ISAC Student PortalISAC Update
| Messages sent to: | Multiple Subscription Groups |
| ISAC Update |
Welcome to the June 2023 ISAC Update for financial aid administrators and business officers. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent through ISAC's e-Messaging service throughout June.
The articles in this Update have been organized according to the FAA subscription groups to which the messages were distributed.
Questions?
Questions regarding information in this ISAC Update can be directed to School Services at 866.247.2172 or at isac.schoolservices@illinois.gov. On occasion, you may be directed to a specific contact person or area; when this occurs, we will provide the appropriate information in the individual article or message.
2023 CCE Conference: Space Is Filling Up Fast!
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Adminstrators and NESP Schools on June 30, 2023.
July 13, 2023 – Tinley Park Convention Center
CCE 2023 – DEIA: The Work We Need to Do
As many people may be taking a long weekend for the Independence Day holiday, please don't wait to get your conference RSVP submitted for the 2023 College Changes Everything® conference. With this first in-person CCE conference since 2019, space is filling up fast. We do have an attendance limit and will be monitoring to see when we will have to close registration. So don't delay, register today.
Join other equity designers from across the state as we collaborate to address the various Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) issues our students are facing and to create a culture where everyone feels they belong. Having a sense of inclusion and belonging is an essential piece of any student's overall well-being. The annual conference is the state's preeminent college access and success and career readiness event and brings together stakeholders to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025. Since the first CCE conference in 2011, equity has been an underlying tenet of the annual convening as it brings together caring professionals who want to ensure all students have opportunities for college access and success and are career ready.
Preliminary Agenda – The preliminary agenda is available on the conference website with the interest sessions that will be part of the conference.
Registration – Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted via Eventbrite. Space is limited and is filling up quickly – Register now!
Please share this e-Message with your colleagues and others in your network so they can register, too. More information about the conference is available on the conference website. Stay tuned for further updates regarding the conference. See you in Tinley Park!
2023 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
2022-23 MAP Late Claims: Additional Claims Paid
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 30, 2023.
The following information is being provided to assist colleges in the close-out process for the 2022-23 Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Payment of Additional Late Claims
ISAC staff continues to monitor both payment request (i.e., claim) rates and remaining funding levels throughout the year in order to assist the greatest number of eligible students without overspending program appropriations.
Based on our current analysis, additional payment has taken place for 2022-23 MAP second- and third-term late claims received through the dates noted below. This payment run is in addition to late claim payments announced on May 26, June 6, June 14, and June 22. As a reminder, second-term claims are considered late if submitted after March 10, 2023, and third-term claims are considered late if submitted after May 5, 2023.
Payment results are now available in the MAP system for:
- second-term initial claims and increases that were received from April 26, 2023 through (including) June 8, 2023; and
- third-term initial claims and increases that were received from June 21, 2023 through (including) June 22, 2023.
Information regarding how to access payment results is provided in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide.
Monitoring Will Continue
ISAC will continue to monitor institutions' claims and adjustments and the remaining appropriations and – based on the analysis of that data – decisions will be made regarding whether additional 2022-23 MAP late claims will be paid. Updated information will be shared with you via the usual means of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
Join Us to Learn about Preparing for Repayment of Your Student Loans
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators and NESP Schools on June 26, 2023.
If you have federal student loans, now is the time to prepare!
Millions of federal student loan borrowers have had their federal student loan and interest payments automatically paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2022, the final extension of the payment pause took effect. On August 30, 2023, the federal payment pause will end.
To help borrowers across the state of Illinois, ISAC is hosting free webinars through December on how federal student loan borrowers can prepare for repayment! To learn more about preparing for repayment, visit the Return to Repayment page.
For registration details, visit the Webinars page located within the Professional Development Opportunities area at ISAC's website (isac.org). For questions, contact isac.borrowersupport@illinois.gov.
Preparing for Federal Student Loan Repayments to Resume
As the payment pause comes to an end, join us on one of these dates in July to learn about the steps you can take to prepare for repayment, what repayment options are available, and how to stay out of default.
- Monday, July 10, 12-1 p.m. (CT)
- Wednesday, July 12, 5-6 p.m. (CT)
- Saturday, July 22, 10-11 a.m. (CT)
If you have any questions regarding this e-Message, contact ISAC's Professional Development team at isac.outreachtraining@Illinois.gov.
2023-24 MAP Recompute Implemented
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 26, 2023.
Unless otherwise noted, all links in this message may be accessed via the Financial Aid Administrators area at isac.org.
The following information is being shared by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) in order to assist colleges in the administration of the Monetary Award Program (MAP).
2023-24 MAP Recompute Implemented – MAP System Available
ISAC staff has completed verification of system changes related to implementation of the recompute formula, and the MAP component of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal is again available.
