ACG, SMART and TEACH Grants

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• ACG, SMART and TEACH Grants
• Presented by
• Jennifer Hutchinson
• Senior Associate Director, UMF

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• Academic Competitiveness
• Grants

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Session Topics

• Background
• Award amounts
• Eligibility criteria
• Rigorous secondary school program of study
• How students apply
• What counselors can do

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Background

• One of two grant programs created by The Higher
  Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA)
• National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain
  Talent, or SMART, Grants for third and fourth
  year students
• Encourage students to be academically prepared
  for college
• Help maintain U.S. competitiveness in global
  economy

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Award Amounts

• 750 for first year students
• 1,300 for second year students

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ACG Eligibility Criteria

• Federal Pell Grant recipient for same award year
• First or second year student in
• A two or four year degree program or
• A one or two year certificate program offered at
  a two or four-year degree-granting institution
• Completion of a rigorous secondary school program

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ACG Eligibility CriteriaFirst Year Students

• Not previously enrolled as a degree seeking
  student in an undergraduate program while
  enrolled in high school and below the age of
  compulsory attendance
• Completed secondary program of study after
  January 1, 2006

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ACG Eligibility CriteriaSecond Year Students

• Completed secondary program of study after
  January 1, 2005
• Has at least a 3.0 GPA in an eligible program at
  end of first year of college
• GPA only checked once, at end of first year

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Rigorous Secondary School Program

• State designated programs
• Coursework designated by the Secretary
• AP/IB

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State Designated Programs

• An advanced or honors diploma established by a
  state and in existence for the 2004-05 or 2005-06
  school years
• State Scholars Initiative
• Submitted state recognized plan

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Coursework Designated by the Secretary

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I and higher)
• 3 years of science (biology, chemistry, physics)
• 3 years of social studies
• 1 year of a foreign language

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Coursework Designated by the State of Maine

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I and higher)
• 3 years of science (unspecified)
• 2 years of social studies

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AP/IB

• Successful completion of any secondary school
  program for a student who completes at least two
  courses with a minimum passing test score on the
  exams in those courses
• Score of at least 3 for Advanced Placement
• Score of at least 4 for International
  Baccalaureate

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Documenting Completion of Rigorous Programs

• Colleges required to collect and retain
  documentation that a student meets at least one
  of the options
• Colleges may document the program option that is
  the most efficient for them
• Students may be eligible under more than one
  definition of rigorous program

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How Students ApplyFAFSA on the Web

• Submit FAFSA
• If data indicates possible eligibility, prompted
  to answer questions

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How Students ApplyPaper FAFSA

• Student Aid Report (SAR) indicates possible
  eligibility
• Instructed to call Federal Student Aid Center at
  1-800-4FEDAID (1-800-433-3243) to answer
  questions about eligibility

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How Students ApplySelf Identification

• Self identify to financial aid office
• at college
• In person or in writing
• Will need to submit documentation

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What Counselors Can Do

• Encourage students to take rigorous courses
• Provide documentation of completion of rigorous
  program
• In a timely manner
• to students or directly to colleges
• Tell students about the program

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Resources

• http//www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/about/ac-smart/sta
  te-programs.html
• Rigorous high school program codes
• Submit a question feature

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National SMART Grants(National Science and
Mathematics Access to Retain Talent)
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SMART Grant Information

• Award amounts 4,000 for each of the 3rd and 4th
  academic year of an eligible program of study
• Link for more information
• www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0706.html

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SMART Eligibility Criteria

• Must be enrolled in an eligible major (Computer
  Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, Mathematics,
  Physical Sciences and Technology)
• Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a
  4.0 scale
• Must be a Federal Pell Grant recipient for same
  award year

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TEACH Grant(Teacher Education Assistance for
College and Higher Education)
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Award Amounts

• 4,000 per year up to a maximum of 16,000

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TEACH Grant Eligibility Criteria

• Students must agree to teach full-time for four
  years (within 8 years)
• Must be a Highly Qualified Teacher
• Must teach in a Title I (low income) elementary
  or secondary school
• Must teach in a designated teacher shortage area
  (i.e. Math, Science, Foreign Language, Special
  Education, other high need fields)

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Additional TEACH Grant Information

• Institutions have the option to participate in
  the TEACH Grant Program
• If student does not satisfy teaching requirement,
  grant converts to Direct Unsubsidized Loan and
  interest accrues from date of disbursement
• Mandatory counseling required of all students who
  are eligible for a TEACH Grant

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Applying for a TEACH Grant

• FAFSA is the TEACH Grant application
• Question on the FAFSA
• Response from student is a Yes or No answer
• Students must complete and sign an Agreement to
  Serve to receive TEACH Grant funds

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What Counselors Can Do

• Tell students about the program but caution them
  to research criteria before they sign any
  agreement
• Refer students to
• www.teachgrant.ed.gov
• for information about TEACH Grants
• Know that currently no schools in Maine are
  participating in the program

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Questions