Grant Programs: 2006-2007 and Beyond

Kathryn Osmond

Wellesley

College

Byrd

By-by

Byrdie

(not funded in President’s 07 Budget)

SEOG

• Preserved

• Funding for FY06 slightly lower but similar to FY 05

• Same preference for awarding to Pell recipients (highest need students)

Pell

• Maximum for will be $4050(06 AND 07)

• Limit of 18 semesters (or equivalent)

(President’s 07 budget)

• Tuition sensitivity very low: only if COA is less than $675 (determined on full-time costs)

(President’s 07 budget)

Academic Competitiveness and SMART Grants

• New for FY06, this means 2006-2007!• Mandatory programs• Available to full-time Pell recipients• Enrolled in degree-granting institution of

higher education• But tied to merit components• Anticipate 600,000 recipients, half to

Academic Competitiveness and half to SMART

Academic Competitiveness

• First year and second year students in 2 or 4 year college who are Pell-eligible

• $750 for 1st year students and $1,300 for 2nd year students

• Must have 3.0 GPA at end of 1st year to qualify for 2nd year grant

• First year students complete high school after Jan. 2006, second year student after Jan. 2005

Academic Competitiveness (con’t)

• Rigorous secondary program—beyond basic high school curriculum

• Student has completed that rigorous program.

• Intent of Congress to be inclusive: public high schools, private high schools, charter schools, home-schooled

• Secretary of Education will recognize the eligible programs.

SMART Grants

• National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART)

• Available to 3rd and 4th year college students who are Pell Recipients

• $4,000

• GPA of 3.0 in courses required for the qualifying major

SMART (con’t)

• Specific fields of study: physical sciences; computer sciences; technology; mathematics; engineering

• Also “critical” foreign languages

• “Critical” defined by Secretary of Education in conjunction with Director of National Intelligence

Questions

• Will Achievement Grants & SMART Grants reduce funding for Pell over time?

• Achievement: What is rigorous? Term applied to the whole entity (e.g., high school) or to a program within the entity (college prep)?

• How do we determine that the student has successfully completed the program? Designation on h.s. transcript?

Questions (continued)

• SMART: What about double majors? Computer Science-Art, for example. Or Art-Computer Science?

• How often must the 3.0 average be monitored? Once a year? Each semester?

• GPA VS GPA in major• Phasing-in and phasing out of majors and

critical languages: will students with SMART Grants be grandfathered?

Questions (continued)

• Processes will be manual (little or no computer support initially).

• Many questions will arise. Guidance from DOE?

• Dear Colleague?

• Safe harbor for 2006-2007?

• Negotiated rule-making for 2007-2008?