All 2023-24 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data received from the Central Processing System (CPS) through (including) Friday (June 23, 2023) is reflected in the MAP system, and we have returned to daily processing of ISIR data.
As a reminder, the recompute formula:
- was approved at the June 22, 2023 Commission meeting;
- increases the maximum 2023-24 MAP award from $7,200 to $8,400; and
- increases the living allowance from $5,020 to $5,200.
Online Resources
The 2023-24 MAP Formula section (located in the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area) and the "MAP Estimator" (which may be accessed by students via the Toolbox area of the ISAC Student Portal) have been updated to reflect the recompute formula.
Colleges may also want to visit the MAP Formula section of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area to access the 2023-24 Hand Calculation Forms – Recompute, as well as instructions on how to calculate awards for semester or quarter terms.
Watch for Future Updates
As updated information becomes available throughout the year, it will be shared with you via our usual methods of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News area, the FAA Message Board and this e-Messaging service).
2023 CCE Conference: Be Our Guest and RSVP Now!
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Administrators and NESP Schools on June 23, 2023.
July 13, 2023 – Tinley Park Convention Center
CCE 2023 – DEIA: The Work We Need to Do
Don't miss out on the opportunity to attend the 2023 College Changes Everything® conference – the first in-person CCE conference since 2019. We do have an attendance limit and space is filling up fast. Please RSVP that you'll be attending by registering today. Join other equity designers from across the state as we collaborate to address the various Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) issues our students are facing and to create a culture where everyone feels they belong. Having a sense of inclusion and belonging is an essential piece of any student's overall well-being. The annual conference is the state's preeminent college access and success and career readiness event and brings together stakeholders to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025. Since the first CCE conference in 2011, equity has been an underlying tenet of the annual convening as it brings together caring professionals who want to ensure all students have opportunities for college access and success and are career ready.
Preliminary Agenda – The preliminary agenda is available on the conference website with the interest sessions that will be part of the conference.
Registration – Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted via Eventbrite. Space is limited and is filling up quickly – Register now!
Please share this e-Message with your colleagues and others in your network so they can register, too. More information about the conference is available on the conference website. Stay tuned for further updates regarding the conference. See you in Tinley Park!
2023 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
2023-24 MAP Recompute Formula Approved – System Implementation this Weekend
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers, on June 23, 2023.
Summary of June 22 Commission Meeting
The following highlights some of the agenda items included at the June 22, 2023 meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), and any action taken. The complete listing of agenda items is available in the June 22 Agenda Book, which can be accessed from the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area at isac.org.
FY24 (2023-24 Academic Year) MAP Recompute Formula Approved – Agenda Item 6
Each year, ISAC is responsible for adopting an allocation (or, "start-up") formula for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) and then – once the state operating budget has been signed into law – the Commission approves a recompute formula based on the MAP appropriation. At its September 22, 2022 meeting, the Commission approved a start-up formula to enable financial aid administrators to calculate eligibility for applicants planning to attend college in the 2023-24 academic year.
The fiscal year 2024 (FY24) state operating budget has been approved and signed into law by the governor, and includes a historic high MAP appropriation (approximately $701 million, which is $100 million more than had been appropriated for 2022-23 MAP awards). This increased appropriation allows for the continued restoration – started with FY23 appropriations – of some of the previously-declining MAP grant tuition and fee coverage. Although it is too soon to know actual FY24 sector average tuition and fee figures, projections indicate the highest MAP grant may cover tuition and fee amounts close to 60 percent at community colleges, 50 percent at public universities, and 19 percent at private schools.
As a result, ISAC staff recommended – and the Commission approved – a recompute formula that increases the maximum 2023-24 MAP award from $7,200 to $8,400 and the living allowance from $5,020 to $5,200. 2021-22 tuition and fee amounts and the 2021-22 Pell table continue to be used in the formula, as was the case with the 2023-24 start-up formula.
The approved recompute formula is outlined in the 2023-24 MAP Formula section of ISAC's website, which has been updated to reflect "recompute."
The 2023-24 MAP recompute formula is anticipated to be reflected in the MAP system on Monday, June 26, 2023.
Temporary MAP System Outage Starting This Afternoon (June 23)
In order to prepare the system for the implementation of the 2023-24 recompute formula, we anticipate the MAP component of the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal being unavailable beginning at 2 p.m. CT today (Friday, June 23, 2023).
A follow-up e-Message will be sent when the MAP system is again available and reflecting the 2023-24 recompute formula, anticipated to be the morning of June 26. At that time, all 2023-24 Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data received from the Central Processing System (CPS) through (including) Friday, June 23, 2023, will be reflected in the MAP system and daily processing of ISIR data will resume.
