State Aid in TexasTASFAA ABC’s

Pre-Conference WorkshopOctober 8, 2014

Lyn Wheeler KinyonAssistant Director, Grants and Special Programs

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Role of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board General Overview of Financial Aid in Texas General Overview of the Eligibility Requirements for the

State Financial Aid Programs Questions

Topics

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Institutional• Administration• Governing Board

Federal• Department of Education (DOE)

State• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

Governing Authorities

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Created by the Texas Legislature in 1965 Purpose:• Provide leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education

system Responsibilities:• Assess the state of higher education in Texas• Develop recommendations to the Legislature, Governor, and

institutions for its enhancement• Establish policies for the efficient and effective use of the state’s

higher education resources

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)

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Workforce, Academic Affairs and Research• Academic Affairs and Research• Planning and Accountability• P-16 Initiatives

Finance and Administration• Business and Support Services• Business Office • Grants and Special Programs (G&SP) *• Loan Programs Operations (LPO) *

• Information Technology• Human Resources

* Main areas that work closely with colleagues in the financial aid community

Divisions of the Agency

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Provide customer service to students, families, and institutions

Provide training to institutions, high school counselors, etc. Interpret legislation and develop rules Allocate available funding and process funding requests Process applications, collect student loan payments, and

process benefits Assist in the performance of program reviews and audits Collect and provide information requested by the Legislature

G&SP and LPO Responsibilities

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Legislature passes a statute authorizing a program Legislature appropriates funds for the program – or not THECB writes & adopts rules – if applicable Programs are administered as:

• Decentralized (Campus-Based) - THECB allocates funding, applications submitted through the institution, institution selects recipients, THECB supplies funding, and the institution submits reports to the THECB.

• Centralized (THECB-Based) - applications submitted to the THECB, THECB determines eligibility, and THECB notifies institution of award.

• Solely at the institutional level - applications submitted through the institution, institution determines eligibility, and THECB supplies no funding.

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The Birth of a State Program

State aid, just like federal, includesGrant, Scholarship, Loan, and Work

Programs as well as

Exemption Programs(exempt tuition and/or fees for certain groups of eligible

students)

andWaiver Programs

(waive tuition rates for non-resident students)

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Types of State Programs

Eligible institutions:• Are defined in statute• Have signed agreements/MOU’s with the CB• Administer programs via state statutes and CB rules• Complete required funding processes and reports• Are subject to audits and program reviews

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Institutional Participation

Eligible Student:• Federal – citizen or eligible non-citizen• State – resident of Texas

Shadowing of Federal Processes:• Federal Methodology (FM) Calculation• FAFSA – citizen or eligible non-citizen• TASFA – non citizen or ineligible non-citizen, but resident of Texas

• Verification Guidelines/Requirements• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Guidelines/Requirements

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Federal vs. State

To aid in prioritizing limited funding to eligible students and to provide consistency for Texas students at Texas institutions

Though all institutions are encouraged to advertise and implement, implementation of the priority deadline is required at the General Academic Teaching Institutions or GATI’s (public universities, Lamar-Orange, and Lamar-Port Arthur)

Institutions have the flexibility to define what it means to meet the deadline – except for the Top 10 Percent Scholarship Program which is defined in rule

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State Priority Deadline – March 15

Initial Year (IY) and Renewal Year (RY) eligibility requirements Texas residency Selective Service Registration Calculated need or need component Requirements for meeting and maintaining satisfactory

academic progress (SAP)

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Common Threads

Provide grants to academically-prepared needy students at public universities

Funded through appropriations and gifts• CB allocates available funding to participating institutions

annually Student eligibility:• Initial year (IY) “basic” eligibility requirements• Initial year (IY) “priority model” eligibility requirements• Renewal year (RY) or continuation eligibility requirements

Maximum award amounts determined annually

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Toward EXcellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS) Grant

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TEXAS Grant – IY Basic Eligibility Basic Requirements:• Classified as a Texas resident by the institution• Registered with Selective Service, or exempt• No felony conviction or crime involving a controlled substance• Demonstration of financial need and EFC cap• Enroll at least ¾-time as an undergraduate baccalaureate student

in one of the four initial eligibility avenues

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TEXAS Grant – IY Basic Eligibility1. Incoming freshman who:

Graduated from an accredited public or private high school in Texas after completing an appropriate high school program; and enrolls within 16 months from high school graduation having not accumulated more than 30 SCH’s.

