JB Pritzker, Governor, State of Illinois

ISAC Update

VOL. 41, NO. 7F
January 2024

Messages sent to:   Multiple Subscription Groups
  ISAC Update

Welcome to the January 2024 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 January.

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

Registration Now Open 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 January 25, 2024.

We are excited to announce registration is NOW OPEN for our first annual First Gen Symposium! The symposium will take place at North Central College from 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (CT). For more information, visit the First Gen Symposium page.

The deadline to register is Friday, March 1, 2024, or until full capacity has been reached – this may be before March 1. Therefore, we encourage those who are interested in attending to register as soon as possible. Registration is $25 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

Call for Proposals

High schools, community-based organizations, TRIO Programs, and first-generation programs at colleges, universities, and more are invited to submit a session proposal by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 9, 2024.

Calling All First-Generation Professionals

As part of our symposium, we want to feature professionals like you, who were first-generation students! If you would like to participate by having your photo and where you attended school displayed in our exhibit, please fill out our survey by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, February 16, 2024.

For any questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.

Register for the 2024 ILASFAA Annual Conference: March 4-6
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 January 23, 2024.

Mark your calendar for the upcoming 2024 Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA) Annual Conference. The ILASFAA theme this year is Back to the Future, Pre-Pandemic vs. Post-Pandemic, and the conference will take place March 4-6, 2024, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Bloomington, IL. For the latest updates and the tentative agenda, visit the ILASFAA website (ilasfaa.org).

Early bird registration is available now through February 5, 2024. This year, ILASFAA is offering a single day registration for individuals who will not be able to attend the entire conference but are available to attend on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 only.

Members should note that the conference registration fee does not include ILASFAA's annual institutional membership. Effective with the 2023-2024 membership year, ILASFAA changed to an institutional membership model. Institutions and members will continue to have the same great access and services as with the previous membership model, but at a bundle cost. 2024-2025 membership fees will be collected in June 2024.

Conference registration fees:

  • Option 1: Early Bird Rate – $225.00
    (Register on or before February 5, 2024)
  • Option 2: Standard Rate – $240.00
    (Register on or after February 6, 2024)
  • Option 3: Single Day Rate – $150.00*

*Single Day Rate is for individuals attending the conference on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 only.

For registration and more information, visit the ILASFAA website – ilasfaa.org.

"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious FAFSAs."

11th Annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network Conference
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on January 22, 2024.

February 29, 2024 | 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Illinois

Don't Delay – Register Today!

2024 Success Network Conference

Illinois Success Network Conference: Awareness to Action

Please join us at the 11th annual Illinois Education and Career Success Network Conference, Awareness to Action: Promoting Equity in Education and Careers, on February 29. This one-day conference is an engaging learning opportunity designed for leaders from secondary and postsecondary education, local and state government, community-based organizations, policy advocates, grantmakers, employers, and other stakeholders interested in increasing equitable postsecondary attainment in Illinois. The conference admission fee is $50. Learn more about the conference and view the agenda on the registration site. Register today!

Keynote Speaker: Kenyatta Lovett, PhD

Kenyatta Lovett, PhD serves as principal of postsecondary attainment at the Education Strategy Group, leading strategies to set goals and improve attainment, noncredit-to-credit strategies, adult attainment, and credit mobility. Kenyatta serves on national advisory boards to advance the growth of credential-to-career strategies and regional collaboration to improve economic mobility. He is an adjunct professor at Tennessee State University and Lipscomb University.

Visit the registration site to learn more about Kenyatta Lovett, PhD and to register for the conference.

ISAC Sessions

Please plan to join us for one or more of the following sessions being presented by Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) staff members.

  • Supporting First-Generation Students from High School to College Completion
    10:25 – 11:20 a.m.

    ISAC Presenters
    Abel Montoya, Director of Outreach Operations
    Viviana Flores, Region Corps Coordinator
  • FAFSA Simplification
    10:25 – 11:20 a.m.

    ISAC Presenter
    Tommy Semanic, Professional Development Specialist
  • Beyond Cognitive Skills: Preparation Through the Illinois PaCE Framework
    11:30 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.

    ISAC Presenter
    Ana Moya, Professional Development Specialist

Professional Development Hours and Continuing Education Credits

ISAC will provide professional development hours for ISBE educator licensure or continuing education credits through the Illinois Department of Financial Regulations. Completion of the evaluation survey at the conclusion of the conference is required to earn PD hours or CE credits.

Please direct questions to Sam Nelson (Sam.Nelson@illinois.gov) or Ana Moya (Ana.Moya@illinois.gov).