Continue to monitor our established methods of communication (i.e., MAP Program News, the FAA Message Board and this e-Messaging service) for operational updates, including any changes to the anticipated timeframe in which the recompute formula will be reflected in the MAP system.
State Legislative Update – Agenda Item 5
The Illinois General Assembly concluded its Spring legislative session in May, and it was another consequential one for students and the higher education sector.
The latest State Legislative Update, now available in the e-Library, highlights legislation that affects programs administered by ISAC or the agency's mission of college access and affordability. Also included is information on the budget for ISAC programs for state fiscal year 2024, which begins July 1, 2023.
With respect to ISAC, highlights from this session included:
- a $100 million increase in funding for the Monetary Award Program (MAP), plus an increase in the maximum grant allowed per student;
- the extension of the AIM HIGH grant program for public universities, with some programmatic changes;
- a $10 million appropriation for ISAC to establish a new program that will provide undergraduate students with test preparation services for graduate and professional school entrance exams and professional licensing exams; and
- a new grant program for students in information technology fields that will require recipients to work in those fields in Illinois upon graduation or repay the amounts received.
The General Assembly's fall session, at which any veto action would be considered, is scheduled for October 24-26 and November 7-9.
Other Items
The following items were also presented to the Commission:
- FY24 Budget Review and Approvals – Agenda Item 7
- College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program Investment and Program Updates – Agenda Item 9
Next Meeting
The next Commission meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 21, 2023.
Registration Reminder for June Financial Aid 101 & 201 Workshops
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Adminstrators and NESP Schools on June 22, 2023.
Registration is still available for ISAC's Financial Aid 101 (FA 101) and 201 (FA 201) Workshops for financial aid administrators, which are being offered on June 28 and June 29 at ISAC's Deerfield office. To register click on the corresponding "Register Now" button below. Directions to the workshop location are provided on the registration page.
| Workshop | Date | Time* | Location | Registration Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
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|
*All times Central
Additional workshops will be offered again in July and August, and registration for these dates and locations will be available soon:
- July 18 – Financial Aid 101 Workshop at Rend Lake College, Ina, IL
- July 19 – Financial Aid 201 Workshop at Rend Lake College, Ina, IL
- July 25 – Financial Aid 101 Workshop at ISAC's Deerfield Office
- July 26 – Financial Aid 201 Workshop at ISAC's Deerfield Office
- August 9 – Financial Aid 101 Workshop at Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL
- August 10 – Financial Aid 201 Workshop at Joliet Junior College, Joliet, IL
- August 16 – Financial Aid 101 Workshop at ISAC's Springfield Office
- August 17 – Financial Aid 201 Workshop at ISAC's Springfield Office
The Financial Aid 101 Workshop provides an introduction to basic financial aid concepts, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), and need analysis, as well as an overview of state and federal financial aid programs. This workshop will also review the 2024-25 Draft FAFSA and related changes to application processing, including the transition from using the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to the Student Aid Index (SAI) for determining financial need.
The Financial Aid 201 Workshop covers the topics of verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, and state and federal program reviews. In addition, changes related to implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and the impact on financial aid policies and procedures will be reviewed and discussed.
2022-23 MAP Late Claims: Additional Claims Paid
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 22, 2023.
The following information is being provided to assist colleges in the close-out process for the 2022-23 Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Payment of Additional Late Claims
ISAC staff continues to monitor both payment request (i.e., claim) rates and remaining funding levels throughout the year in order to assist the greatest number of eligible students without overspending program appropriations.
Based on our current analysis, additional payment has taken place for 2022-23 MAP second- and third-term late claims received through the dates noted below. This payment run is in addition to late claim payments announced on May 26, June 6, and June 14. As a reminder, second-term claims are considered late if submitted after March 10, 2023, and third-term claims are considered late if submitted after May 5, 2023.
Payment results are now available in the MAP system for:
- second-term initial claims and increases that were received from March 29, 2023 through (including) April 25, 2023; and
- third-term initial claims and increases that were received from May 24, 2023 through (including) June 20, 2023.
Information regarding how to access payment results is provided in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide.
Monitoring Will Continue
ISAC will continue to monitor institutions' claims and adjustments and the remaining appropriations and – based on the analysis of that data – decisions will be made regarding whether additional 2022-23 MAP late claims will be paid. Updated information will be shared with you via the usual means of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
Commission Meeting Thursday, June 22 – Executive Briefing Friday, June 23
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 20, 2023.
The next regular meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 22. Those interested in attending the meeting in person may do so at either the ISAC Deerfield or Springfield office location; see below for addresses. There will be no videoconference access to the meeting from ISAC's website.