2. Incoming freshman who:Graduated from an accredited public or private high school in Texas after

completing an appropriate high school program or the equivalent; enlisted in military service within 12 months of high school graduation; and enrolls within 12 months of receiving an honorable discharge.

3. Incoming transfer who:Earned an associate’s degree from a public or private nonprofit institution

of higher education in Texas, and enrolls within 12 months after receiving the associate’s degree.

4. Incoming transfer who:Transfers into a public university in Texas with at least 24 SCH’s and a 2.5

GPA; and received an initial year (IY) Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG) in Fall 2014 or later.

Priority Model Requirements: • Meet the basic IY eligibility requirements• Meet the state priority deadline• Meet the requirements in at least 2 of the following 4 areas:

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TEXAS Grant – IY Priority Model

AREA REQUIREMENT(S)

Advanced Academic Program

12 hours of college credit (dual credit or AP courses), complete the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP), or complete the International Baccalaureate Program (IB).

TSI Readiness Meet the Texas Success Initiatives (TSI) assessment thresholds or qualify for an exemption.

Class Standing Graduate in the top one/third of the HS graduating class or have a B average.

Advanced Math Complete at least one math course beyond Algebra II as determined by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

Maintain eligibility and meet SAP requirements: GPA• End of initial year – institution’s SAP policy• End of successive years – minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA

Completion Rate• End of initial year – institution’s SAP policy• End of successive years –24 SCH’s successfully completed for the

year Maximum Time Frame (whichever comes first)• 150 attempted SCH’s (not to exceed 150 while receiving the

grant for HS graduates or 90 while receiving the grant for AD graduates)

• 5 years for a 4 year degree or 6 years for a degree requiring > 4 years;

• completion of a baccalaureate degree – whichever comes first

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TEXAS Grant – RY Eligibility

Provide grants to needy students at public 2-year institutions

Funded through appropriations• CB allocates available funding to participating institutions

annually Student Eligibility:• Initial year (IY) eligibility requirements• Renewal year (RY) or continuation eligibility requirements

Maximum award amounts determined annually prorated to enrollment status as of the census date

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Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)

Classified as a Texas resident by the institution Registered with Selective Service, or exempt No felony conviction or crime involving a controlled

substance Demonstration of financial need via a 9-month EFC cap Enroll at least ½-time as an entering undergraduate student

having not accumulated more than 30 SCH’s (excluding credits for dual enrollment or by examination)

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TEOG – IY Eligibility

Maintain eligibility and meet SAP requirements: GPA• End of initial year – institution’s SAP policy• End of successive years – minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA

Completion Rate• End of initial year – institution’s SAP policy• End of successive years –75% annual completion rate

Maximum Time Frame• 4 years, 75 SCH’s attempted while receiving the grant, or an

associate’s degree – whichever comes first

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TEOG – RY Eligibility

Provide grants to needy students at private/independent non-profit institutions

Funded through appropriations• CB allocates available funding to participating institutions annually

Student eligibility:• Initial year (IY) eligibility requirements• Renewal year (RY) or continuation eligibility requirements

Maximum award amounts determined biennially

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Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG)

Classified as a Texas resident by the institution, or a National Merit Finalist with at least $1,000 in scholarships

Registered with Selective Service, or exempt Not currently receiving an athletic scholarship Demonstration of financial need Required to pay more tuition than is required at a comparable public

institution Enrolled at least ¾-time as an undergraduate or graduate student

working on the first associate’s, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degree that does not lead to ordination or licensure to preach

Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements

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TEG – IY and RY Eligibility

GPA• End of initial year – institution’s SAP policy• End of successive years – minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA

Completion Rate• End of initial year – institution’s SAP policy• End of successive years – minimum 75% annual completion rate,

and 24 SCH’s successfully completed annually for an undergraduate or 18 SCH’s completed annually for a graduate