The Illinois Education and Career Success Network (formerly the Illinois 60 by 2025 Network) is a growing network of communities in Illinois that are committed to advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. The Network was launched and is organized by: Advance Illinois, Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University (EdSystems), and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

Submit 2023-24 Winter- and Spring-Term Data for the NES, Social Work Scholarship, ING Grant and IVG Programs
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Public Schools – Participating in the ING Grant and IVG Programs, Business Officers, and NES Schools on January 19, 2024.

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

The ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal – which includes the electronic processing systems for the ISAC programs discussed below – is available for submission of winter- (for quarter schools) and spring-term (for semester and quarter schools) records. Colleges are encouraged to submit 2023-24 winter- and spring-term payment requests (claims) and/or benefit usage data as soon as possible.

You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:

Nursing Education Scholarships (NES) and Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License Scholarship (Social Work Scholarship) Program

Illinois National Guard (ING) Grant and Illinois Veteran Grant (IVG)

NES and Social Work Scholarship Program

  • ISAC is accepting 2023-24 NES and Social Work Scholarship Program claims for the winter and spring terms.
    • The winter- and spring-term NES and Social Work Scholarship Program priority claim deadline dates will be announced once they have been determined.
  • Even though the Social Work Scholarship Program priority claim deadline of December 29, 2023 has passed for the fall term, ISAC is continuing to accept and pay both NES and Social Work Scholarship Program fall-term claims.
    • Further details regarding NES payments – including an overview of what's new with the 2023-24 cycle – are provided in December 14 and December 27 e-Messages.
  • Colleges may submit claims for the fall, winter and spring terms by accessing the NESP and Social Work Scholarship Program systems.
    • Colleges are always encouraged to submit claims as soon as they are able to do so.
    • The timely submission of claims and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC staff to monitor remaining funds and award other students, as applicable.
  • Submitting claims is a two-step process, which involves generating the request (either individually or in a batch) and then submitting the request.
  • NES and Social Work Scholarship Program claim results are available via each program's online system the day after payment requests are processed.
    • Colleges are encouraged to always review the Payment Results/Exceptions report, which is available the day after claims are processed.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to NES and the Social Work Scholarship 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.
  • More information regarding payment functionality, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations on ISAC's website:

ING Grant and IVG

  • ISAC is accepting spring-term benefit usage data for the 2023-24 ING Grant and IVG programs.
    • The dates by which spring-term ING Grant and IVG benefit usage data must be submitted in order to be considered timely will be announced once they have been determined.
  • Even though the summer- (for the IVG Program) and fall-term (for the ING Grant and IVG programs) deadline dates have passed, colleges are still encouraged to submit benefit usage data for those terms as soon as possible.
  • Benefit usage data for the ING Grant and IVG programs is submitted to ISAC by colleges via the benefit usage functionality within each program's online system.
    • Colleges report enrollment hours and dollar amounts for initial, in-district and out-of-district benefit usage by students, as well as adjustments to previously-submitted data.
  • Although ISAC is not able to reimburse institutions for 2023-24 ING Grant or IVG awards, reporting of benefits used must still take place so that usage can be accurately reflected on students' accounts.
  • Colleges are encouraged to regularly check their Benefits Results report for each program.
    • Further details are provided in the ING Grant and IVG user guides.
  • More information, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations:

Watch for Future Updates

Future program updates will be shared with colleges via ISAC's standard methods of communication, including: the ING Grant, IVG, NES, and Social Work Scholarship Program "Program News" areas; the FAA Message Board; and, this e-Messaging service.

Submit 2023-24 MTI and Golden Apple Second-Term Claims
Sent to Financial Aid Directors and Financial Aid Administrators on January 12, 2024.

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

The ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal – which includes the electronic processing systems for the Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship and Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois programs – is available for submission of second-term (spring semester and winter quarter) records.

  • Colleges are encouraged to submit 2023-24 second-term certifications and/or payment requests (claims) as soon as possible.
    • The second-term MTI and Golden Apple priority claim deadline dates will be announced once they have been determined.
  • Even though the priority claim deadline of December 29, 2023 has passed for the first (fall) term, ISAC is continuing to accept and pay first-term claims for these programs.
  • Colleges may submit first- and second-term claims by accessing the MTI and Golden Apple systems.
    • Colleges are always encouraged to submit claims as soon as they are able to do so.
    • The timely submission of claims and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC staff to monitor remaining funds and award other students, as applicable.
  • Colleges are reminded to continue certifying MTI eligibility throughout the year, in order to ensure that students will be included in any rounds of awarding that take place.
  • By submitting a Golden Apple claim, the institution is certifying that the student is enrolled and continues to meet all eligibility requirements for the program.
    • If not submitting a claim, the institution reports the reason for the student's ineligibility.
  • Submitting claims is a two-step process, which involves generating the request (either individually or in a batch) and then submitting the request.
  • MTI and Golden Apple claim results are available on a daily basis via each program's online system.
    • Colleges are encouraged to always review the Payment Results/Exceptions report, which is available the day after claims are processed.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to the MTI and Golden Apple programs, 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.
  • More information regarding online certification (for the MTI Scholarship Program) and payment functionality (for both programs), including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations on ISAC's website:

Watch for Future Updates

Future program updates will be shared with colleges via ISAC's standard methods of communication, including: the MTI Scholarship and Golden Apple "Program News" areas; the FAA Message Board; and, this e-Messaging service.