Some of the items on the tentative agenda are:
- Fiscal year 2024 Monetary Award Program (MAP) recompute formula
- State Legislative update
- College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program investment and program updates
The Agenda Book, providing the complete listing of agenda items, is posted on the 2023 Agenda Books page, which is located within the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area of isac.org. The online Agenda Book will be updated within 1-2 days following the meeting to reflect action taken.
Executive Briefing Conference Call – Friday, June 23
An Executive Briefing conference call is scheduled for Friday, June 23 from 11 a.m. to noon for institutional financial aid staff. Executive Director Eric Zarnikow and ISAC staff will provide information about activity that took place at the Commission meeting and other ISAC updates.
On the day of the briefing, you can gain access through the below link/information, or by visiting the Partner Training page pf the e-Library, where access will also be available.
- Access this link: https://illinois.webex.com/join/carol.cook
- When prompted, enter the meeting number 806 754 783
For the audio portion, click on the Audio tab at the top of the page and select one of the available options:
- For toll-free participation, select the "Call Me" option, enter your phone number, and you will be called. (This is the recommended option.)
- For "Use computer audio" you will need to have a microphone to be able to interact with the briefing. Without a microphone, you will be in listen-only mode.
- The "Call in" option is not a toll-free number, however, if you are not able to participate through the provided link and the "Call Me" option, but would like to participate only by phone, you can use this toll number: +1-415-655-0002 (USA Toll) and access code 806 754 783.
Deerfield office
1755 Lake Cook Road
Conference Room 3030, 3rd floor
Deerfield
Enter through the east door and check in at the desk
Springfield office
500 West Monroe
Conference Room, 3rd floor
Springfield
Enter from the rear parking lot through the east door, use the elevator or stairs
2022-23 Year-End Program Updates
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Adminstrators and NESP Schools on June 16, 2023.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The following information is being provided to assist colleges with year-end processing for the ISAC-administered programs referenced below. Programs are listed in alphabetical order within each section [Payment Request (Claim) Data and Benefit Usage Data].
Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program
- ISAC will continue to accept 2022-23 ECACE Scholarship initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Saturday, July 1, 2023.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted ECACE Scholarship claims will continue to be accepted through (including) Friday, August 4, 2023.*
- Effective Monday, August 7, 2023, 2022-23 data in the ECACE system will become available for historical view only.**
Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program
- ISAC will continue to accept 2022-23 Golden Apple initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Saturday, July 1, 2023.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted Golden Apple claims will continue to be accepted through (including) Friday, August 4, 2023.*
- Effective Monday, August 7, 2023, 2022-23 data in the Golden Apple system will become available for historical view only.**
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program
- ISAC will continue to accept 2022-23 MTI Scholarship initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Saturday, July 1, 2023.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted MTI Scholarship claims will continue to be accepted through (including) Friday, August 4, 2023.*
- Effective Monday, August 7, 2023, 2022-23 data in the MTI system will become available for historical view only.**
- Although the priority claim deadline dates for all terms of the 2022-23 academic year have passed, ISAC will continue to accept and hold 2022-23 MAP initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms through (including) Saturday, July 1, 2023.
- See e-Messages dated December 21, 2022, May 26, 2023, June 6, 2023, and June 14, 2023 for information regarding payment of some late claims.
- ISAC will notify colleges if sufficient MAP funds remain available to pay additional second- and third-term late claims.
- Colleges are encouraged to continue the process of reconciling 2022-23 MAP data, which assists ISAC staff in determining whether sufficient funds will be available to pay additional late claims.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted MAP claims will continue to be accepted through (including) Friday, August 4, 2023.*
- Effective Monday, August 7, 2023, 2022-23 data in the MAP system will become available for historical view only.**
Nursing Education Scholarship Program (NESP)
- ISAC will continue to accept 2022-23 NESP certifications for the spring and summer terms through (including) Saturday, July 1, 2023.
Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program
- ISAC will continue to accept initial claims and increases to previously-submitted claims for all terms of the 2022-23 Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship Program through (including) Saturday, July 1, 2023.
- Adjustments to cancel or reduce previously-submitted claims for this program will continue to be accepted through (including) Friday, August 4, 2023.*
- Effective Monday, August 7, 2023, 2022-23 data in the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship system will become available for historical view only.**
* Continue Reconciling Data
Remember, due to the payment offset process, only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time for the 2022-23 ECACE Scholarship, Golden Apple, MTI Scholarship, MAP, and Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship programs. After ISAC determines that all payment processing is final, colleges with an outstanding amount owed to ISAC will receive an e-mail notice indicating the total amount to be returned for each program. Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.
Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program
- The ING Grant system will continue to accept 2022-23 benefit usage data for all terms through (including) Friday, August 4, 2023.
