| Publication Date: June 30, 2006 Author: G. Kay Jacks, General Manager, Application, Operations and Delivery Services, Federal Student Aid Summary: Final 2006-2007 Drug Worksheets Posted on 06-30-2006 The Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (the HERA), Pub. L. 109-171, modified the student eligibility provision regarding the suspension of Title IV eligibility for drug-related offenses. As described in Dear Colleague Letter GEN-06-05(http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/GEN0605.html), effective July 1, 2006, a student loses eligibility for Title IV aid only if the drug-related offense for which the student was convicted occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV aid. The HERA did not change the period of ineligibility and provisions for regaining eligibility. Note: The Department of Education (the Department) has not yet issued regulations to implement the provisions of the HERA. Program participants, including schools, lenders, and guarantee agencies, should implement the provisions of the HERA in accordance with sub regulatory guidance provided by the Department in Dear Colleague Letters and other materials until the regulations are published and effective. In general, the regulations will be effective 30 days after they are published in the Federal Register. After the regulations are published in the Federal Register, the text of the regulations will be posted on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site. To accommodate the change to the student eligibility provision, we will use a revised drug conviction worksheet beginning July 1, 2006. Attached below is the revised drug conviction worksheet. For additional information about how we will implement this change for the 2006-2007 Award Year, refer to "HERA Operational Implementation Guidance (CPS, COD System, EDExpress Suite)-Student Eligibility Requirement Regarding Drug-Related Offenses." |