JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

ISAC Update

VOL. 41, NO. 3F
September 2023

Messages sent to:   Multiple Subscription Groups
  ISAC Update

Welcome to the September 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 September.

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.

MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTION GROUPS

Save the Date for the First Annual First Gen Symposium!
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 NES Schools on September 27, 2023.

Mark your calendars for ISAC's first annual First Gen Symposium! The symposium will take place in-person on Thursday, November 30, 2023, in Springfield, Illinois.

The First Gen Symposium provides an opportunity for college-access professionals to learn and share best practices for supporting first-generation students in postsecondary planning. To learn more about the symposium, visit ISAC'S First Gen Symposium page.

Call for Proposals – Now Open!

We invite high schools, community-based organizations, TRIO Programs, and first generation programs at colleges, universities, and more, to submit a session proposal! Please submit a proposal by 11:59 p.m. (CT) on Friday, October 20, 2023.

Join Us to Prepare for Federal Student Loan Payments Due in October
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 NES Schools on September 26, 2023.

If you have federal student loans,
there are steps you can take now to prepare for repayment!

Millions of federal student loan borrowers have had their loans and interest payments automatically paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The payment pause ended on August 30, 2023. Interest has been accruing since September 1, with first payments due in October.

To help borrowers across the state of Illinois, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is hosting free webinars on how federal student loan borrowers can navigate repayment. To learn how you can prepare 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

Join us on one of these dates in October to learn about the steps you can take to navigate repayment, what repayment options are available, and how to stay out of default.

  • Wednesday, October 11, 8-9 a.m. (CT)
  • Monday, October 16, 12-1 p.m. (CT)
  • Tuesday, October 24, 4-5 p.m. (CT)

2024-25 MAP Start-up Formula Approved
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on September 22, 2023

The following highlights some of the agenda items included at the September 21, 2023 meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and any action taken. A listing of the agenda items is provided in the September 21 Agenda Book, which can be accessed from the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area of ISAC's website.

FY25 (2024-25 Academic Year) MAP Start-up Formula Approved – Agenda Item 5

Because the fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25) state budget process has not yet begun, when developing the proposed start-up formula, staff assumed that the Monetary Award Program (MAP) will receive $701 million, which is level with the FY24 appropriation. Following the FY24 recompute formula, staff recommended and the Commission approved using the following in the start-up formula for 2024-25 MAP grants:

  • 2021-22 reported tuition and fees;
  • the 2021-22 Pell Grant Payment Schedule;
  • a $5,200 living allowance; and,
  • an $8,400 maximum award.

In addition, as necessitated by FAFSA Simplification, the 2024-25 MAP start-up formula replaces "Expected Family Contribution (EFC)" with "Student Aid Index (SAI)" and includes clarification regarding how to handle negative SAIs. MAP is mirroring the federal methodology that allows students with negative and zero SAIs to receive the same maximum Pell amount.

The approved start-up formula is outlined in the MAP section within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs area of the website.

Operational details regarding implementation of the FY25 MAP start-up formula will be communicated in a future e-Message.

Encourage Students to Submit 2024-25 FAFSA® or Alternative Application, Once Available

Colleges should encourage students to submit the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) as soon as possible after the applications become available. The U.S. Department of Education anticipates that the FAFSA will be released in December 2023 for the 2024-25 academic year (allowing them time to implement changes set forth in the FAFSA Simplification Act), and ISAC plans to release the Alternative Application at the same time. As is standard protocol, ISAC staff will monitor application volume and appropriated funds throughout the year.

Continue to watch our established methods of communication, including the MAP Program News area and the FAA Message Board, for future operational updates.

Additional Items

The following additional items were presented to and approved by the Commission:

  • 2024 Meeting Dates – Agenda Item 1
  • College Illinois!® Prepaid Tuition Program Updates – Agenda Item 7
  • Outreach Update – Agenda Item 8

Next Meeting

The next Commission meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

Certify 2023-24 Nursing Education Scholarships (NES)
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and NES Schools on September 21, 2023

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance (ISAC) website (isac.org).