- Although ISAC will not be able to reimburse institutions for 2022-23 ING Grant awards and all deadline dates have passed, reporting of enrollment hours must still take place as soon as possible so that benefit usage (i.e., eligibility units) can be accurately assessed to students' accounts.
- Effective Monday, August 7, 2023, 2022-23 data in the ING Grant system will become available for historical view only.**
Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) Program
- The IVG system will continue to accept 2022-23 benefit usage data for all terms through (including) Friday, August 4, 2023.
- Although ISAC will not be able to reimburse institutions for 2022-23 IVG awards and all deadline dates have passed, reporting of enrollment hours must still take place as soon as possible so that benefit usage (i.e., eligibility units) can be accurately assessed to students' accounts.
- Effective Monday, August 7, 2023, 2022-23 data in the IVG system will become available for historical view only.**
** As a reminder, reports continue to be available for colleges to access after data has been moved to historical view. However, after submitting claims or adjustments and/or reporting benefits used, colleges are encouraged to always review the Payment/Benefits Results Exceptions report that is available the next business day.
MAP Advising Data Collection Opens – Due August 18
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 16, 2023.
Each year, institutions must submit to ISAC information about their Monetary Award Program (MAP) recipients. The 2023 collection period for MAP Advising data has opened and colleges may now submit the required information through the Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal. There have been no changes from past years to the submission process, through which the following will be reported:
- available advising and support programs (for the 2022-23 academic year) and
- course completion data (for the 2021-22 academic year).
The 2023 MAP Advising data is due by Friday, August 18, 2023.
Tips for Submitting MAP Advising Data
- All MAP Advising reporting – advising and support programs and course completion rates – is done via a survey-style format through the GAP Access portal.
- Pay special attention to on-screen instructions that identify the academic year about which the data must be provided.
- Advising and support program description fields are pre-populated with previously submitted information, so only updates and any new programs need to be submitted.
- The only recipient-specific data that needs to be submitted is the number of completed/attempted hours. We obtain graduation and retention rates from the National Student Clearinghouse.
- Community colleges do not need to report course completion rates because we secure the data from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). The course completion rate tables appear in GAP Access for all school types, but need not be completed by community colleges.
- Guidance to assist in reporting data is available in the MAP Advising Data Collection User Guide, accessible through the GAP Access page of the website.
MAP Advising Support Programs Search Tool
Information reported about colleges' available advising and support programs, including links for the college website pages where the individual advising/support programs appear, is available through the MAP Advising Support Programs Search Tool. The searchable/filterable database tool, accessible through the MAP Advising Data Collection area of ISAC's website, is updated annually and contains results from previous collections of advising and support programs being provided to MAP recipients. You may find this information useful in enhancing your advising and support programs. The data, along with completion, retention and graduation rate data, is used when communicating MAP's positive outcomes to the Illinois legislature.
Questions regarding the data elements and survey submission may be directed to the ISAC Research, Planning and Policy Analysis division at isac.rppasurveys@illinois.gov.
Update: 2023-24 ISAC Gift Assistance Programs
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators and Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs on June 16, 2023.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance (ISAC) website (isac.org).
ING Grant Interactive Application Available at Student Portal
- Effective today (Friday, June 16, 2023), the interactive application for the 2023-24 Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant Program is available for students to complete and submit online via the Program Applications & Status Checks area of the ISAC Student Portal.
- Eligible students may use the 2023-24 application to apply for the fall 2023, spring 2024 and summer 2024 terms.
- Starting with the 2023-24 academic year:
- there are no longer priority consideration dates by which ING Grant applications must be submitted each term – rather, ING Grant applications must be received by ISAC in time for eligibility to be determined and the applicant to then notify the college about their eligibility no later than the last scheduled day of classes for the first term for which benefits have been requested; and,
- applicants must have a profile in the ISAC Student Portal in order to complete and submit the ING Grant interactive application (applicants cannot access the application as "guests").
ING Grant Eligibility Data Available
2023-24 ING Grant eligibility data is now available via the ING Grant system.
- The ING Grant eligibility data includes information for each applicant who has applied for the ING Grant with your institution listed as the college of record, and for whom the Department of Military Affairs in Illinois (DMAIL) has confirmed eligibility as of the "Certified Eligible" date.
- Specific details regarding the ING Grant system, including important reminders and guidelines, are provided at the ING Grant Electronic Processing page.
- The ING Grant system is available each day from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. (CT).
Reminder: Continue to Submit 2022-23 Benefit Usage Data
In order to ensure that students' accounts reflect accurate data, colleges should report 2022-23 Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and ING Grant benefits used for all current and prior terms as soon as possible.
- Summer-term benefit usage data for the 2022-23 ING Grant Program is due no later than the July 1, 2023 final close-out date.
