • Planned end date: date program ends • Create counselor note: • Note customer received service • Subject line examples: Training Start Confirmed or Training Not Started. • If you are with Interfaith, the Call Center will open Services.

27. School Starts| Call Center • Runs “Mark Shipped” report weekly. • Verifies customer started school in TWIST: • Counselor notes, and/or • Training Service • FAMS: • Shows service as received – “Mark Shipped” • Cancels commitments, as needed • Contacts PSR with questions

28. New Voucher | PSR • Use Active/Inactive lists to track customers with changing services. • Contact customer needing new vouchers. • Update Employment Plan. • Enter counselor notes: • Continued financial aid needed • No additional aid needed • Changes in aid, path • Not meeting Responsibility Agreement

29. New Voucher| Call Center • Track commitments with future dates. • Review TWIST records for customer need • Email PSR with questions. • Mark commitment “Need Now.” • Cancel future commitments, as necessary: • Notify PSR and CO Manager • Send denial letter

30. Application Denied| Call Center • Send customer denial letter with reason and appeal form. • Write a counselor note stating the letter and appeal form were sent and the reason(s) for the denial.

31. Financial Aid Application for Child Care | Career Office • Child Care • Enter the customer on the waitlist through TWIST • Attendance • Email Call Center • Counselor Note • Call Center will contact in 2 days • Denied • Appeal

32. Child Care | Call Center • Notify customer entered on waitlist. • Notify customer funds available. • Adjust attendance when needed.

33. Funds Not Available • Follows process for service to a new customer applying for financial aid. • Call Center enters customer on the scholarship registry • Sends “Entered on Scholarship Registry” letter

34. Do

35. Don’t