The following provides important updates regarding 2023-24 Nursing Education Scholarships (NES).

2023-24 Certification Data Being Accepted

Effective today (Thursday, September 21, 2023), colleges may certify 2023-24 NES eligibility using the NESP system.

Important: Because program administration was being transitioned from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to ISAC, 2022-23 certification functionality was part of the payment request process. Beginning with the 2023-24 NES processing cycle, certification takes place prior to the awarding process [similar to the certification process of the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship Program].

Reminders

  • NES certification is done for the academic year (rather than by term).
    • Colleges verify recipients' enrollment status as part of the payment request process, which will be implemented later this year after awarding has taken place.
  • As part of the certification process, colleges must provide the student's expected family contribution (EFC).
    • Enter a value from 0 [zero] through 999999.
    • Colleges should report the EFC from the valid Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) on which a student's financial aid would be based, as of the date that certification is completed (i.e., the date the college submits NES certification data to ISAC).
    • If changes are pending that will impact the student's EFC (e.g., corrections, verification, or professional judgment reviews), the college may choose to postpone submitting certification data for the student until after the ISIR transaction reflecting the revised EFC has been received.
  • All certification records available in the system must be completed, regardless of whether the college certifies a student as eligible or ineligible and regardless of whether the student is currently enrolled.
  • The NESP system is available each day from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. (CT).

The recently-updated NES User Guide includes details regarding functionality to certify student eligibility for this program, as well as an explanation of cyclical program processes.

Looking Ahead: Upcoming Changes Related to Payment

When 2023-24 NES payment processing becomes available later this year (after awarding has taken place), the following changes will be in effect:

  • Awarded funds that had been disbursed directly to students as a "stipend" in the 2022-23 and earlier academic years will now be included in the scholarship amount requested by and paid to the college (i.e., NES awards will no longer have a stipend component).
  • Funds resulting from each payment request submitted via the NESP system will be delivered to the college in a lump sum (either electronically or as a check, depending on how the college has set up their payments), rather than as individual checks for each student.
  • Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures now apply to Nursing Education Scholarships.
    • Refund checks should not be sent for cancellations/adjustments made throughout the award year.
    • Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.

Future Updates

Watch for future 2023-24 NES updates – including details about awarding and the payment process, once available – via our usual methods of communication (including the NES Program News area, the FAA Message Board, and ISAC's e-Messaging service).

2023-24 MAP Updates: Suspense, and First Term Claim Deadline
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on September 20, 2023.

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).

2023-24 MAP Suspense Date: September 23, 2023

ISAC is suspending the announcement of 2023-24 Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for applicants whose initial 2023-24 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is received by the Central Processing System (CPS), or whose initial Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid is received by ISAC, on or after Saturday, September 23, 2023.

Beginning as early as Tuesday, September 26, 2023, MAP records in suspense status will:

  • be reflected in the MAP system;
  • show on the appropriate screens and reports; and,
  • appear in the MAP Eligibility File Extraction.

Application Volume and Projected Claim Rates Being Monitored

When 2023-24 FAFSA and Alternative Application filing commenced on October 1, 2022, ISAC staff began to monitor and analyze MAP application volume and projected payment request (i.e., claim) rates. While the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) state operating budget MAP appropriation of $701,566,200 reflects historic funding for the program, current data analysis – which shows an increase in applications – indicates that the suspension of 2023-24 MAP award announcements is necessary at this time.

ISAC staff will continue to monitor MAP application volume and claim rates. If future analysis indicates that a partial release of awards from suspense status is viable, we will communicate that information to the financial aid community as it becomes available.

2023-24 MAP Applicant Award Announcement Status Chart

The 2023-24 MAP Applicant Award Announcement Status Chart provides an overview of categories for students based on the initial application receipt date.