Submit 2023-24 ECACE Claims for Second and Third Terms
Sent to Financial Aid Directors, Financial Aid Administrators, Business Officers, and ECACE Administrators on January 11, 2024.

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

This message announces that the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship system (located within the ISAC Gift Assistance Programs (GAP) Access portal) is available for the submission of 2023-24 second- and third-term payment requests (claims).

  • ISAC is accepting 2023-24 ECACE Scholarship claims for the second (spring semester and winter quarter) and third (spring quarter) terms.
    • The second- and third-term ECACE priority claim deadline dates will be announced once they have been determined.
    • Colleges will be notified when ISAC begins accepting ECACE claims for the fourth (summer) term.
  • Even though the priority claim deadline of December 29, 2023 has passed for the first (fall) term, ISAC is continuing to accept and pay first-term claims for the ECACE Scholarship Program.
  • Colleges may submit claims for the first, second, and third terms by accessing the ECACE system.
    • Colleges are always encouraged to submit claims as soon as they are able to do so.
    • The timely submission of claims and cancellations/adjustments allows ISAC staff to monitor remaining funds and award other students, as applicable.
  • By submitting a claim for the ECACE Scholarship Program, the institution is certifying that the student is enrolled and continues to meet all eligibility requirements for the program.
    • If not submitting a claim, the institution reports the reason for the student's ineligibility.
  • Submitting claims is a two-step process, which involves generating the request (either individually or in a batch) and then submitting the request.
  • Payment results are available in the ECACE system on a daily basis.
    • Colleges are encouraged to always review the Payment Results/Exceptions report, which is available the day after claims are processed.
  • The disbursement of funds is processed by the State Comptroller's Office.
  • Because Payment Offset and Reconciliation procedures apply to the ECACE Scholarship 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.
  • More information regarding payment functionality, including detailed instructions, is available at the following locations on ISAC's website:

Watch for Future Updates

Future program updates will be shared with colleges via ISAC's standard methods of communication, including the ECACE Program News page, the FAA Message Board, and this e-Messaging service.

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 January 10, 2024..

Mark your calendars for ISAC's first annual First Gen Symposium! The symposium will take place in-person on Monday, March 11, 2024, at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois.

The First Gen Symposium provides an opportunity for you to learn and share best practices for supporting first-generation students in postsecondary planning. For more information 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. on Friday, February 9, 2024.

For questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.

January 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 January 5, 2024.

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

  • Tuesday, January 9, 10 a.m. – Policies & Procedures Webinar about the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid
  • Wednesday, January 17, 2 p.m. – Policies & Procedures Webinar about the Nursing Education Scholarship (NES) Program
  • Wednesday, January 31, 2 p.m. – Monthly Operational Update and Program News

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.

2024-25 FAFSA, Alternative Application, and Important Dates
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 January 3, 2024.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) would like to make you aware of the following information, which may be of interest to you and/or your students.

Unless otherwise noted, links in this message are to corresponding pages at ISAC's website (isac.org).

You may either scroll through the remainder of this message, or click on the appropriate link(s) to go directly to a specific section:

2024-25 (July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025)
New FAFSA® and Alternative Application Now Available

2023-24 (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024)

General Information (Not Specific to One Academic Year)

2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR

FAFSA and Alternative Application Now Available

The 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) cycle, including the launch of the online FAFSA, has opened. The FAFSA Processing System (FPS) – formerly the Central Processing System (CPS) – anticipates transmitting 2024-25 FAFSA results to colleges later in January 2024, with data from paper/PDF FAFSAs processed starting in February 2024.

With the 2024-25 FAFSA:

  • up to 20 different colleges can be listed on the online FAFSA and have information sent to them;
  • due to a change in the methodology used to determine aid, a Student Aid Index (SAI) – rather than an expected family contribution (EFC) – is used to measure the student's (and, if applicable, the family's) ability to pay for college;
  • the new need analysis formula no longer factors the number of family members attending college into the calculation;
  • separate criteria to determine eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant Program, linking eligibility to family size and the federal poverty level, make program funds available to more students; and,
  • students (applicants) and all contributors (which may include a Student Spouse, Parent, and/or Parent Spouse or Partner) must provide consent and approval for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to send federal tax information directly to the FAFSA via a new interface.

