CSAC Update. How to Manage Cal Grant and Other Programs 3/25/2014. On the Agenda

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3 CSAC Update All Financial Aid Directors Meeting 2014 How to Manage Cal Grant and Other Programs Presented by Bryan Dickason Senior Programs Manager California Student Aid Commission April 1, 2014 On the Agenda CSAC Communications Dream Act and Application Update Cal Grant Competitive Awards Chafee Grant Coming Calendar 1

4 CSAC Communications CSAC Communications Sign-up for the CSAC List-Serv Program Updates System Processing Updates High School User College User Much easier sign-up process Bottom of CSAC Website www. csac.ca.gov 2

5 CSAC Webinar Training Or follow this path: Colleges Training 2014 Commission Training Webinars 3

6 Dream Act and Application Update Dream Applications The current number of submitted California Dream Act Applications received on or before the priority deadline is 26,596. The current number of non-awarded California Dream Act Applications received on or before the priority deadline is 21,444. The total number of Cal Grant awards for all California Dream Act applicants is 5,152. Dream Act Application Counts as of March 22 Awards 1st choice Secondary Choices Community College 2,192 15,066 9,808 UC 589 2,922 9,220 CSU 2,081 8,469 14,500 Prv 2 year Prv Non-Profit ,686 Prv For-Profit TOTAL 5,152 27,523 36,765 Dream Act Application Counts as of March 22 4

7 2013 Dream Act Application Counts All Renewals On-time Met March Past March Totals Dream Act Application Counts All Renewals On-time Met March Past March Totals Dream Act Application Counts as of March 22 GPA Submission Received approximately 83,164 non-ssn GPAs from the community colleges for the year Community College non-ssn GPAs for Dream Act Applicants will be matched during the Transfer Entitlement award cycle in early May. SSN GPAs can be matched only if student also included their SSN on the Dream Act Application. We advise that campuses submit their AB 540 students GPAs using the Non-SSN method. 5

8 Lessons we ve learned (are still learning!) Many males dreamers are not registering with Selective Service Dreamers and their parents do file US tax returns Parents and students can request tax transcripts Dreamers are not as wary as their parents Dreamers should not complete the FAFSA Dream Act and Dream App Update If a Dreamer Completes the FAFSA AB 540 student uses FAFSA: citizenship = 1 or 2 The DACA SSN is confirmed as valid during USCIS match EFC is calculated, but The student fails citizenship match Campus cannot confirm citizenship status AB 540 student uses FAFSA: citizenship = 3 No EFC is calculated Undocumented students, DACA or not, should file the Dream Act Application, not the FAFSA. If a Dreamer Completes the FAFSA If the FAFSA met the March 2 deadline: 1. Have the student complete the Dream Act Application. Notify the Commission staff that a Dream Act Application was filed and that the FAFSA application has to be set aside. 2. Report the manner in which the student s GPA was reported: SSN GPA or Non-SSN GPA If the FAFSA did not meet the March 2 deadline Have the student complete the Dream Act Application. Notify the Commission staff that a Dream Act Application was filed and that the FAFSA application has to be set aside. 6

9 If a Dreamer gains the ability to establish residency If the DA App. met the March 2 deadline: 1. Have the student complete the FAFSA. Notify the Commission staff that a FAFSA was filed and that the Dream Act Application has to be set aside. 2. Report the manner in which the student s GPA was reported: SSN GPA or Non-SSN GPA 3. CSAC will merge the records and transition to the new application type. If the DA App. did not meet the March 2 deadline 1. Same as above 1 and 3 above Disbursement Best Practices Work locally Work with your disbursement agent Banking Questions: Can the checks be cashed at branches of the bank issuing the check? If so, what identification is required at that bank to cash the check? Will local banks open accounts for persons without a Social Security number? If an account can be opened, can direct deposit be made? Commission Debit Card Workgroup Campuses should investigate: Can their Dream Act Students use a debit card? How checks issued through their disbursement agent can be cashed? If the student can open a bank account, they can use direct deposit! 7

10 Dream Application: Enhancements for Make Dream Application SSN - ITIN field mandatory Enhanced Selective Service Language Cal ISIR Batch Corrections Screen ISIR Numbering: ISIR 01 = Student signature only ISIR 02 = Student and parent signature ISIR 01 = Student and parents signature Align parent s marital status with FAFSA Update on options and efforts to increase use of competitive awards Cal Grant Competitive Program What is the Underutilization Issue? Paid rate was about 65% (Currently 82%) What was happening to these students? Commission Staff led workgroups on several topics: Institutional requirements changed Cohort Default rate Graduation rate Competitive Cal Grant selection criteria has mostly stayed the same Is it time to revisit the criteria the scoring criteria? 8

11 Cal Grant Competitive Program What has CSAC been doing? Over awarding Increased student contacts Talking to National Student Clearinghouse Convening Competitive Program Workgroups Cal Grant Competitive Program Possible additional actions from last year: Increase award offers - Implemented Increase student contact attempts- Implemented Require enrollment files from campuses - Implemented Decrease scoring cohorts by using additional scoring criteria -? Request students to activate their award by a certain date and offer more awards by lowering the score -? Competitive Workgroups WebGrants Payment Codes Review Student Communications and WebGrants Messaging Competitive Scoring and Selection Criteria Debit Card and Disbursements Is it time for a Summit? 9

12 Chafee Program Update 13/14 and 14/15 Chafee Applications and NARS are being accepted at this time. $412,000 reduction in place for Awards offered as of March New, 1773 Renewal Chafee Priority Selection Criteria used Summer quarter payments are scheduled to process on May 20, 2014 Chafee Update Each week, awards and payments cycles are processed using the following priority selection criteria: Priority 1: Renewal students who have received a payment in a prior year Priority 2: Students who are aging out Priority 3: Students with dependents Priority 4: Students who had an unmet need of $5,000 or higher Priority 5: Submission date of completed application Chafee Priority Selection Criteria 10

13 When returning funds: Do not write void on check. This delays recycling of funds. Replacement checks have to be reissued. A process that can take up to 8 weeks for this process. Funds returned with Not Enrolled, Unable to locate and Revised NAR reasons are placed in reserve for 21 days which allows for submission of school changes and revised NARS. Unreserved funds are used to offer additional awards based on the priority selection criteria. Chafee Update & Tips The online Chafee Foster Youth Grant Program Applications are available at: Only new Chafee applicants need to complete the Chafee application. Eligible applicants will automatically renewed Chafee Application Chafee Numbers 11

14 Chafee Contacts: Jeana Maduli, or Bryan Hanson, or Coming Calendar Events Coming key dates April 15 Deadline to upload Winter and Spring Enrollment files May 16 Deadline for students to submit appeals on Entitlement GPAs. Can be submitted if circumstances beyond the student s control prevented timely GPA submission. Does not allow late FAFSA/Dream Act Application submission Less than half of late GPA appeals are approved All of these are approximate dates 12

15 May 16 Transfer Entitlement award selection May 19 Competitive Award selection May Renewals June 30 Cal Grant C supplement due September 2 Application Deadline for CCC only Competitive grants September 12 Approximate date for submission of Fall enrollment files Coming Key Cal Grant Dates 13

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17 2014 Spring All Directors Training 1

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