EARLY ACHIEVERS GRANT GUIDELINES

Transcription

1 EARLY ACHIEVERS GRANT GUIDELINES Workforce Education Department PO Box Olympia, WA SBCTC.edu

2 The reserves the right to make changes to this document due to, but not limited to, federal, state, or local legislation or policy changes. Deadlines and Milestones Milestone Dates (subject to change) Applications available in OGMS March 22, 2018 Applications due in OGMS May 2, 2018 Course Schedule and Credit Waiver Form Due to SBCTC May 31, 2018 Grant Start Date July 1, 2018 Grant Contacts Grant Manager Vacant Program Oversight Questions Kathy Goebel Policy Associate, Workforce Education Fiscal Policy Questions Susan Wanager Policy Associate, Fiscal Management Budget, Invoicing, and OBIS Questions Michele Rockwell Contracts Specialist Invoicing, OBIS, and OGMS Questions Vacant Program Assistant Page Early Achievers Grant Guidelies // March 2018

3 Table of Contents Deadlines and Milestones... 2 Grant Contacts... 2 Table of Contents... 3 Overview... 4 Applicant Guidelines... 4 Who May Apply... 4 How to Apply... 4 Application Information... 4 Prioritizing Grant Recipients... 4 Early Childhood Education Point-of-Contact... 5 Funding for an Early Childhood Education State Certificate... 5 Student Eligibility Determination... 6 Financial Aid Eligibility... 7 Funding... 7 College Awards... 7 Tuition and fees... 7 Textbooks and instructional materials... 8 Wrap-around student services... 8 Staff Point-of-Contact... 8 Refunds... 9 Program Reporting and Coding... 9 Reports... 9 Student Program Completions... 9 Financial Aid and Coding... 9 Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions Page 3

4 Overview The Early Achievers Grant is a student financial aid program to help employed child care providers and early learning educators complete certificates and associate degrees in early childhood education. Applicant Guidelines Who May Apply All Washington Community and Technical Colleges offering programs in Early Learning are encouraged to apply. How to Apply Access the Early Achievers Grant Application through the Online Grant Management System (OGMS). If you do not have an account, contact your organization s Security Contact for access; you will also need your Security Contact to give you permission for FY19. Submit completed grant applications to the SBCTC through OGMS no later than May 2, 2018 at 11:55 p.m. SBCTC staff is available for assistance until 4:00 p.m. on May 2, Application Information Prioritizing Grant Recipients In the event a college has more eligible Early Achievers Grant recipients than available funds, the college must prioritize funding based on the following information: First Priority Students already receiving Early Achievers Grant funding. Second Priority Eligible providers who are working at an EA rated facility, but who have not yet enrolled in an ECE certificate programs or ECE associates degree program. Third Priority - Eligible providers who are working at an EA participating facility, but not yet rated facility, who have not yet enrolled in an ECE certificate programs or ECE associates degree program. Fourth Priority Eligible providers who have accessed scholarship funding in the past, dropped their program and have not successfully completed their academic goal, but who now wish to re-enroll in an ECE program. No more than one-half of the grant recipients from a single college may be employed in Head Start/ECEAP Programs. Participating colleges will be provided information about employers participating in the Department of Early Learning's Early Achievers Program (QRIS). Colleges are encouraged to explore and utilize other financial aid options for eligible students. Page 4

