Posted Date:February 4, 2016
Author: | Sue O'Flaherty, Service Director, Program Management, Federal Student Aid |
Subject: Participation in and Reporting Expenditures for the Work Colleges Program and Changes to Expenditure Report Form
This Electronic Announcement provides information necessary for schools to apply for participation in the Work Colleges Program under the Federal Work-Study Program for the 2016-2017 Award Year. To participate in this program the school must comply with all provisions of Section 448 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), and the applicable program regulations included in Subpart C of 34 CFR Part 675. This Electronic Announcement also provides information regarding reporting Work Colleges Program Expenditures for the 2015-2016 Award Year.
Any school interested in participating in the Work Colleges Program for the 2016-2017 Award Year (including schools that are participating in the 2015-2016 Award Year) must apply electronically, no later than March 7, 2016, via the eCB Web site. The application must be signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) using either the eSignature or manual signature processes described in the 2016-2017 Work Colleges Application Instructions. A Work Colleges participating school will use a similar process when it submits its expenditure report for the 2015-2016 Award Year no later than September 30, 2016.
Important: The Work Colleges Application is not an application to participate in the Federal Work-Study Program.
Applying for Participation in the Work Colleges Program for the 2016-2017 Award Year
A school interested in participating in the Work Colleges Program must submit a completed "Institutional Application and Agreement for Participation in the Work Colleges Program" for the 2016-2017 Award Year to the Department of Education (the Department) electronically via the eCB Web site. To access the application, log in to the eCB Web site, click on "Setup" at the top right side of the screen, and then click on "Work Colleges Application."
Instructions for completing the "Institutional Application and Agreement for Participation in the Work Colleges Program" are attached to this Electronic Announcement in the document titled "2016-2017 Work Colleges Application Instructions." The application provides a detailed definition of a Work College.
Electronic Submission of the Application and Agreement Required
The attached Work Colleges Application form and instructions documents are provided for reference only. The application must be submitted electronically through the eCB Web site.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Signature Required
In addition to electronic submission of the application and agreement, it must also be signed by the CEO using either of the two signature options described below. The CEO is the person designated as such on the school’s Program Participation agreement (PPA/ECAR) as submitted through the Department’s Electronic Application for Approval to Participate in the Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (E-App) at http://www.eligcert.ed.gov.
eSignature (Recommended): After the application has been submitted through the eCB System, it may then be signed by the CEO electronically through the eSignature Tab within the eCB Web site. Instructions for completing the eSignature process are available through the Help Tab.
Manual Signature: If you choose to submit the signature for the Work Colleges Application manually, you must print the submitted Work Colleges Application and Agreement form from the “Work Colleges Application” link at the top of the “Setup” page within the eCB Web site.
The original signature must be mailed or hand delivered to:
- United States Department of Education
Federal Student Aid
Grants & Campus-Based Division
Work Colleges Program
830 First Street, NE, Rm 63C5
Washington, DC 20202-5453If the printed and signed application and agreement is to be hand delivered by a commercial courier, you must use the address provided above, except the zip code will be 20002.
Deadline for Submitting the Application and Agreement to the Department
The deadline for submitting a school's signed Work Colleges Program application and agreement to the Department is Monday, March 7, 2016.
Electronic Submission: The deadline for electronic submission of the application and agreement, as well as the eSignature (if used), is 11:59 P.M. (ET) on March 7, 2016. Transmissions must be completed and accepted by 11:59 P.M. (ET).
Signed Printed Copy: If the signed printed copy of the application and agreement is sent through the U.S. Postal Service, it must be postmarked by March 7, 2016. If the signed printed copy of the application and agreement is hand delivered by a commercial courier, it must be delivered to the address above by 4:30 P.M. (ET) on March 7, 2016.
Approval of the Application and Agreement
If a school's application and agreement is approved, we will notify the school via e-mail in May 2016. We will send the e-mail to the school's Financial Aid Administrator, as provided in the school's most recently submitted Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate (FISAP) or as updated via the "Contact Info" page on the eCB Web site. In the e-mail, we will inform the school that its 2016-2017 Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program award increase is reflected in the Statement of Account posted on the eCB Web site.
Reporting Work Colleges Program Expenditures for the 2015-2016 Award Year
A school must report its Work Colleges Program expenditures for the 2015-2016 Award Year to the Department by electronically submitting the "Work Colleges Program Expenditure Report" for the 2015-2016 Award Year via the eCB Web site. To access the expenditure report, log in to the eCB Web site, click on "Setup" at the top right side of the screen, and then click on "Work Colleges Report."
Instructions for completing the "2015-2016 Work Colleges Program Expenditure Report" are attached to this Electronic Announcement in the document titled "2015-2016 Work Colleges Expenditure Report Instructions."
Electronic Submission of Expenditure Report Required
The attached Work Colleges Expenditure Report form and instructions documents are for provided for reference only. The report must be submitted electronically through the eCB Web site.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Signature Required
In addition to electronic submission of the expenditure report, it must also be signed by the CEO using either of the two signature options described below. The CEO is the person designated as such on the school’s Program Participation agreement (PPA/ECAR) as submitted through the Department’s Electronic Application for Approval to Participate in the Federal Student Financial Aid Programs (E-App) at http://www.eligcert.ed.gov.
eSignature (Recommended): After the expenditure report has been submitted through the eCB System, it may then be signed by the CEO electronically through the eSignature Tab within the eCB Web site. Instructions for completing the eSignature process are available through the Help Tab.
Manual Signature: If you choose to submit the signature for the Work Colleges Expenditure Report manually, you must print the submitted Work Colleges Expenditure Report form from the “Work Colleges Report” link at the top of the “Setup” page within the eCB Web site.
The original signature must be mailed or hand delivered to:
United States Department of Education
Federal Student Aid
Grants & Campus-Based Division
Work Colleges Program
830 First Street, NE, Rm 63C5
Washington, DC 20202-5453If the printed and signed expenditure report is to be hand delivered by a commercial courier, you must use the address provided above, except the zip code will be 20002.
Expenditure Report Deadline for Schools Participating in the Work Colleges Program for the 2015-2016 Award Year
The deadline for electronically submitting a participating school’s Work Colleges expenditure report and signature for 2015-2016 to the Department is Friday, September 30, 2016.
Electronic Submission: The deadline for electronic submission of the expenditure report, as well as the eSignature (if used), is 11:59 P.M. (ET) on September 30, 2016. Transmissions must be completed and accepted by 11:59 P.M. (ET).
Signed Printed Copy: If the signed printed copy of the expenditure report is sent through the U.S. Postal Service, it must be postmarked by September 30, 2016. If the signed printed copy of the expenditure report is hand delivered by a commercial courier, it must be delivered to the address above by 4:30 P.M. (ET) on September 30, 2016.
Changes to the Work Colleges Program Expenditure Form
To improve reporting details of the Work Colleges program, Lines 3 and 4 of the form have been revised to include earned compensation for community service:
Line 3(a) – Total funds spent for Work Colleges Community Service earned compensation
Line 3(b) – Total funds spend for Work Colleges non-Community Service earned compensation
Line 4(a) – Total federal funds spent for Work Colleges Community Service earned compensation
Line 4(b) – Total non-federal funds spent for Work Colleges Community Service earned compensation
Line 4(c) – Total federal funds spent for Work Colleges non-Community Service earned compensation
Line 4(d) – Total non-federal funds spent for Work Colleges non-Community earned compensation
The former Lines 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 have been renumbered to Lines 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. A copy of the form is attached for reference.
Contact Information
If you have questions about the information in this announcement or its attachments, 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 CBFOB@ed.gov.