We are pleased to introduce a new National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®) report: the Incarcerated Student Report. The report identifies students who are currently or were previously enrolled at the school who have been flagged as confined or incarcerated, who have received a Federal Pell Grant (Pell Grant), and who have no reported release date in NSLDS. This report will enable schools to determine which Pell Grant recipients they need to report a release date for because that student is no longer confined or incarcerated.
This new report will be distributed to schools annually on July 1, with the first distribution on July 1, 2024.
In addition, we have created the new Pell for Incarcerated Spreadsheet Submittal process for schools to report the release date for Pell Grant recipients who have been identified as confined or incarcerated.
Additional details about these new NSLDS resources are provided below.
Background
On Oct. 28, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) published a final rule in the Federal Register (87 FR 65426) expanding access to Pell Grants for confined or incarcerated individuals in qualifying postsecondary education programs by defining an eligible Prison Education Program (PEP) based on the statutory requirements. One of the requirements is ensuring a streamlined process for schools to collect and report data on Prison Education Programs, including but not limited to: incarcerated students who receive Pell Grants on the basis of enrollment in a Prison Education Program. This final rule went into effect on July 1, 2023.
The purpose of the data collection and reporting process is to help the Department, correctional agencies, schools, and the public make informed decisions about the effectiveness of Prison Education Programs and Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students.
NSLDS Incarcerated Student Report
As described above, the annual NSLDS Incarcerated Student Report provides a list of Pell Grant recipients who are currently or were previously enrolled at a school and who have been flagged as confined or incarcerated without a reported release date in NSLDS.
Additionally, the Incarcerated Student Report (INCS01) can be scheduled and requested ad hoc via NSLDS Professional Access. Users can generate the report for their six-digit School Group Code, or 8-digit School Code, for which they are affiliated. The report is available in comma separated values (CSV) and fixed-width file formats via the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG), and in an Excel file format when requested on demand on the NSLDS Professional Access website.
The NSLDS Incarcerated Student School Report Extract File Layout for Schools (INCS01) Fixed Width and Comma Separated Values is available on the Knowledge Center website.
Pell Grant Incarcerated Student Spreadsheet Submittal
Schools will utilize the Pell Incarcerated Student Spreadsheet Submittal process to provide a Pell Grant recipient’s date of release from confinement or incarceration. Schools will be required to report student identifiers, school information, and the student’s release date in the spreadsheet submittal.
The Pell Incarcerated Student Spreadsheet Submittal is available for download from the “Template Downloads” area on the NSLDS Professional Access website.
Contact Information
If you have questions about this information, contact the NSLDS Customer Support Center at 1-800-999-8219. You can also contact Customer Support by email at nslds@ed.gov.