Details regarding the 2024-25 application cycle may be accessed via the Applying for Financial Aid section of the e-Library for Partners.

The 2024-25 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) is also available (in English and Spanish). Qualifying undocumented students may file the Alternative Application – which is patterned after the FAFSA – to apply for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) grant. Further details are provided at ISAC's Retention of Illinois Students & Equity (RISE) Act page.

Encourage your students to check out the Financial Aid Planning area for information regarding resources that are available to help students complete the financial aid process.

MAP Processing Cycle

The 2024-25 MAP processing cycle will commence after the FPS begins providing FAFSA results to colleges and state agencies (anticipated for later in January 2024).

As was previously announced, at its September 21, 2023 meeting, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission approved a start-up formula for 2024-25 academic year MAP grants, with a maximum award of $8,400. Additional details regarding the formula are provided in a September 22 e-Message.

February 1: Priority Deadline Date for Returning MAP Recipients

Returning MAP recipients (i.e., students who received MAP funds during the prior academic year and continue to meet all eligibility requirements) who submit their FAFSAs or Alternative Applications by that academic year's priority deadline date will receive priority access to appropriated MAP funds.

Eligible applicants must have received MAP funds during the 2023-24 academic year and submit their 2024-25 FAFSA or Alternative Application on or before February 1, 2024 (which is the 2024-25 priority deadline date) in order to receive priority access to 2024-25 MAP funds.

2023-24 ACADEMIC YEAR

MAP Second-Term Claims Being Accepted

Colleges may submit 2023-24 MAP claims for the second term, keeping in mind that claims may be submitted no more than 10 days prior to the start of classes for the term for which they are being requested. In addition, even though the priority claim deadline date of December 8, 2023 has passed, ISAC is continuing to accept first-term claims and will hold them as late, to be considered for payment later in the year. Further details are provided in a December 21 e-Message.

Submit NES Fall-Term Claims

The 2023-24 Nursing Education Scholarships (NES) payment processing cycle has commenced, and colleges may submit claims for the fall term via the NESP system. Payment is run on a nightly basis each weekday, with results available the following day. Further details – including access to the updated NES User Guide and an overview of what's new with 2023-24 payment processing – are provided in December 14 and December 27 e-Messages.

FAFSA and Alternative Application Remain Available

Although ISAC has suspended the announcement of 2023-24 MAP grants (for all students whose initial 2023-24 FAFSA is received by the federal processor, or whose initial Alternative Application is received by ISAC, on or after September 23, 2023), these 2023-24 applications remain available online. If not already done, an application should be completed and submitted as soon as possible by students who will be attending college between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for other forms of federal, state and institutional financial assistance. The suspension of 2023-24 MAP award announcements does not impact any other financial aid programs.

GENERAL INFORMATION

April 18: Next Commission Meeting

The next meeting of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Further details, including a listing of tentative agenda items, will be available prior to the meeting via the ISAC's Governing Board: The Commission section of the About ISAC area.

Visit the Commission Meeting Schedule page for information regarding all meetings scheduled in 2024.

Coming this Spring: First Gen Symposium

Watch for future announcements regarding the first annual First Gen Symposium, which is anticipated to take place in the spring of 2024.

Holiday Schedules

ISAC staff will be unavailable for these holidays:

  • Monday, January 15, 2024 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Monday, February 12, 2024 – Lincoln's Birthday
  • Monday, February 19, 2024 – Presidents' Day

Staff will again be available the first business day immediately following each holiday.

Processing Schedules

Although ISAC staff will be unavailable on the days listed above, all systems for ISAC-administered programs within the GAP Access portal will be available during regularly scheduled hours. For MAP and other programs administered through components of the GAP Access portal, results for payment requests submitted from 5 p.m. (CT) the business day prior to the holiday through 5 p.m. (CT) the business day following the holiday will be available via the appropriate program's system on the morning of the second business day after the holiday.

For Assistance

Access the Financial Aid Administrators area anytime, or send an e-mail message to ISAC's School Services Department. With the exception of days when ISAC staff members are unavailable, we will review and respond to messages during regular business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (CT).

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ISAC UPDATE

December 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
Sent on January 2, 2024.

The December 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 December 2023 ISAC Update include:

  • NES Payment Request Results Available Thursday, December 28
    (sent December 27, 2023)
  • 2023-24 MAP Second-Term Payment Now Open – ECACE First-Term Payment Claims Due
    (sent December 21, 2023)
  • 2023-24 NES Payment Processing
    (sent December 14, 2023)
  • December Webinars for FAAs
    (sent December 5, 2023)
  • Commission Meeting Thursday, December 7 – No Executive Briefing Scheduled
    (sent December 4, 2023)
  • November 2023 Electronic ISAC Update
    (sent December 1, 2023)

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