5 Early Childhood Education Point-of-Contact The college will establish an Early Childhood Education Point-of-Contact to advise and support Early Achievers Grant recipients. College staff identified as the point-of-contact will: Recruit potential students from family home providers, child care centers, and Head Start/ECEAP programs. Provide accurate information to students about the Department of Early Learning s initiatives such as the Early Achievers program-washington s quality rating and improvement system, the Career Portal, pertinent WACs, and the Managed Education and Registry Information Tool (MERIT). Provide accurate information about the college s grant application process, admission requirements and processes, required financial aid forms, student placement assessments, registration procedures and services provided to potential Early Achievers Grant recipients. Help students plan their college program and course schedule customized to the needs of each student. Provide information about financial aid, assist students with the required forms, and coordinate the development of financial aid packages for each student according to his/her needs. Coordinate prior learning assessments and the awarding of credit as requested by the student. Coordinate wrap-around support services such as tutoring, mentoring, study groups, elearning workshops, or emergency assistance as needed. Track student progress and deploy retention activities as needed. Track student completions using transcript reports and assist students as they submit certificate and degree applications. Assist students with any other issues that may arise related to the Early Achievers Grant program. By each due date, complete and submit reports to the Grant Manager This includes the ECE Course Schedule, which is due by May 31, Funding for an Early Childhood Education State Certificate The contract with the Department of Early learning sets forth the requirements for Early Achievers Grant (EAG) funding. A student may receive EAG funding for up to 52 credits of eligibility. Additional funding for an Associate s Degree Students who successfully complete a one-year Early Childhood Education State Certificate are eligible to receive EAG funding supporting an additional 45 credits for coursework required for an Associate s degree in Early Childhood Education. Military service deployment Eligible students returning from active military duty should be considered 1st priority for grant funding upon returning to the college. Page 5

6 Waivers Permission may be granted for eligible grant recipients to enroll in additional credits if they meet the following criteria: 1. Must complete one or more developmental classes in math and/or English to complete the one year Early Childhood Education State Certificate. 2. Have not yet finished the Early Childhood Education one year State Certificate, but could benefit from enrolling in one or two courses required for an Early Childhood Education Associate s degree as they complete their State Certificate. 3. Have at least an Associate s degree in Early Childhood Education, but need specific classes to retain employment. Colleges must submit a completed Early Achievers Grant Credits Waiver Form to the Grant Manager for processing. In the event the college has a student who may need a waiver request, but does not fully meet the above criteria, please contact the Grant Manager for additional guidance. Academic requirements The student must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average and meet the Early Childhood Education program's and college's satisfactory academic progress policies. If a student's cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0, the student may petition the college. The college has the authority to establish a probationary period until such time as the student's grade point average reaches required standards. Eligible Early Childhood Education programs An EAG eligible education program must include all common courses that comprise the seven standardized statewide Early Childhood Education stackable certificates. Certificate and degree programs must have received approval from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (see Program Approval Policy and Forms) and be listed on the college's program inventory. Student Eligibility Determination There are no income level eligibility requirements. Students are not required to submit a completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, but the college may encourage students to do so. A student must: Be a Washington State resident as defined in RCW 28B Be employed at a child care facility, family home care or Head Start/ECEAP program that is actively participating in the Department of Early Learning s Early Achievers (QRIS) program. The student must work a minimum of 10 hours a week or 40 hours per month at an eligible child care facility. The student must also have worked for an employer for a minimum of three (3) months. The Department of Early Learning will provide the colleges with access to information regarding eligible employers. The student must provide work history documentation to the college. Make a formal application to the program. Enroll in an Early Achievers Grant-eligible education program. To be eligible for Early Achievers Grant (EAG) consideration, the student must NOT: Be in unsatisfactory academic progress. Page 6