Maximum Time Frame• 5 years for a 4-year undergraduate degree• 6 years for a 5-year undergraduate degree • No limit for a graduate degree

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TEG – SAP

Statutory Tuition Set-Aside Program – Texas Public Educational Grant (TPEG)• Provide grants to needy students at public institutions• Funded through statutory tuition set-asides at the institutional level• Eligibility requirements:• Financial need and Selective Service Registration• Institution’s policies and procedures

Designated Tuition Set-Aside Program – named by the institution• Provide need-based financial aid at public universities• Funded through designated tuition set-asides at the institutional level• Eligibility requirements:• Financial need and priority to students whose tuition/fee costs are not met

through other non-loan programs• Institution’s policies and procedures

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Tuition Set-Aside Programs

Encourage outstanding high school graduates in the top 10 percent of their class to attend a public institution in Texas

Funded through appropriations• No allocation to institutions/funding administered centrally

Student eligibility:• Initial year (IY) eligibility requirements• Renewal year (RY) or continuation eligibility requirements

Award amounts determined annually

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Top 10 Percent Scholarship

Classified as a Texas resident by the institution Registration with Selective Service, or be exempt Graduation from a public or private accredited high school in Texas in

the top 10 percent of the HS graduating class and completion of the Recommended or Distinguished (or the equivalent) curriculum

Submit the FAFSA in time to generate the CPS results in a non-rejected status by the state priority deadline (March 15)

Meet the need component (COA – EFC – PELL > $0) Enroll full-time in the fall semester immediately following high school

graduation and maintain full-time enrollment through the census date Meet SAP requirements for continuation:• 3.25 GPA, complete 30 SCH’s, and 75% of SCH’s attempted• 4 years or completion of a Bachelor’s degree – whichever comes first

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Top 10 – IY and RY Eligibility

Provide eligible Texas students no-interest loans and/or loan forgiveness upon graduation for meeting specific goals

Funded through appropriations and designated tuition set-asides • CB allocates available funding to participating institutions annually

Eligibility requirements:• Texas resident enrolled full-time and eligible for federal aid

Eligibility continuation:• End of 1st year – institution’s SAP policy• Thereafter, overall GPA of 2.5; 75% completion in the most recent year• Eligibility ends with completion of a baccalaureate degree or 150

attempted SCH’s while receiving the loan Repayment benefits:

• Loan forgiveness if graduation time frame, GPA, and number of hours are within program guidelines – or 0% interest if not eligible for forgiveness

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Texas B-On-Time Loan (BOT)

Provide alternative loans to Texas students who are unable to meet the cost of attendance at public and private/non-profit institutions.

Funded through the sale of state bonds• CB allocates available funding to participating institutions

annually Eligibility requirements:

• Texas resident enrolled at least ½-time• Receive a favorable credit evaluation or provide an eligible

cosigner who has a favorable credit standing (VantageScore≥591)• Meet the institution’s SAP policy

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College Access Loan Program (CAL)

Provide eligible Texas students employment as a means to fund their education at public and private institutions

Funded through appropriations and subject to matching – unless proof is provided that matching is waived for FCWS

Eligibility requirements:• Enrolled at least ½-time• Texas resident as determined by the institution• Financial need • Registered with Selective Service (or exempt)• Not receiving an athletic scholarship• Not enrolled in a seminary or other religious program

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Texas College Work-Study (TCWS)

Complete Listing: http://collegeforalltexans.com/

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Exemption/Waiver ProgramsExemption Programs Waiver Programs

HazlewoodHighest Ranking HS Grad

Police OfficersFirefightersFoster CareDual Credit

Etc.

Competitive ScholarshipMilitary

Teaching/Research AssistantsGood Neighbor Scholarship

Border CountyBorder States

Etc.

Direct Contact Information: lyn.kinyon@thecb.state.tx.us 512.427.6393 or 800.242.3062

x6393

General Contact Information : grantinfo@thecb.state.tx.us 512.427.6340 or 800.242.3062

General Website: www.collegeforalltexans.com

G&SP Site: https://www1.thecb.state.tx.us/apps/SpecialPrograms/

Distribution List: http://lists.state.tx.us/mailman/listinfo/txgnsp-l

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Contact Information

Questions?

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