- Colleges are still encouraged to submit prior-term IVG and ING Grant benefit usage data (i.e., the summer 2022, fall 2022 and spring 2023 terms for IVG, and the fall 2022 and spring 2023 terms for the ING Grant), even though the reporting deadlines for those terms have passed.
Report enrollment hours and benefit dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district requests, as well as adjustments to previously-submitted data, via the IVG system and the ING Grant system.
Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire, and Correctional Officers Application
The application for the 2023-24 Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire, and Correctional Officers (PFC) is available for students to access via the Applications page of the Students & Parents area. In order to receive full-year consideration, a complete 2023-24 application must be received by ISAC on or before October 1, 2023.
Future Updates
Watch for future updates regarding ISAC gift assistance programs via our usual methods of communication (including the "Program News" pages within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
ISAC Program FY24 Funding – Budget Bills Approved
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, Business Officers and NESP Schools on June 15, 2023.
Governor Pritzker has signed SB 250 (operating budget bill) and HB 3817 [budget implementation bill (BIMP)], which together provide funding and statutory authority for Illinois programs and services, including ISAC's programs for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). Both bills were approved by the General Assembly during the legislative session that concluded on May 26, and were then forwarded to the governor for signature.
The bills are now considered law and are officially Public Act 103-0006 and Public Act 103-0008 (before considering printing, please note the documents are quite lengthy). ISAC's programs and services received very generous funding that includes increases to many of our programs, which will benefit Illinois students and their families.
The overall budget for the upcoming academic year is extremely positive for ISAC programs, and one of the biggest highlights is another significant increase to the Monetary Award Program (MAP), which has again resulted in historic funding for the program. Additionally, language in the BIMP bill provides for an increase in the annual maximum award amount. Beginning in FY24, the law will cap grant size at $10,896 per student per year, if funding allows. Please note that the maximum grant actually available each year – which is likely to be lower than the maximum allowed by statute – will be determined by the Commission when it approves a MAP recompute formula. For FY24, this will occur at the Commission's June 22nd meeting.
The Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program was also again the beneficiary of a significant increase in funding, which will likely lead to serving most, if not all, eligible applicants.
FY24 ISAC Program Appropriation Highlights
Monetary Award Program (MAP) – $701,566,200
Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program – $10,750,000
Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program – $8,000,000
Social Work Scholarship/Repayment Programs (combined appropriation) – $6,000,000
Nursing Education Scholarship Program (NESP) – $4,000,000
Grant Programs for Dependents of Police, Fire or Correctional Officers – $1,300,000
Illinois Teachers Loan Repayment Program – $975,000
Nurse Educator Loan Repayment Program – $500,000
Grant Program for Exonerees – $150,000
Veterans' Home Medical Providers' Loan Repayment Program – $26,400
AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program – $50,000,000*
* AIM HIGH Program funds are disbursed in lump sums by ISAC to public universities.
As in recent years, the budget also includes a little more than $4.2 million for the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to reimburse Illinois community colleges for the costs associated with waiving tuition and fee charges for Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG) and Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant recipients.
Other highlights of this legislative session include:
- A new scholarship program, Illinois Graduate and Retain Our Workforce (iGROW) – for students in IT and related fields that will begin in the 2024-25 academic year.
- An ISAC initiative that will allow recipients of the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program, Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver (SETTW) Program and the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program to have any amount owed prorated if they begin to fulfill their teaching obligation within 5 years, rather than immediately.
- An expansion of applicant eligibility for the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program.
- An expansion of the Community Behavioral Health Care Professional Loan Repayment Program to include certified alcohol and other drug counselors and certified recovery support specialists as eligible applicants, and an expansion of eligible facilities of employment (effective July 1, 2024).
- Changes to the AIM HIGH Pilot Grant Program, which include making the program permanent, allowing students from families making up to 8 times (up from 6 times) the poverty level to qualify, allowing schools to extend eligibility to part-time undergraduates in their final semester, changes in the baseline Maintenance of Effort (MOE) used and new matching rates. A separate communication from ISAC to participating schools provides more details.
Please note that, as of this writing, although the above initiatives passed both houses, some have not yet been signed by the governor. We will continue to monitor the status of the bills for final approval.
With the approval of the budget, ISAC FY24 program implementation and operational activities will begin to move forward. As always, we will regularly provide updates and processing details regarding each of our programs as we proceed through the year.
2022-23 MAP Late Claims: Additional Claims Paid
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 14, 2023.
The following information is being provided to assist colleges in the close-out process for the 2022-23 Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Payment of Additional Late Claims
ISAC staff continues to monitor both payment request (i.e., claim) rates and remaining funding levels throughout the year in order to assist the greatest number of eligible students without overspending program appropriations.