7 Owe a repayment to the EAG program. Receive funds beyond 52 credits (credits awarded through a waiver are note counted), unless the student has completed a one-year credential in Early Childhood Education and is continuing her or his enrollment to pursue an Associate s degree in Early Childhood Education. Then the student is eligible for grant funding for an additional 45 credits. Have exceeded $1,000 for books and instructional materials. Have exceeded the total tuition and fees limits. Students must complete a formal application for the Early Achievers Grant program. Each college has the authority to create a college specific Early Achievers Grant application. The application must include documentation of a personal interview, an essay, and/or written responses to questions and verification of work history. Colleges must include a student release of information in the application so the student can be contacted in the future for an exit interview, media contact and/or Early Achievers Grant satisfaction survey. The release must also include the student's permission for the college and State Board for Community Colleges to share student data and information to the Department of Early Learning for reporting and research purposes. Financial Aid Eligibility Students who meet all eligibility requirements are not required to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. However, some students may benefit from additional student financial aid. The intent is for a student to leverage all eligible funds to decrease his or her loan indebtedness. An eligible student may receive an Early Achievers Grant, Worker Retraining, Work First, Opportunity Grant, Pell Grant, State Need Grant, Work Study, and other forms of state and federal financial aid. Funding The Early Achievers Grant is offered in partnership with the Department of Early Learning (DEL). The funding is allocated by DEL and administered by SBCTC. College Awards The award recommendation assumes the following distribution of funds: 1. Early Achievers Grant (EAG) funds will be distributed to community and technical colleges that apply and are selected to participate in the financial aid program during the academic year. 2. One FTES is equivalent to 45 credits. For example, a student who enrolls for 18 credits fall quarter, 13 credits winter quarter and 15 credits spring quarter results in 1.0 FTES. ( = 45). The enrollment of several part-time students may be added together to determine FTES. For example, nine students who enroll in a five credit course would total 45 credits or 1.0 FTES. 3. The EAG funding will be granted to the colleges in whole FTES increments (5, 7, 12, etc.) not partial FTES increments (3.4, 7.2, 15.7, etc.). Tuition and fees The Early Achievers Grant funding provides up to $4,800 per FTES for tuition and fees. The grant covers tuition and mandatory fees for eligible students up to 52 credits for an Early Childhood Education State Certificate. If the student earns a one-year State Certificate in Early Childhood Education, she or he is then eligible for further Early Achievers Grant funding to support enrollment in an Early Childhood Education Associate degree program up to 45 additional credits. The individual college shall determine the cost of full-time attendance and mandatory fees based on the rate of the institution s tuition and mandatory fees. Page 7

8 Example: 45 credits of tuition for is approximately $4,000. The college may also use grant funds for mandatory fees, such as lab or technology fees. The Early Achievers Grant funding will cover tuition and fees up to $4,800 for 45 credits or 1 FTES. Tuition funds may be moved to other funding categories if financial assistance from different programs (Pell, BFET, Worker Retraining, etc.) is used to backfill the funding that is being moved. Example: The student receives tuition support for $2,000 from another financial aid program. The college may move $2,000 in Early Achievers Grant tuition funding to other budget categories such as textbooks or miscellaneous. Textbooks and instructional materials Each college will receive $1,000 for each FTES funded through the Early Achievers Grant program to reimburse students for the purchase of required textbooks and other instructional materials. Grant funds may not be used to purchase computers, laptops, scientific calculators, etc. for students. Grant funds may not be used to purchase paper, notebooks, pens or other types of supplies. If needed, these dollars may be moved to other budget categories to support additional FTES. Wrap-around student services Each college will receive $1,000 for each FTES funded through the Early Achievers Grant program. The college may use this funding for wrap-around individualized support services including, but not limited to; student success classes, tutoring, counseling, retention strategies, and funding to mitigate student emergency conditions that if resolved will help students continue in the program. If needed, these dollars may be moved to other budget categories to support additional FTES. Staff Point-of-Contact The college will receive $1,500 for every FTES to support an Early Childhood Education Point-of-Contact. The Point-of-Contact will recruit, advise and support Early Achievers Grant recipients. The college may utilize this funding for the salary, benefits, goods & services, and travel for one or more staff performing Point-of-Contact duties (i.e. Early Achievers Grant Coordinator). The college must apply for the full amount of funds per the following table. For example, if requesting 10 FTES, the college must apply for exactly $83,000. The chart below shows examples of FTES and corresponding funding. Please see Fiscal Guidelines for information on how funds may be budgeted and how funds may be moved between budget categories. The Early Achievers Grant - State funds must be expended no later than June 30, Examples EAG Funding 1 FTES 2 FTES 3 FTES 4 FTES 5 FTES 6 FTES 10 FTES Tuition & Fees $4,800 $9,600 $14,400 $19,200 $24,000 $28,800 $48,000 Required Books and Instructional Materials Student Support & Wrap-Around Services $1,000 $2,000 $3,000 $4,000 $5,000 $6,000 $10,000 $1,000 $2,000 $3,000 $4,000 $5,000 $6,000 $10,000 College Point-of-Contact $1,500 $3,000 $4,500 $6,000 $7,500 $9,000 $15,000 Total $8,300 $16,600 $24,900 $33,200 $41,500 $49,800 $83,000 Page 8

