Posted Date: September 24, 2009
Author: Jeff Baker, Director Policy Liaison and Implementation, Federal Student Aid
Subject: Information on reporting for the additional $200 million provided for the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
In response to the major economic crisis facing this country, the Congress included $200 million for the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5). Along with increases provided under ARRA for the Federal Pell Grant Program, these additional FWS funds were part of the national effort to increase the affordability of postsecondary education for needy students. These ARRA monies were in addition to the regular appropriations included the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 111-8).
As a general matter, recipients of ARRA funds are subject to special reporting requirements. Recent guidance from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) established a threshold of $25,000 for ARRA reporting, which means that in the case of the FWS Program only institutions receiving at least $25,000 in ARRA funding for the 2009-2010 Award Year are subject to these reporting requirements. Note that this $25,000 threshold applies only to ARRA funds received and not to the total amount of FWS funds received by an institution for the 2009-2010 Award Year. Also, note that no special reporting by institutions or states is required for the Federal Pell Grant Program.
We recently sent emails to the presidents and financial aid administrators at the approximately 1,800 institutions that received at least $25,000 in ARRA funds for the FWS Program. That email provided information on the initial registration step that those institutions must take to comply with the special reporting requirements of the ARRA.
We have developed a listing of institutions that received $25,000 or more in ARRA funds for their 2009-2010 FWS Program. Again, this $25,000 threshold applies only to ARRA funds and not to the total amount of FWS funds received by an institution for the 2009-2010 Award Year. You can click here to access that listing. If your institution is included on the listing and has not received the email message noted above, please contact the Campus-Based Call Center at (877) 801-7168. Customer service representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 8:00 P.M. (ET). You may also e-mail them CBFOB@ed.gov