Based on our current analysis, additional payment has taken place for 2022-23 MAP second- and third-term late claims received through the dates noted below. This payment run is in addition to late claim payments announced on May 26 and June 6. As a reminder, second-term claims are considered late if submitted after March 10, 2023, and third-term claims are considered late if submitted after May 5, 2023.
Payment results are now available in the MAP system for:
- second-term initial claims and increases that were received from March 27, 2023 through (including) March 28, 2023; and
- third-term initial claims and increases that were received from May 22, 2023 through (including) May 23, 2023.
Information regarding how to access payment results is provided in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide.
Monitoring Will Continue
ISAC will continue to monitor institutions' claims and adjustments and the remaining appropriations and – based on the analysis of that data – decisions will be made regarding whether additional 2022-23 MAP late claims will be paid. Updated information will be shared with you via the usual means of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
NESP Third Term Certification Opens – Still Missing Some Previous Term Certifications
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators and NESP Schools on June 8, 2023.
The certification process for third term Nursing Education Scholarship Program (NESP) awards has opened in the Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal. Certification must be completed so that third term disbursements for recipients can take place.
In order to expedite disbursements for NESP recipients at your institution, we encourage you to complete eligibility certification as soon as possible.
Third term certification occurs in the same manner as for first and second terms, with detailed instructions available in the NESP Certification Guide. An overview of the steps is below:
- Select NESP under the Programs tab in the GAP Access portal.
- Access the NESP Certification List: View to view names of recipients attending your institution.
- The Certification List Filter can be used to select records for certification in the order of your choosing. For example, records can be filtered by term or by status. If your institution still has outstanding certifications from the first and/or second terms, please complete those certifications as well.
- You can either click on a student's name or Social Security number to open the Certification Data screen.
- Fields to be completed will be highlighted in red, based on whether the Eligible field is completed as Yes or No.
- If Eligible, these fields must be completed:
- Number of credit hours enrolled
- Number of credit hours for full-time status
- Student's GPA
- Amount of tuition/fees not covered by other funding
- Program of study (drop-down menu)
- Anticipated graduation date
- If Ineligible, only the ineligible reason must be selected from the drop-down menu
- If Eligible, these fields must be completed:
- Once all required recipient information has been entered, the Save/Submit button is clicked to complete the process for the student record.
Action Needed – GAP Registration and Certification Still Needed for Previous Terms
As we draw closer to the end of the academic year, there remain a number of colleges that have not yet registered in the GAP Access portal for NESP administration and/or have not certified the eligibility status of applicants for previous terms. Without completion of these required steps by your office, your students will be unable to receive program funds. Please ensure that outstanding registration and certification action is completed immediately. Instructions for registering in GAP Access are provided in these User Guides:
Activating Your GAP Access Primary Administrator Account
Activating Other GAP Access Administrators
2023 CCE Conference Preliminary Agenda Available
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Adminstrators and NESP Schools on June 7, 2023.
July 13, 2023 – Tinley Park Convention Center
CCE 2023 – DEIA: The Work We Need to Do
You belong at the 2023 College Changes Everything® (CCE) conference along with other equity designers from across the state. We need your expertise and participation as we collaborate to address the various Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) issues our students are facing and to create a culture where everyone feels they belong. Having a sense of inclusion and belonging is an essential piece of any student's overall well-being. The annual conference is the state's preeminent college access and success and career readiness event and brings together stakeholders to help Illinois reach its Goal 2025 – to increase the proportion of adults in Illinois with high-quality degrees and postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025. Since the first CCE conference, equity has been an underlying tenet of the annual convening as it brings together caring professionals who want to ensure all students have opportunities for college access and success and are career ready.
Preliminary Agenda
While the agenda for the conference is still being finalized, a preliminary agenda is now available on the conference website. The preliminary agenda contains the interest sessions that will be part of the day of collaboration.
Registration
Registration is $40.00, and only credit card payments are accepted via Eventbrite. Space is limited and fills quickly – Register now! Please share this e-Message with your colleagues and others in your network so they can register, too. More information about the conference is available on the conference website.
Tinley Park Convention Center and Hotel
The Tinley Park Convention Center is located at 18451 Convention Center Drive, Tinley Park, IL, and is connected to the EVEN Hotel Chicago-Tinley Park Convention Center. We have secured a conference hotel rate of $159.00 before tax and fee charges. You can book a reservation by phone at 708-444-1100 and mention "ISAC Conference" to get the rate, or you can book online here and use Group Code: ISA. The conference rate is available for reservations made by June 21, 2023.
Stay tuned for further updates regarding the conference. See you Tinley Park!
