Posted Date:July 23, 2012
Author: | William Leith, Service Director, Program Management, Federal Student Aid |
Subject: Issue Alert: 2012-2013 Federal Pell Grant LEU Postscreening Generating SAR/ISIR Transactions for Non-Pell-Eligible Students
We have received numerous inquiries from schools about 2012-2013 Student Aid Report (SAR) and Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) transactions generated by the Central Processing System (CPS) during the week of July 16, 2012 as a result of National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) postscreening. The focus of these inquiries concerns new SAR/ISIR transactions created by the postscreening process that indicate an issue with total Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant) eligibility for students that are not currently Pell-eligible.
Background
As announced in the June 29, 2012 electronic announcement posted on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site, we recently implemented changes to the CPS and the NSLDS related to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 provision that limits the duration of a student's eligibility to receive a Pell Grant to the equivalent of six years.
The CPS and NSLDS enhancements are designed to provide schools with information about Pell-eligible students who have exceeded, are close to exceeding, or are no longer close to or exceeding their total Pell Grant eligibility (or Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used [LEU] percentage) based on prior Pell Grant disbursement history. This information is being conveyed on SAR/ISIR transactions through a combination of new SAR comment codes and NSLDS postscreening reason codes.
On July 16, 2012, the CPS began sending new 2012-2013 SAR/ISIR transactions generated as a result of normal NSLDS postscreening routines that are based on the recalculated Pell Grant lifetime eligibility limit. We subsequently received reports from schools that they are receiving SAR/ISIR transactions for non-Pell-eligible students with an NSLDS postscreening reason code of 20 (Pell eligible and met or exceeded Pell lifetime limit) or 22 (Pell eligible and close to Pell lifetime limit).
Workaround/Resolution
We have identified the cause of this issue and are currently assessing options for resolving it. We will post an updated electronic announcement in the near future to the IFAP Web site letting users know when the issue will be fixed.
In the meantime, schools should ignore the NSLDS postscreening codes of 20 and 22 if they appear on a non-Pell-eligible transaction.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this message, contact CPS/SAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947 (TDD/TTY 800/511-5806) or by e-mail at CPSSAIG@ed.gov.