(LOANS-21-08) FY 2018 Official Cohort Default Rates Distributed Sept. 27, 2021

Author
Federal Student Aid
Electronic Announcement ID
LOANS-21-08
Subject
FY 2018 Official Cohort Default Rates Distributed Sept. 27, 2021

On Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, the Department of Education (Department) distributed the FY 2018 official cohort default rate (CDR) notification packages to all eligible domestic and foreign schools only. The rates will be publicly released on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. In this announcement, we provide information about our distribution of the official rates and the begin dates for appealing the official rates.

Distribution of FY 2018 Official Cohort Default Rates

For both eligible domestic and foreign schools enrolled in the Electronic Cohort Default Rate (eCDR) process, we sent FY 2018 official cohort default rate and accompanying documentation via the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG). This information was sent to the SAIG mailbox to the destination point administrator designated by the school. Each eCDR package contained the following information:

  • Cover Letter (message class SHDRLROP)

  • Reader-Friendly Loan Record Detail Report (message class SHCDRROP)

  • Extract-Type Loan Record Detail Report (message class SHCDREOP)

  • Comma Delimited-Type Loan Record Detail Report (message class CDRCSVOP)

We did not send eCDR notification packages to any school not enrolled in eCDR.  These schools may download their cohort default rate and accompanying Loan Record Detail Reports from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®) via the NSLDS Professional Access website.

LRDR File review: Schools are reminded of the availability of the NSLDS Loan Record Detail Report (LRDR) Import Tool. The LRDR Import Tool can be used to easily load data generated from the LRDR into the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet application, which is designed to assist schools with reviewing and analyzing their LRDR extract files.

To download the LRDR Import Tool, go to the Default Management Topics page on the Knowledge Center. The LRDR Import Tool can be found in the section.  If you have questions about using the LRDR Import Tool or NSLDS, contact the NSLDS Customer Support Center at 1-800-999-8219. You can also contact Customer Support by email at nslds@ed.gov.

Note: Any school that did not have a borrower in repayment, during the current or any of the past cohort default rate periods, will not receive a FY 2018 official CDR notification package. These schools are considered to have no cohort default rate data and no cohort default rate.

Guaranty agency rates were provided via email. Lender rates were provided via postal service. Both guaranty agency and lender rates can also be obtained through the NSLDS website.

Begin Dates for Appealing FY 2018 Official Cohort Default Rates

The time period for appealing the FY 2018 official CDR under 34 C.F.R Part 668, Subpart N begins on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, for all schools.

All Uncorrected Data Adjustments (UDA) and New Data Adjustments (NDA) must be made through the eCDR Appeals application. Additionally, the Loan Servicing Appeal (LSA) process is now available electronically through the eCDR Appeals application. Due to the COVID-19 emergency, schools are being asked to submit their Participation Rate Appeal, Economically Disadvantaged Appeal, and Erroneous Data Appeal via email to the Department to the email address provided below.

As a reminder, eCDR Appeals is a web-based application that allows schools to electronically submit certain adjustments/appeals requests during the specified timeframes. The application allows data managers (guaranty agency or federal loan servicer) and Federal Student Aid personnel to electronically view and respond to these adjustments/appeals.  The application tracks the entire life cycle of each request from the time the case is submitted until the time a decision is made and the case is closed.

If a technical problem caused by the Department results in an inability to access the data, schools have five business days from the receipt of the eCDR notification package to notify Partner Eligibility and Oversight Services (PEOS) at the email address given below. As stated above, the time period for challenging the FY 2018 official CDR begins on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, for all schools.

To complete an adjustment or appeal, you may need the data manager’s contact information. Click on the “Alphabetical and Numerical Data Manager Contacts” link from the home page of the Default Management Topics page.

If the Department revises a school’s cohort default rate based on its adjustment or appeal submission, the revised cohort default rate will be available on the Default Management Topics page on the Knowledge Center.

For specific information regarding eCDR Appeals, visit the eCDR Appeals website, where you will find user guides for each of the challenge and adjustment processes, as well as a user guide for the registration process. Additionally, you will find links to recordings of eCDR Appeals demonstration sessions to assist first-time users.

Contact Information

For additional information regarding the school cohort default rate calculation or the challenge processes, refer to the CDRG.

You may also contact us by email at fsa.schools.default.management@ed.gov or by phone at 202-377-4259.