Academic Competitiveness Grants

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Academic Competitiveness Grants

• Pam Pfitzenmaier, Ph. D, Iowa Dept. of Education
• pam.pfitzenmaier_at_iowa.gov
• [phone]
• Janice Friedel, PH.D., Iowa Dept. of Education
• Janice.friedel_at_iowa.gov
• [phone]
• Carolyn Small, Policy Analyst, ICSAC
• Carolyn.small_at_iowa.gov
• [phone]

June 7, 2006
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New Federal Grant Funds

• The Higher Education Reconciliation Act created
  two new supplemental Pell Grant programs
• Academic Competitiveness (AC) Grant
• SMART Grant
• Todays joint teleconference with the Iowa Dept.
  of Education focuses on Academic Competitiveness
  Grant eligibility and implementation

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AC Grant Eligibility

• Full-time enrollment in an associate or
  baccalaureate degree program at a two- or
  four-year degree granting institution
• U.S. citizen (eligible non-citizens that may
  otherwise qualify for federal Pell Grant funds do
  not qualify for the AC or SMART grants)
• Eligible for a federal Pell Grant

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AC Grant Year 1

• Award is 750
• Student must have completed a rigorous secondary
  school program of study after January 1, 2006
• A student who was previously enrolled in an
  undergraduate program does not qualify (issue for
  dual enrollees)

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AC Grant Year 1 Dual Enrollment

• Dual enrollment definition student takes
  college level coursework while still enrolled in
  high school
• Dually enrolled students are eligible for the AC
  Grant provided they were not formally admitted
  into an undergraduate program of study by a
  postsecondary institution

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AC Grant Year 2

• Award is 1,300
• Student must have completed a rigorous secondary
  school program of study after January 1, 2005
• Student must also have attained at least a 3.0
  cumulative GPA during the first year of the
  students undergraduate program

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AC Grant Year 2

• Cumulative GPA is monitored only at the time of
  the first disbursement
• Cumulative GPA for transfer students is based
  only on the coursework completed at the prior
  college/university that is accepted for credit
  toward the students program at the new
  college/university

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Rigorous Secondary School Program Options

• USDE has recognized four rigorous secondary
  program default options
• States must have submitted additional options for
  the 2006-07 academic year to USDE for recognition
  by June 1 (and affirm any or all of the four
  default options that also apply to high school
  students in that state)

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Iowa High School Student Eligibility

• For the 2006-07 academic year, students who
  attended high school in Iowa may qualify for the
  AC Grant if the student completed any of the
  following four default options already
  recognized by USDE
• Note The first two default options will not
  apply to Iowa students

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AC Grant Eligibility OptionsNot available to IA
HS Students

• Default Option 1 Existing Advanced or Honors
  programs established by states (Iowa does not
  have such a state-recognized program)
• Default Option 2 State Scholars Initiative
  (currently Iowa is not participating in this
  initiative)

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AC Grant Eligibility OptionsAvailable to IA HS
Students

• Default Option 3 the following coursework must
  have been completed with passing grades
• 4 years of English
• 3 years of math (including Algebra and a higher
  level course such as Algebra II, Geometry, or
  Data Analysis and Statistics)

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AC Grant Eligibility OptionsAvailable to IA HS
Students

• Option 3 (cont.)
• 3 years of social studies
• 1 year of a foreign language
• 3 years of science (including at least two
  courses from biology, chemistry or physics)

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AC Grant Eligibility OptionsAvailable to IA HS
Students

• Default Option 4
• Two Advanced Placement (AP) courses with a
  minimum passing examination score of 3
• Two International Baccalaureate (IB) courses with
  a minimum passing examination score of 4 (we are
  not aware of any Iowa high school using IB)

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AC Grant Eligibility OptionsAvailable to IA HS
Students

• Iowa Department of Education affirmed the 4
  default options, plus a fifth Iowa option
• Iowas Alternative Rigorous Secondary Program of
  Study

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AC Grant Eligibility Option 5

• Iowas Alternative Rigorous Secondary Program
• All of the following coursework must be completed
  with passing grades
• 4 years of English

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AC Grant Eligibility Option 5

• Iowas Alternative Rigorous Secondary Program
  (Cont.)
• 3 years of math (3 years includes, but is not
  limited to, the following selection algebra I,
  algebra II, geometry, integrated math I,
  integrated math II, integrated math III,
  trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, statistics)

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AC Grant Eligibility Option 5

• Iowas Alternative Rigorous Secondary Program
  (Cont.)
• 3 years of science ( 3 years includes, but is not
  limited to, the following selection biology,
  chemistry, physics, anatomy/physiology,
  earth/space science, astronomy, general science,
  environmental studies, integrated sciences)

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AC Grant Eligibility Option 5

• Iowas Alternative Rigorous Secondary Program
  (Cont.)
• 3 years of social studies
• 1 year of foreign language OR 3 courses in a
  career and technical sequence

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Passing Grades

• USDE will not define what constitutes passing
  grades for any rigorous secondary program option
• In Iowa, the definition of passing grades is
  determined by the local school district

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Other Students

• Students who received a high school education in
  another state may qualify under USDE-recognized
  default options 1 2 (see DCL GEN-06-08 for
  details)
• USDE will release an updated list of rigorous
  programs for 2006-07 AC Grant eligibility
• Students who have a GED do not qualify solely on
  that basis