Student Award Announcements

Colleges must suspend announcements of MAP awards to applicants whose initial 2023-24 application (FAFSA and Alternative Application) receipt date is on or after Saturday, September 23, 2023. Please note that ISAC is not notifying affected applicants that their awards have been placed in suspense status. Colleges are advised to follow their own policies and procedures regarding communicating announcement information to students with suspended awards.

Identifying Records in Suspense Status

MAP records in suspense status will be indicated by a MAP Suspend Code of "S" (S = New application received after the suspense date will not be considered for an award this year) in the MAP system and in the MAP Eligibility File Extraction. The MAP system contains filters that will allow you to identify student records and create a report of those records placed in suspense status.

Submit First-Term Claims by December 8

In order to be considered timely, 2023-24 MAP payment requests for the first term must be submitted on or before December 8, 2023 (the priority claim deadline date). Any initial claims submitted after a term's priority claim deadline date will be considered late and will only be paid if funds remain after paying all timely claims.

Check ISAC's Website Periodically for Updates

As new information becomes available throughout the year, ISAC will continue to update the MAP Program News page within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs section, which may be accessed via the Financial Aid Administrators area. Be sure to check back periodically for the current processing status of the program.

Commission Meeting Thursday, September 21 – Executive Briefing Friday, September 22
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, MAP Users, and Business Officers on September 18, 2023.

The next regular meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 21. 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 2025 Monetary Award Program (MAP) start-up formula
  • Outreach 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.

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

Executive Briefing Conference Call – Friday, September 22

An Executive Briefing conference call is scheduled for Friday, September 22 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 of the e-Library, where access will also be available.

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 2631 366 9345.

Registration Open for the 2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Symposium
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 NES Schools on September 13, 2023.

ISAC FAFSA Symposium

We are excited to announce registration is NOW OPEN for the fifth annual FAFSA Symposium! The symposiums will take place at TWO LOCATIONS from 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (CT). We invite you to join us at:

  • Illinois Central College on Wednesday, October 25
  • Moraine Valley Community College on Tuesday, November 7

Register as soon as possible – and no later than Wednesday, October 18, 2023 – as space is limited. Registration for the symposium is $25 and includes continental breakfast, lunch, and symposium materials. Advance registration is required. Walk-in registration is not available.

For more information and to register, visit the FAFSA Symposium page. For questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.

We look forward to seeing you in October and November!

2023-24 Golden Apple Payment Implementation
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and  Financial Aid Administrators on September 12, 2023.

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) website (isac.org).

This message provides information regarding the 2023-24 payment cycle for the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program.

2023-24 Golden Apple First-Term Payment Requests Being Accepted

Initial payment request records are now available online via the Golden Apple system, allowing 2023-24 Golden Apple payment processing to commence.

In order to be considered timely, first-term payment requests for the 2023-24 Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program must be submitted on or before Friday, December 29, 2023. Colleges are always encouraged to submit payment requests as soon as they are able to do so.

Processing Reminders

  • By submitting a Golden Apple payment request, the institution is certifying that the Scholar is enrolled and continues to meet all eligibility requirements.
    • If not submitting a payment request, the institution reports the reason for the student's ineligibility.
  • The Golden Apple payment request process includes colleges providing each Scholar's academic level (e.g., Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior) via the "Academic Level" field.
    • As stated in an August 31 e-Message, verification of the "Year in Program" value is part of the initial certification process completed by the Golden Apple Foundation.
    • Each Golden Apple recipient's maximum annual award amount is based on the number of years that they have been a Golden Apple Scholar (i.e., "Year in Program"), not their academic level in college.
  • Submitting Golden Apple payment requests is a two-step process, which involves generating the request (either individually or in a batch) and then submitting the request.
  • Payment functionality is available each day between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. (CT).
    • Payment requests submitted by 7 p.m. (CT) will be included in that night's processing, with payment results available the next business day.
    • Results for payment requests submitted after 7 p.m. (CT) will be included in the following night's processing.
  • Results for payment requests received are provided via the Golden Apple system.
    • The Payment Result Summary and Invoice Detail Report can be viewed or printed by selecting the Report tab in the Golden Apple system the day after a payment request has been processed.
      • The report includes Payment Results, Payment Exceptions and Invoice Detail about the payment claim.
      • Be sure to review the report to see which requests, if any, did not process as expected.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State of Illinois Comptroller's Office.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program, refund checks should not be sent for cancellations/adjustments made throughout the award year.
    • Funds should only be returned to ISAC after a final reconciliation has been completed at the end of the regular school year.