2023 College Changes Everything Conference Planning Committee
- Illinois Student Assistance Commission
- Illinois Board of Higher Education
- Illinois Community College Board
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Illinois College Access Network
- Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
- Advance Illinois
- Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University
- ACT Now
- Women Employed
by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
of adults in Illinois with high-quality college degrees and
postsecondary credentials to 60% by the year 2025
Announcing ISAC's June Financial Aid 101 & 201 Workshops for FAAs
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, MAP Users, Business Officers, ECACE Adminstrators and NESP Schools on June 6, 2023.
ISAC is excited to once again offer in-person Financial Aid 101 and 201 Workshops for financial aid administrators. These free, full-day workshops will begin in June, and will be offered throughout the summer months, with the first round being offered June 20 and 21 at the ISAC Springfield office and June 28 and 29 at the ISAC Deerfield office. In addition to covering a variety of financial aid topics, these sessions will also focus on the phased implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and the changes going into effect for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 award years.
The Financial Aid 101 Workshop (FA 101) will provide an introduction to basic financial aid concepts, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), and need analysis, as well as an overview of state and federal financial aid programs. This workshop will also review the 2024-25 Draft FAFSA and related changes to application processing, including the transition from using the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to the Student Aid Index (SAI) for determining financial need.
The Financial Aid 201 Workshop (FA 201) will cover the topics of verification, professional judgment, satisfactory academic progress, and state and federal program reviews. In addition, changes related to implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act and the impact on financial aid policies and procedures will be reviewed and discussed.
Due to limited seating, registration is required. Register for the dates and locations that work best for your schedule by clicking on the corresponding "Register Now" buttons, below. Directions to workshop locations are also provided on the registration page for each workshop.
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*All times Central
Dates, locations and registration for the July and August sessions will be announced soon.
2022-23 MAP Late Claims: Additional Claims Paid
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users and Business Officers on June 6, 2023.
Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).
The following information is being provided to assist colleges in the close-out process for the 2022-23 Monetary Award Program (MAP).
Payment of Additional Late Claims
As originally explained in a May 26 e-Message, ISAC staff monitors both payment request (i.e., claim) rates and remaining funding levels throughout the year in order to assist the greatest number of eligible students without overspending program appropriations.
Based on our current analysis, additional payment has taken place for 2022-23 MAP second- and third- term late claims received through the dates noted below. This payment run is in addition to late claim payments announced on May 26th. As a reminder, second-term claims are considered late if submitted after March 10, 2023, and third-term claims are considered late if submitted after May 5, 2023.
Payment results are now available in the MAP system for:
- second-term initial claims and increases that were received from March 21, 2023 through (including) March 26, 2023; and
- third-term initial claims and increases that were received from May 16, 2023 through (including) May 21, 2023.
Information regarding how to access payment results is provided in the "Payment" chapter of the MAP User Guide.
Continue Submitting Claims and Reconciling Data
- Continue to report adjustments for all terms – including initial claims, increases and decreases to previously-submitted claims, and cancellations.
- You will be notified as deadline dates are established for reporting 2022-23 MAP adjustments.
- Colleges are encouraged to complete the process of reconciling 2022-23 MAP data as soon as possible.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2022-23 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
- Only data reconciliation activities should take place at this time.
- After ISAC determines that all payment processing is final, colleges with outstanding funds "Due to ISAC" will receive an e-mail notice indicating the total amount to be returned (anticipated to be sent to financial aid directors during the month of August 2023). Until then, no funds should be returned to ISAC.
- As part of the payment offset process, timely processing of cancellations and decreases will affect your institution's 2022-23 MAP "Due to ISAC" amount.
Next Steps
ISAC will continue to monitor institutions' claims and adjustments and the remaining appropriations and – based on the analysis of that data – decisions will be made regarding whether additional 2022-23 MAP late claims will be paid. Updated information will be shared with you via the usual means of communication (i.e., the MAP Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).
May 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on June 1, 2023.
The May 2023 edition of the ISAC Update is now available for your review, and may be accessed via the Partner e-Messages & Newsletters section of the e-Library for Partners at isac.org. This version of the electronic ISAC Update is a compilation of e-Messages sent to financial aid administrators and business officers via ISAC's e-Messaging service over the past month.
Topics covered in the May 2023 ISAC Update include:
- 2023-24 ECACE Scholarship Applications Due August 7
(sent May 31, 2023) - 2022-23 MAP Late Claims Update
(sent May 26, 2023) - NESP Second Term Disbursements Begin – Action Needed from Some Colleges
(sent May 17, 2023) - ISAC Webinar on Preparing for Federal Loan Repayments to Resume Will Be Offered on May 19
(sent May 12, 2023) - Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
(sent May 11, 2023) - Invitation to 2023 CCE Conference
(sent May 9, 2023) - Budget Reporting Process – May 9, 16 & 30 Webinars
(sent May 3, 2023) - April 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
(sent May 1, 2023)