9 Refunds Any student receiving Early Achievers Grant funding who officially or unofficially withdraws will have funds returned to the Early Achievers Grant institutional account based on the college refund policy. All Early Achievers Grant funds collected from student refunds may be re-awarded to other Early Achievers Grant eligible students if refunds are received in the same fiscal year as disbursed. Please follow your college s standard refund policy. Should the student re-enroll at a later date, those funds surrendered will apply and count toward the academic year Early Achievers Grant tuition/fees funding maximum. There typically are no refunds for books/instructional materials that have been purchased. Program Reporting and Coding Reports To collect narrative information or data not available through the FMS and SMS databases, a quarterly report will be due on the following schedule. SBCTC will provide reporting templates after college grant applications are approved. September 28, 2018 December 28, 2017 March 29, 2019 June 28, 2019 The data collected will assist the State Board to report information on student participation to the Department of Early Learning. Student Program Completions As student retention is measured by continued enrollment and/or program completion, it is essential that all students completing one or more programs be coded with the appropriate exit code. The most common exit codes for Early Achievers Grant students are as follows: 1. Associate Degree 2. Long Certificate + 90 credits 3. Long Certificate credits 4. Short Certificate 20 to 44 credits 5. Short Certificate 1 to 19 credits The full listing of exit codes can be found under Completions on the Guidelines for Reporting Degrees and Certificates web page or check with your college registrar. Financial Aid and Coding An eligible student may receive Early Achievers Grant for tuition and mandatory fees up to 52 credits, not including credits documented on approved waivers. If the student has completed a one-year certificate in Early Childhood Education, and meets eligibility requirements, she or he may receive Early Achievers Grant funding Page 9

10 for an additional 45 credits when enrolled in an Associate degree program in Early Childhood Education. Early Achievers Grant students may receive up to $1,000 for books and other instructional materials. It is acceptable for a full-time student to receive an award of $333 a quarter for books and other instructional materials or $250 a quarter if she or he is attending four quarters (summer). This disbursement may be made directly to the student upon receipt of documentation the payment made was for eligible costs. If the student attends less than full-time then the award should be prorated. The State Board is currently modifying the way students who are receiving Early Achievers Grant funding will be coded in both the Legacy and PeopleSoft systems. Instructions for coding these students will be updated in the Coding Manual and in the revised Early Achievers Program Guidelines by early April, 2018 for the Fy18-19 academic year. Students receiving Early Achievers Grant funds must receive an accepted award status code, (code 2) in the Financial Aid System (FAM). The financial aid award codes are the financial aid program codes (FAPC) below without the zero in front. Financial Aid Program Codes in Legacy System Award Code FAPC Description EA EB EC ED E0 0EA 0EB 0EC 0ED 0E0 EAG-Tuition (Tuition and Fees) EAG-Books (Books, supplies, etc ) EAG-Childcare (Emergency child care) EAG-Trans Emergency transportation EAG-Other (Tutoring, exams/licensing fees, career services, etc...) Financial Aid Program Codes in ctclink FA Item Type Description Short Description Early Achievers Grant-Tuition EAGTUITION Early Achievers Grant-Books EAGBOOKS Early Achievers Grant-Chldcare EAGCHLDCAR Early Achievers Grant-Transp EAGTRANSP Early Achievers Grant-Other EAGOTHER Page 10