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AC Grant Process

• USDE will notify 2006-07 applicants (students who
  complete FAFSA on or after July 1, 2006) who
  appear to meet minimum eligibility requirements
• U.S. Citizen
• Pell Grant Eligible
• Age under 20

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AC Grant Process

• USDE notice will inform applicants of special
  website for providing additional information that
  will help the student self-certify potential
  eligibility
• For students who do not complete a FAFSA
  electronically, USDE will provide a paper or
  telephone alternative

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AC Grant Process

• USDE will prompt the student to answer questions,
  such as
• Did you complete a rigorous secondary school
  program after January 1, 2005?
• In which state did you complete your rigorous
  secondary school program?

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AC Grant Process

• Questions for the student (cont.)
• Tell us (USDE) about your program. (Drop-down
  boxes will contain the recognized rigorous high
  school program qualification standards, by state.
  The student will be asked to identify all
  recognized rigorous program options that apply.)
• Did you complete and pass all courses?

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AC Grant Process

• USDE will notify colleges/universities of
  potentially eligible students through new comment
  codes on the ISIR
• USDE will establish separate comment codes for
  each way that a student may qualify for the AC
  Grant

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AC Grant Process

• Colleges/universities may wait for notice of
  possible AC Grant eligibility on the ISIR, or
  proactively identify eligible students from your
  records
• Colleges/universities must have a process in
  place to confirm eligibility for a student who
  asserts eligibility, but received no notice from
  USDE inviting the student to self-certify
  potential eligibility

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College/University Responsibilities

• Confirm student eligibility
• Pell recipient
• U.S. Citizenship
• Enrolled in eligible degree program
• Full-time enrollment status
• 3.0 cumulative GPA for second-year students
• Completion of rigorous high school program

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Funding

• July 29, 2006 - USDE will establish each
  college/universitys initial funding level based
  on Pell history
• July 29, 2006 Colleges/Universities may begin
  drawing down funds from GAPS for eligible
  students
• Funds are available for the academic year
  beginning in fall 2006, but USDE could not
  confirm whether funds were available for the
  summer term in a 2006-07 academic year that began
  with a summer header

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Reporting

• Begin student-level reporting to COD to
  substantiate draw-downs on December 16, 2006
• Applicant identifiers Name, SSN, DOB
• Award amounts, disbursement amounts, disbursement
  dates, etc
• For the AC Grant, submit the rigorous program
  code
• For the SMART Grant, colleges/universities submit
  the CIP code for the major
• USDE will adjust funding levels based on records
  submitted

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Reporting Issues

• NSLDS will not contain AC (or SMART) Grant data
  for transfer students until after December 16,
  2006
• Colleges/Universities are not responsible for
  award data that is not in NSLDS
• Long-term, colleges/universities will be provided
  AC (and SMART) Grant disbursement data from NSLDS

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Outstanding Questions

• USDE is still considering options for defining
  first- and second-year students for the AC Grant,
  and third-, and fourth-year students for the
  SMART Grant
• USDE deferred guidance on home-school student
  eligibility for AC Grants, pending further
  community consultation

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Answered Questions

• Q. Will AC (and SMART) Grants be ratably reduced?
  A. No. Academic year award amounts (i.e., 750,
  1,300, 4,000) will be reduced only if there are
  insufficient annual appropriations
• Q. Are AC (and SMART) Grants subject to the
  return of Title IV funds calculation for a
  student who withdraws? A. Yes

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Answered Questions

• Q. Can a student lose eligibility based on
  accelerated progress? A. Yes, for example, if
  the student completes a four-year degree program
  in less than four academic years
• Q. Do students who become Pell eligible as the
  result of professional judgment qualify for the
  AC (and SMART) Grants? A. Yes

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Answered Questions

• Q. Do students attending a 32
  undergraduate/graduate program qualify for the AC
  and SMART Grants? A. Yes, as long as the
  college/university defines the student as being
  an undergraduate

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Answered Questions

• Q. May a student who brings his/her GPA up during
  an enrollment period receive an AC (for the
  second year) or SMART Grant? A. Yes. If the
  student brings the GPA up at the end of the term,
  the student may be paid for the subsequent
  term(s). If the student brings his/her GPA up
  during the term, he/she may be paid for the
  current term.

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Answered Questions

• Q. May a student who gains U.S. citizenship
  during an academic year receive an AC (or SMART)
  Grant? A. Yes, for the subsequent term(s). USDE
  will consider whether to permit such a student to
  receive a retroactive disbursement.

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Answered Questions

• Q. How is full-time enrollment monitored?
  A. The student must be full-time on the census
  date. If the student drops below full-time
  after the census date, the student continues to
  qualify for an AC (or SMART) grant disbursement
  for the term, unless it is the colleges policy
  to recalculate Pell eligibility for all changes
  in enrollment status throughout a payment period
  and after the census date.

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Answered Questions

• Q. Must colleges/universities reduce AC (or
  SMART) Grant eligibility to eliminate overawards?
  A. Yes
• Q. May colleges deny AC (or SMART) Grant awards
  to eligible students? A. No

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• Questions?