presented by: sheryl ross-mahoney, usa funds jenny stephens, indiana university with input, support...
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Pell LEUs Tracking and Enforcing New Limits
Presented by: Sheryl Ross-Mahoney, USA Funds
Jenny Stephens, Indiana UniversityWith input, support and inspiration from Sue Allmon, WGU
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 2
Federal Pell Grants - A Brief History
Today’s Federal Pell Grant Program came into being as the Educational Opportunity Grant in 1965.
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 3
Federal Pell Grants - A Brief History
Today’s Federal Pell Grant Program came into being as the Educational Opportunity Grant in 1965.
In 1972, it was renamed the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant with a maximum award of $452.
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 4
Federal Pell Grants - A Brief History
Today’s Federal Pell Grant Program came into being as the Educational Opportunity Grant in 1965.
In 1972, it was renamed the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant with a maximum award of $452.
1980 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act - BEOG was renamed Pell Grant after Senator Claiborne Pell of Rhode Island.
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 5
HEOA & Pell Grant LimitsThe HEOA, enacted on August 2008, made two major changes in the Federal Pell Grant Program:
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 6
HEOA & Pell Grant Limits
1) Limits Pell Grants to up to 18 semesters or its equivalent for students who first receive a Pell Grant on or after July 1, 2008
2) Allowed for ‘Year Round Pell’ capped at 200% of scheduled award
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In April 2011…The Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act repealed the provision for a 2nd Pell Grant Scheduled Award
Effective for 2011-12 aid year
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In December, 2011…Congress passed an omnibus spending bill for fiscal year (FY) 2012 with a new limit of 12 full-time semesters with no provision for prior recipients
Effective for 2012-13 aid year
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Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU)April 2012 – DOE began sending weekly reports to schools identifying 2012-13 FAFSA applicants who had received more than 450% of their lifetime limit.
The Pell data on these reports only went back to 1993-94.
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 10
Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU)June 2012 - Pell records prior to 1993-94 were accessed, increasing the number of students affected.
~100,000 students are expected to be impacted for 2012-13
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Using the LEU DataMake more accurate awards if LEU
> 500%:
At Western Governors, students on the report are flagged and excluded from auto-packaging, then awarded manually
At Indiana University, student records are updated with a ‘derived’ annual amount used (100 minus LEU% in excess of 500) so mass packaging will limit the award for 12-13
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Think ‘Mid-year transfer!’Converting the LEU to an annual amount used (600
– LEU) tells you what the student has left for the year.
Example: LEU = 525%75% is still available for the year
25% is considered ‘used’ for the year
Do not split remaining eligibility across terms. Award full eligibility each term until it is gone.
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 13
Tracking Changing LEUsAs 2012 Summer awards were reported,
new students appeared on reports, and previously reported LEUs changed
IU wrote a report to check current Pell awards against updated LEUs
As Fall 2012 awards were added to reports, this became more complicated to track
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 14
COD - ‘System of Record’ for PellJuly 2012 changes in COD:
Pell LEU% is available in COD and reported for ALL students in Pell response files
Warning Edits were added to origination and disbursement response files
• 177 – near the limit• 178 – exceeds limit
LEU data added to MRR, reconciliation and YTD files
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 15
2013-14 ChangesPell LEU% reported for ALL
students on ISIR
NSLDS will display obvious ‘warning icons’ for students close to, or at / over the limit
COD Pell LEU History Page is coming
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 16
Appealing Inaccurate DataA student who thinks the Pell LEU is
wrong should work with his schoolThe school works as an advocate for
the studentObtain and review the COD history
with the studentSchool will be told how to escalate
review with FSA (See FSA presentation)
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 17
OverpaymentsThere is NO hard reject edit for disbursements to students at or over the limit – school must research all 178 warning edits
Compliance will be monitored via audits and program reviews
New edits are planned for 2014-15
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Liability for OverpaymentsThe school may be liable if it had
accurate LEU data available at disbursement
The student is ultimately liable for any overpayment
There is no room for rounding – over is over
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Timely Reporting: GEN 12-01An institution must submit Pell Grant disbursement data to COD no later than 30 days after any disbursement or adjustment.
Failure to meet this requirement could result in ED disallowing the disbursement.
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Timely Reporting
ED is considering reducing the 30-day window in the future to facilitate managing Pell limits
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Declining a Pell Grant?A student with a high EFC who will get only a small grant may want to decline to use Pell, saving eligibility for a year in which the award might be higher.
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Declining a Pell Grant: GEN 12-18 A student may decline all or part of a Pell Grant during the award year with a signed, written statement:Clearly indicating his intent to decline or return funds, and
Acknowledging that funds may not be available at a later date.
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Communication with StudentsED sent email messages from April 16 to July 1 to students at or near the limit
Starting in July, SAR comment codes were added to alert applicants at or near the limit
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Communication with StudentsAt Western Governors, the ‘call team’
contacted students at 450% or more by email and phone to inform and discuss options
At Indiana University, a report was developed to identify students > 500% with their summer and fall enrollment status, level and remaining loan eligibility to enable targeted outreach
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Communication with StudentsWhat are you doing?
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 26
Helping Affected StudentsWhat are you doing?
ISFAA Winter Conference, December 2012 27
Communicating Limits toALL Students
How are you altering your message to new and returning students, not yet affected by the limits?
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QUESTIONS?
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RESOURCESFSA Presentation – Pell Grant Program Update (PPTX) at:http://ifap.ed.gov/presentations/2012FSAConference.html
Contact: Sheryl Mahoney, USA Funds
Sheryl.Mahoney@usafunds.orgJenny Stephens, Indiana University
stephejl@indiana.edu
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