Resources Available Online

Watch for Future Updates

Future program updates will be announced via ISAC's usual means of communication (e.g., the FAA Message Board, the Golden Apple Program News page, and/or this e-Messaging system.

Announcing September Back-to-School Webinars 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 Administrators, and NES Schools on September 7, 2023.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will offer the following webinars for financial aid administrators during the month of September.

Verifying Illinois Residency for ISAC Programs – Tuesday, September 12, 10-11 a.m.

This webinar will review the residency requirements for ISAC programs, provide guidance on acceptable documentation, and address common questions related to confirming Illinois residency. Registration is not required. Here is the link to join on the day of the event: https://illinois.webex.com/join/sherry.schonauer. The presentation and webinar link will be posted on the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event.

Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program – Monday, September 18, 12-1 p.m.

This webinar will provide an overview of the ECACE program and discuss expanded eligibility criteria that went into effect for the 2023-24 award year. Representatives from ISAC, as well as the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), will be on hand to answer your questions. Registration is not required. Here is the link to join on the day of the event: https://illinois2.webex.com/join/kimberly.eck. The presentation and webinar link will be posted to the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event. Questions may be submitted in advance to Kim Eck at kimberly.eck@illinois.gov.

ISAC Operational Update and Program News – Wednesday, September 27, 2-3 p.m.

Join us for our monthly operational and program update webinar (offered on the last Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m.). Registration is not required. To participate, visit the Partner Training page in the e-Library on the day of the event to access the webinar link and presentation materials.

Additionally, the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA) will be offering a webinar on the topic of FAFSA Simplification.

ILASFAA's FAFSA Simplification Panel Discussion – Wednesday, September 27, 9-11:30 a.m.

ILASFAA members will offer a panel discussion to share how Illinois institutions are preparing for changes related to the FAFSA Simplification Act and to provide an opportunity for questions and discussion from attendees. Click here to register for the event.

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ISAC UPDATE

August 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on September 1, 2023.

The August 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 August  2023 ISAC Update include:

  • 2023-24 Golden Apple Eligibility Data
    (sent August 31, 2023)
  • Submit a Proposal by September 8, 2023, for the 2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Symposium
    (sent August 31, 2023)
  • 2023-24 MTI Payment Implementation
    (sent August 28, 2023)
  • Join Us to Learn about Preparing for Repayment of Your Federal Student Loans
    (sent August 25, 2023)
  • Upcoming Important Dates from ISAC
    (sent August 23, 2023)
  • 2023-24 Program Updates: ECACE Scholarship and MAP Payment Implementation
    (sent August 21, 2023)
  • 2023-24 MTI Awarding Has Commenced
    (sent August 18, 2023)
  • Call for Proposals Now Open for the 2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Symposium
    (sent August 16, 2023)
  • 2023-24 Program Updates: IVG & ING Grant Benefit Usage and MAP Payment
    (sent August 16, 2023)
  • 2023-24 ISAC Administrative Rules Available
    (sent August 9, 2023)
  • 2023 CCE Conference Presentations Online
    (sent August 3, 2023)
  • 2023-24 ECACE Scholarship Update: Prequalification Process on August 8
    (sent August 2, 2023)
  • July 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
    (sent August 1, 2023)

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