DCLPublicationDate: 5/1/98 DCLID: CB-98-6 AwardYear: Summary: Information regarding the waiver of the institutional-share requirement under the Federal Work-Study Program for students employed as tutors in family literacy programs. May 1998 CB-98-6 SUMMARY: Information regarding the waiver of the institutional-share requirement under the Federal Work-Study Program for students employed as tutors in family literacy programs. REFERENCE: This letter supplements Chapter 7 of the Federal Student Financial Aid Handbook and "Dear Colleague" letter CB-97-12. Dear Colleague: The enclosure to this letter provides additional information in the form of Questions and Answers on the new waiver of the institutional-share requirement under the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program for students employed as tutors in a family literacy program that provides services to families with preschool age children or children who are in elementary school. This additional waiver of the FWS institutional-share requirement is effective on July 1, 1998, as the result of the regulations published on November 28, 1997. The FWS Program offers an excellent opportunity for institutions to respond to the Presidents "America Reads Challenge" by employing students as reading tutors for children and as tutors in family literacy programs that provide services to families with children. The "America Reads Challenge" is mobilizing resources to ensure that all children can read independently and well by the end of third grade. The "America Reads Challenge" seeks to reinforce the importance of skill-building activities for children starting at infancy and of programs that encourage and support parent or caregiver involvement in these activities. For more information about the "America Reads Challenge," please visit the web site at www.ed.gov/inits/americareads through the Internet. The Department previously changed the FWS regulations by adding a waiver of the FWS institutional-share requirement for reading tutors of preschool age children or children who are in elementary school that was effective for the 1997-98 award year. That previous change was made to provide institutions with the flexibility necessary to respond to the "America Reads Challenge." In July 1997, the Department issued "Dear Colleague" letter (DCL) CB-97-12 which provided information regarding the FWS Program and its community service aspects, including the waiver for reading tutors of children. This letter can be found on the new Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) web site at http://IFAP.ed.gov through the Internet. You can also view and/or download this letter from the Student Financial Assistance Bulletin Board System (SFA BBS). The letter can be found on the SFA BBS at the following path: SFA Publications and Letters>Dear Colleague Letters>1997 Dear Colleague Letters>(CB) Campus-based Title IV Participants Distribution. You may also obtain copies of the DCL by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). This letter supplements DCL CB-97-12 by providing information on the added waiver for tutors in a family literacy program that provides services to families with children. Since the answers to many questions regarding this new waiver are identical to the answers provided for reading tutors of children in DCL CB-97-12, we have not repeated all of the questions. We appreciate your assistance and cooperation as we work together to use the FWS Program to serve the needs of the community and give FWS students a rewarding and enriching experience. If you have any questions about any aspect of the FWS Program, please contact the Departments SFA Customer Support Branch. Staff members are available Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 am and 5:00 pm (Eastern Time) at 1-800-433-7327. You may e-mail an inquiry to the Customer Support Branch at csb@ed.gov or fax an inquiry to (202) 260-4199. Sincerely, Diane E. Rogers Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Student Financial Assistance Programs Attachment A Attachment B Attachment C Attachment D Attachment E |