11 Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is Early Achievers? Early Achievers is the Department of Early Learning s (DEL) quality rating and improvement system (QRIS). It is intended to assist licensed child care providers and other early learning providers and educators offer high-quality care and provide children with the best possible start in life. Early Achievers offers child care providers and their employees access to coaching, professional development opportunities and other resources that support high-quality child care at no cost to providers or families. The Early Achievers Grant program offers eligible child care providers and their employees financial assistance to enroll in Early Childhood Education programs offered at community and technical colleges across the state. 2. Are the Early Achievers Grants competitive? Yes, the grants are competitive for Applications will be read and scored, and awards will be made when approved by the SBCTC. The SBCTC hopes to fund as many community and technical college Early Childhood Education programs as possible within available funding. 3. Does the student need to be 18 years or older to receive the grant? The student does not need to be 18, but must be matriculated into the college as an adult. Dual credit students or high school students are not eligible to receive the grant. 4. How can I award the student the $1,000 for required books and instructional materials? The Washington Financial Aid Association has determined the average cost of books is $1,000 a year. Fulltime Early Achievers Grant students may receive up to $1,000 an academic year for required books and instructional materials. It is acceptable for a full-time student to receive an award of $333 a quarter for required books and instructional materials or $250 a quarter if they are attending four quarters (summer). If a student attends less than full-time, then the award must be prorated. 5. How does the college assist students with substantially higher textbook costs in one quarter compared to other quarters within the same academic year? For example, textbooks are higher the first quarter of the year, but less in subsequent quarters. Programs with higher books or instructional material costs in a particular quarter may adjust the award accordingly. This disbursement may be made directly to the student upon receipt of documentation the payment made was for eligible costs. Colleges must retain receipts or bookstore vouchers for all purchases of required books and instructional materials. 6. May the college cut a check directly to the student for books and instructional materials? As this grant is funded by state funds, we must all be very vigilant about following state rules, processes, etc. The best thing to do, of course, is for students to purchase books at the bookstore using vouchers or through some kind of process where your bookstore sends charges to your department to be paid from the grant. This makes it much easier for your college to have all required documentation in place, which is needed for audit purposes. In rare instances where that isn t an option, the students must purchase their books, turn in a receipt, and get reimbursed from the grant. 7. May the program purchase notebooks, binders or folders using student services funding for orientation materials that are given to students when they enroll in the program? State funds may be used for this purpose. Page 11

12 8. If a student meets all eligibility criteria, but works at more than one child care facility only one of which is participating in the Early Achievers program is the student eligible to receive Early Achievers Grant funding? If the student works a minimum of 10 hours a week or 40 hours a month at the child care facility participating in the Early Achievers program or a combination of facilities that are participating in the Early Achievers program, the student is eligible to receive grant funding. 9. If a student is receiving Washington Scholars funding from Child Care Aware, may the student also receive Early Achievers Grant funding to pay for any eligible expenditures that are not covered by the Washington Scholars aid? We are not allowed to use both funding sources for one student. If the student is participating in the Washington Scholars program, the student may not also receive Early Achievers Grant funding for any expenditure. The student must choose which program best meets his or her needs. 10. What if a student is receiving other types of financial aid such as a Student Need Grant, Pell Grant, or other type of aid (not Washington Scholars funding see question 8)? May the student also receive Early Achievers Grant funding to pay for any eligible expenditures that are not covered by other aid? If the student is receiving financial aid other than the Washington Scholars program, the student may receive funding for expenditures not covered by other forms of financial aid up to the amount of funding for which the student is qualified to receive. For example, if the student qualifies for $6,000 of aid and the Pell Grant covers only $5,000, then up to $1,000 of Early Achievers Grant funding can be used. The student must be coded correctly so that he or she is counted as an Early Achievers Grant recipient and the student must receive the services of the Early Achievers Grant Point-of-Contact and other support staff described in the college s Early Achievers Grant application. 11. If a student is receiving other types of financial aid in addition to Early Achievers Grant funding, how should I record enrolled credits on the monthly report? Record all the credits the student is carrying on the report regardless of how the credits are funded. You do not have to sort the number of credits by the funding source. This is the way credits are reported for the Opportunity Grant program. The SBCTC understands that credits may be over-reported in the system because many students receive financial aid from multiple sources. 12. If a student has completed a 45 credit (or the equivalent of a one-year) certificate in Early Childhood Education, but it is not the standardized statewide certificate, may the student receive funding from the Early Achievers Grant to pursue an Associate degree in Early Childhood Education? If a student has already completed a 45 credit certificate in Early Childhood Education, meets eligibility requirements for employment and is pursuing an Associate s degree in Early Childhood Education, he or she may receive Early Achievers Grant funding up to 45 credits. This applies even if the student has not completed any of the stackable certificates prior to continuing his or her degree program in Early Childhood Education. 13. If a student is employed by a child care facility participating in the Early Achievers QRIS program and receives Early Achievers Grant funds to support his/her enrollment in an Early Childhood Education program, but then becomes unemployed (laid-off, quits, gets fired), may that student continue to be eligible for Early Achievers Grant funds? The intention of the grant is to support child care providers employed at facilities that are participating in the Early Achievers QRIS program. The employment status of Early Achievers Grant recipients must be verified annually at a minimum. If a grant recipient is no longer employed at an eligible facility, the student may no longer receive Early Achievers Grant funding. The student may be eligible for other financial aid programs administered through the college. Page 12

