Federal Updates

November 5, 2019 – The Department has made available Volume 6 – Campus Based Programs of the 2019-2020 Federal Student Aid Handbook.

 The Department announced its revised “standard term” policy, and announced the following changes:

• Semesters and trimesters may now be between 14 and 21 weeks of instruction;
• Quarters may now be between 9 and 13 weeks of instruction; and
• Standard terms are no longer required to be substantially equal.

 

November 13, 2019 – The Department Office of Inspector General issued Dear CPA Letter CPA-19-01 amending the September 2016 Audit Guide, Guide for Audits of Proprietary Schools and For Compliance Attestation Engagements of Third-Party Servicers Administering Title IV Programs (Audit Guide), by adding Section C.8.12 to Chapter 3 to determine whether Institutions of Higher Education have complied with the Federal Trade Commission’s regulations for implementing the Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act in regards to ensuring the security and confidentiality of customer information. The procedures described in the letter are mandatory for all proprietary school audits and third-party servicer compliance attestation engagements of fiscal years ending on or after December 31, 2019, that are conducted using the September 2016 Audit Guide.

December 2, 2019 – The Federal Student Aid’s New Financial Aid Administrators Pre-Conference Training will take place on December 2, 2019 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

December 13, 2019 – Any updates or corrections to the Fiscal Operations Report for 2018–19 and the Application to Participate for 2020–21 (FISAP) must be submitted to the Department no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time (ET) on Friday, December 13, 2019.

• All schools that participate in the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan) Program must update and submit Part III, section A, Line 1.2 (Cash on hand and in depository as of 10/31/2019) on the Fiscal Operations Report for 2018–19 (on the 2020–21 FISAP) to the Department of Education (the Department) no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time (ET) on Friday, December 13, 2019.
  
  

Looking Ahead – 2019 FSA Training Conference. The Federal Student Aid Office has opened registration for the 2019 FSA Training Conference scheduled for December 3 to 6 in Reno, Nevada. The FSA Training Conference is training provided for financial aid professionals by the government for those institutions receiving Title IV funds and is the largest training program in the United States serving the financial aid community. In 2018 more than 2,000 unique schools registered for the conference. Registration is free.

U.S. Congress – Newly Introduced Legislation of Note

H.R. 5056 – To amend title 38, United States Code, to allow individuals who are entitled to Post-9/11 educational assistance to use such assistance to repay Federal student loans.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 11/12/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Gregory W. Steube (R-FL) 2 Cosponsors

H.R. 5052 – To amend title 38, United States Code, to include local government minimum wage requirements in determining the hourly minimum wage applicable for purposes of the work-study allowance under the educational assistance programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 11/12/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) 11 Cosponsors

H.R. 5009 - To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to certain veterans and members of the Armed Forces who require extra time to complete remedial and deficiency courses, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 11/8/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) 0 Cosponsors

S. 2830- A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the period under which an election must be made for entitlement to educational assistance under the All-Volunteer Educational Assistance Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, to phase out the use of such program, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, 11/12/19

b.       Sponsor: Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) 1 Cosponsor

S. 2811- A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authority of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to continue to pay educational assistance or subsistence allowances to eligible persons when educational institutions are temporarily closed, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, 11/7/19

b.       Sponsor: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) 1 Cosponsor

S. 2806- A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand authority for certain qualifying work-study activities for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs to include outreach services provided through congressional offices, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, 11/6/19

b.       Sponsor: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) 1 Cosponsor