Posted Date:June 1, 2010
| Author: | Jana Hernandes, Service Director, Operations, Federal Student Aid |
Subject: 2010-2011 ISIR Analysis Tool Web Application Now Available
We are pleased to announce that the 2010-2011 version of the ISIR Analysis Tool is now available through the FAA Main Menu of the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site (https://faaaccess.ed.gov/). The site can also be accessed from the View menu in the EDExpress for Windows 2010-2011 software.
The ISIR Analysis Tool is designed for any school that wants to review and analyze its Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) data and better understand certain characteristics about its Title IV applicant population and verification process (either selected by the U.S. Department of Education or defined by the school).
You can use the ISIR Analysis Tool to perform the following functions:
Using a basic text flat file of Social Security Numbers (SSNs), request specific or random samples of Initial and Paid On ISIR transactions from the ISIR Datamart to update your ISIR Analysis Tool database.
Define and complete user-specified fields to track data specific to your school.
Set the School Verification Flag to indicate students meeting your school's institutional verification criteria.
Run the Data Validation process to identify and delete student records missing an Initial or Paid On ISIR transaction and perform other calculations to finalize your overall ISIR sample before generating reports.
Generate standard reports to conduct in-depth analysis based on discrepancies or trends identified in requested ISIR data. Quality Assurance (QA) Program participants can share standard report templates with other QA participants using the ISIR Analysis Tool.
Create ad-hoc reports to conduct additional analysis unique to your school's user data and student demographics.
Export a flat file listing of all student records in your school’s ISIR Analysis Tool database to your Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) mailbox.
Note: Using the ISIR Analysis Tool does not mean that your school is in the QA Program or is exempt from federal verification requirements. To have these benefits, your school must have a signed QA Amendment to its Title IV Program Participation Agreement (PPA).
For additional information on using the ISIR Analysis Tool, see the “Guidance” section of Federal Student Aid’s QA Program site, located at http://ifap.ed.gov/qahome/guidance.html.
You must have Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 6.0, Service Pack 2, or higher to utilize the reporting features available in the ISIR Analysis Tool. The ISIR Analysis Tool site also supports Versions 1.5, 2.0, and 3.5.2 of the Mozilla Firefox browser.
Note: Visually impaired users that utilize screen reader technology must use Internet Explorer instead of Mozilla Firefox in order to access the ISIR Analysis Tool’s InfoAssist reporting features.
2010-2011 Enhancements to the ISIR Analysis Tool
The 2010-2011 version of the ISIR Analysis Tool includes the following enhancements:
Year References and Message Classes Updated for 2010-2011 - We updated all ISIR Analysis Tool Web site labels and other text to reference the 2010-2011 cycle. We also updated the message class for export files listing all student records in your ISIR Analysis Tool database to IATX11OP.
New ISIR Data Elements Added to the ISIR Analysis Tool Database - New ISIR fields for 2010-2011 will be added to your school’s ISIR Analysis Tool database as a result of an ISIR data request. For more information on 2010-2011 ISIR changes, see the 2010-2011 ISIR Guide, posted in November 2009 to our Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) (http://ifap.ed.gov) and Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload) (https://www.fsadownload.ed.gov) Web sites.
Ability to Save Shared Reports Restored for QA Program Participants – We restored the capability for QA Program participants using the ISIR Analysis Tool to share ad hoc reporting templates with other participants in this program. This functionality was available in the 2008-2009 ISIR Analysis Tool application, but not the 2009-2010 version.
Revised Pell Grant Payment and Disbursement Schedules – The 2010-2011 ISIR Analysis Tool will reflect 2010-2011 Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant) awards based on the revised Pell Grant payment and disbursement schedules provided in Dear Colleague Letter P-10-03, posted on April 8, 2010 to the IFAP Web site.
In addition to the enhancements noted above, demonstration (demo) functionality for the ISIR Analysis Tool will be added to the FAA Access to CPS Online Web demo Web site in late May 2010. This demo site, which automatically preloads with test ISIR records, enables schools interested in using the ISIR Analysis Tool to examine features such as standard and ad-hoc report generation in a mock-production environment. For more information on accessing the demo site, see the 2010-2011 CPS Test System User Guide on the FSAdownload Web site.
Enrollment and Authentication for the ISIR Analysis Tool Web Site
If your school already enrolled its staff for access to the 2009-2010 version of the ISIR Analysis Tool, it is not necessary to enroll staff again for 2010-2011.
If your school currently uses the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site and wants to add access to the ISIR Analysis Tool, your staff members must be enrolled for both FAA Access to CPS Online and the ISIR Analysis Tool to access the ISIR Analysis Tool. The Primary or Secondary Destination Point Administrator (DPA) of the TG number currently used by your school to send and receive FAFSAs and ISIR corrections has access to the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site by default and can add or modify rights. The Primary or Secondary DPA needs to enroll financial aid staff members for access to the FAA Access to CPS Online and ISIR Analysis Tool Web sites.
If your school is not enrolled for use of the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site, your school’s Primary or Secondary DPA can complete the enrollment for FAA Access to CPS Online site services for your school, including access to the ISIR Analysis Tool, through the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG) Enrollment Web site, located at https://fsawebenroll.ed.gov.
Note: An SAIG-FAA User Statement must be printed by the Primary DPA and signed by new users of the FAA Access to CPS Online and ISIR Analysis Tool Web sites. While you are not required to mail SAIG-FAA User Statements to FSA’s Participation Management system, you should retain signed copies at your school.
We implemented a new user authentication process for the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site in May 2009 that eliminated the use of personal identifiers such as Social Security Number (SSN), date of birth (DOB), and name ID as login elements. To access the FAA Access to CPS Online Web site, you must now use a FSA User ID and password.
All Primary DPAs and other FAA Access to CPS Online users at your school can obtain an FSA User ID (if they have not already done so) by completing the FSA User ID enrollment process. For more detailed information on the FSA User ID creation process, see the April 6, 2009 Electronic Announcement posted to the IFAP Web site.
Contact Information
If you have technical questions regarding the ISIR Analysis Tool, the FAA Access to CPS Online security authentication process, or the SAIG enrollment procedures described in this message, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806) or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.
If you are a participant in Federal Student Aid's QA Program and have questions regarding the ISIR Analysis Tool, contact QA Program staff at quality.assurance@ed.gov, call your regional Federal Student Aid contact, or visit the QA Program Web site, located at http://ifap.ed.gov/qualityassurance.