13 14. May a student stop out for a quarter or two and still retain an Early Achievers Grant? (Military/Family/Medical leave) Yes, students who require medical, maternity or family leave may discontinue their enrollment for one or more quarters. This is a situation similar to students called up to active military duty that is described on page 6 under Program Requirements. 15. Is there a grant funding waiver regarding student eligibility? Some colleges are receiving requests from students who already have an Associate s or Bachelor s degree, but must complete a credential in Infant/Toddler, School Age or some other area to retain their employment. The Department of Early Learning has agreed that grant funds may be used for this type of training on a case-by-case basis. College staff must submit a request using the waiver form attached to the grant application. 16. Is there a grant funding waiver regarding the number of credits for which a student may be funded? Many students need developmental ed. classes to prepare for college-level courses, especially math and English. The Department of Early Learning has agreed to extend the number of credits the grant supports on a case-by-case basis. If a student needs a developmental course, grant funding may be used to pay for the course. Each course cannot be repeated more than once. In other words, the grant recipient has two chances to complete a developmental class. If a student is making good progress toward completing the one-year certificate, but has used all 52 credits of funding, please submit a request using the waiver form attached to the grant application. 17. Is there a waiver that allows students to start work on their Associates degree before completing the State Early Childhood Education 1-year Certificate? Often students have made good progress towards completing their 1-year State ECE Certificate, but the final required classes are not available during the following quarter. College staff may submit a request for permission to allow students to receive grant funding for courses required for an ECE Associate s degree even though they have not yet completed the 1-year certificate. College staff must submit a request using the waiver form attached to the grant application. 18. I have a student with five credits of Early Achievers Grant eligibility remaining but the student has not used $1,000 books and supplies. May we reimburse the student for required books and supplies up to $1,000 if he/she is actually taking a full-time load? Yes, if the student s credit load is full-time, then you may pay full-time books and instructional materials. Once the student has used up his or her 52 credits of eligibility, then the student is no longer eligible for textbooks and instructional materials even if four years has not passed. 19. What if a student has very expensive textbooks and instructional materials the first quarter but only attends part-time each quarter? Is there flexibility in prorating the award? The books and supplies should be prorated if the student attends less than full time, but book expenditures may be prorated for the year rather than the quarter (this is different from typical financial aid). Example: If you have an Early Achievers Grant student taking seven credits, he or she is considered a ½ time student. Half-time or 50 percent of the student s $1,000 books and instructional materials would be $500 for the year. If the student has higher costs in the first quarter then you may reimburse up to the $500 the first quarter, but not exceed the $500 for the total academic year unless the student enrolls in enough courses to be considered ¾ or full-time in future quarters. Using the example above, if the student enrolls in courses equal to ¾ - time the second quarter, she or he is eligible for $250 in additional funding for textbooks and instructional materials ($750 total). Page 13

14 Note: A school may choose to go the traditional route of prorating each quarter the example above is just an option. 20. May Early Achievers Grant funds pay for a repeated class? Yes, you may use Early Achievers Grant (EAG) funds for a repeated a class (even if EAG paid for it previously), but the repeated class diminishes the students 52 credits of eligibility. Of course, the student must abide by the college s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. 21. What type of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy must my college implement? The Early Achievers Grant (EAG) guidelines indicate that a student must maintain a cumulative 2.0 grade point average. If a student's cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0, the student may petition the college. The college has the authority to establish a probationary period until such time as the student's grade point average reaches required standards. Other than the guidelines above, your college may decide to establish a policy or apply an existing policy to the Early Achievers Grant. Your college may decide to use the same policy as traditional financial aid, or your college may allow Early Achievers Grant recipients to receive funding even if they are on suspension from traditional financial aid. Your Early Achievers Grant team should decide the process. Make sure you define your policy and consistently apply it. 22. Will Early Achievers Grant pay for pre-requisites? The Early Achievers Grant allows a required related course to be included in the EAG funding. If a student is required to take a developmental/remedial class or a pre-requisite in order to start her or his program, then these types of classes may be included in the funding. However, the student may only receive 52 credits of funding, including required related courses, so make sure the student understands this policy and has other funding sources to finish his or her program. The risk with funding the pre-requisites is that the student may run out of funding and then leave the program affecting your college s retention and completion numbers. Once you have decided upon your local policy, define it in writing and consistently apply it. 23. How often may we award emergency funds? Individual colleges may decide to award emergency funding more than once a year for a different emergency, or the college may decide to only offer the funding once a year per student. It is up to the college to make the decision and define its procedures. An example of awarding emergency funding more than once per year: A student has a shut off notice for power and brings the documentation to the college. After reviewing the request, you (or your team) decide the student is eligible and award the student Early Achievers Grant emergency Other (Financial aid program code 0E0) A few months later the student comes in and her car has broken down and she needs bus fare for the remainder of the term. After reviewing the student s request, you may decide to award the student EAG emergency funds transportation (Financial aid program code 0ED) due to a different emergency situation. 24. How do you calculate a Full Time Equivalent Student (FTES)? In Washington s community and technical college system, an FTES is the equivalent of one student enrolled for 15 community or technical college credits per quarter totaling 45 credits per year. Divide the number of credits by 45 to determine the FTES. (45 credits = 1 FTE) Page 14

15 25. Must potential grant recipients meet poverty guidelines to be eligible for funding? For there are no income level eligibility requirements. 26. Are child care providers who work for Head Start, ECEAP or Seasonal Head Start programs eligible for Early Achievers Grant funding? Yes, but the Department of Early Learning has set some requirements. Colleges offering Early Achievers Grants must prioritize a minimum of 50 percent of their grant for licensed family home care and child care centers. No more than 50 percent of grant funding can be used to support eligible employees at Head Start or ECEAP programs. Grant recipients must be employed at a facility, including Head Start or ECEAP, that is participating in the Early Achievers program and students must meet eligibility requirements. 27. Will available funding be reallocated later in the year? Yes. Funding surveys are sent out periodically throughout the year to distribute new or unexpended funds. 28. Is an employee with a work visa eligible for Early Achievers Grant funding? Yes, please review RCW 28B A child care provider meeting state residency requirements as outlined in RCW 28B is eligible for grant funding if she/he also meets the following criteria: The potential grant recipient is employed at a facility actively participating in the Department of Early Learning s Early Achievers (QRIS) program. The employee works a minimum of 10 hours a week or 40 hours a month at an eligible facility. The employee has worked at an eligible facility for a minimum of three (3) months. Keep in mind that students on work visas must pay non-resident tuition. More funding is needed to support fewer credits. Students paying non-resident tuition will not have enough Early Achievers Grant funds to complete credits for a one-year certificate. Content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, unless noted otherwise. Page 15