A: Once in the validation screen you will need to click "Exit Validation" to go back and navigate the FISAP.

A: If the Call Center contacts you stating that the signature page hasn't been received, you might have to print another copy, have your school CEO, President, Chancellor, or Director sign it in any ink color except black, and mail it to the address listed in the document as soon as possible.

A: There are a few things you should check:

• You must have Internet Explorer 5.1 or higher and Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.1 or higher.
• You must either have Destination Point Administrator (DPA) rights or have been granted access rights to the FISAP Web site by your Destination Point Administrator (DPA) for the current cycle year. The DPA is normally the Financial Aid Administrator.
• Your local network or Internet service might be down, or interrupted.

A: Wait 30 minutes and your account should unlock.

If none of these is an issue, please contact the Campus-Based Call Center at 1-877-801-7168 and see if that staff can help you diagnose the problem.

A: You will need to open your FISAP report and study it to try and determine if the reduced funding was due to unexpended award money or misreported tuitions and fees, enrollment, eligible aid applicants, etc. Generally speaking, there are three main reasons for a change in your level of funding. First, if you have an underuse of funds in the prior year that exceeds 10 percent of your allocation(s) for that year, a penalty will be assessed and your award will be reduced, unless you have requested and received a waiver. Second, if the amounts in your application (Part II) went down, particularly the eligible aid applicant data, your need was reduced from last year, and you might have one or more decreased awards. The third reason is related to the national totals used in the calculations. If the total national need figure increased by a greater percentage than your school's need, then your fair share of the amount available will be reduced. If you can't determine the cause, contact the Campus-Based Call Center at 1-877-801-7168; that staff can research the change for you.

A: You can modify it at any time before December 15^th without prior approval. If changes are necessary after December 15^th, you must receive approval from the Department before submitting the change. Always check the "Submission Log" to confirm your submission has been completed. But, be aware of the deadlines (located on the login page), as certain data changes may affect your funding. For example, without approval from the Department, you may not ask for an increase in the Request for Funds in Part II after tentative awards are calculated in late January. You may, however, request a decrease in funds without prior approval from the Department. If you find you need to change your request figure(s), you should contact the Campus-Based Call Center for guidance.

A. To verify your school's submission, log into the eCB Web site, select the "Self-Service" link on the top navigation bar, and scroll to the "Acknowledgements" section. Then, select "Submission Log" to view the log and verify the date and time of your submission of the FISAP or the Reallocation Form.

A: From the "Self-Service" page you can either print the "Working Version," in parts, or the entire report. If you are having problems, check to see if you are using the most current versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader and Internet Explorer. If you are still having problems, try clearing your browser's cache by selecting "Tools," then "Internet Options," and then clicking on the "General" tab. Afterwards, select "ok," then "ok" again to complete the cache clearing. You can also print the submitted version.

A: FISAP on the Web currently shows FISAP data for only the last six years in addition to the current year:

• Application year 2009-2010, Fiscal Operations Report year 2007-2008;
• Application year 2008-2009, Fiscal Operations Report year 2006-2007;
• Application year 2007-2008, Fiscal Operations Report year 2005-2006;
• Application year 2006-2007, Fiscal Operations Report year 2004-2005;
• Application year 2005-2006, Fiscal Operations Report year 2003-2004; and
• Application year 2004-2005, Fiscal Operations Report year 2002-2003

At this time, schools do not have access to prior year data beyond what is listed here. You may telephone the Campus-Based Call Center at 1-877-801-7168 and request that a copy of other prior year information be mailed or faxed to you.

A: You need to be on the "Setup" page, where you will find a "Change Years" dropdown box and a "Change Years" button. Use the dropdown box to change the year, then click on the "Change Years" button.

A: By April 1, 2010 for the 2010-2011 awards.

A: Award notifications are posted to the FISAP on the Web's "Self-Service" page under "Statements of Accounts." Supplemental Awards are in the same place.

A: The JLD Program is part of the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program. Its goal is to locate and develop off-campus jobs for currently enrolled students who want jobs, regardless of their financial need. The Program encourages students to participate in community service activities. A school is allowed to use part of the federal funds it receives under the FWS Program to establish or expand a JLD Program.

A: A school may use up to the lesser of $75,000 or 10 percent of its total FWS allocation to establish or expand a JLD Program.

A: Yes. When a school participates in the JLD Program, federal funds may pay up to 80 percent of the allowable costs. The school must provide the remaining 20 percent of allowable costs, either in cash or in services. The school's 20 percent share may be either (1) 20 percent of each allowable cost, or (2) varying percentages of allowable costs, as long as the school's total expenditures of school funds and/or provision of services equals at least 20 percent of the total allowable costs for the JLD Program. The school must maintain records that indicate the amount and sources of its share. The fiscal procedures and records requirements for JLD are the same as those for the FWS Program.

A: No. Unlike the non-federal share requirement for FWS earnings, the JLD non-federal share requirement cannot be waived.

A: Allowable costs include

• staff wages and salaries (may also include fringe benefits if they are the same as those paid to other school employees in comparable positions, and the fringe benefits are not paid to a FWS student);
• travel expenses;
• printing and mailing costs;
• telephone charges, including installation of a separate line for off-campus employers;
• costs for supplies, equipment, and furniture;
• newspaper or other types of advertising; and
• costs for workshops for students and employers.

A: Costs related to purchasing, constructing, or altering the facilities that house a JLD project. Indirect administrative costs also are not allowable. One example of an indirect administrative cost is a portion of the salary of someone who is not directly involved in the program, such as the JLD director's supervisor. Other examples of indirect administrative costs are lighting, heating, or custodial costs incurred as part of the normal operations of the facility in which the JLD Program is administered, such as the financial aid or placement offices.

A: No. The fact that the school has an executed PPA for the FWS Program means the school is also able to participate in the JLD Program without any prior contact with the Department or revision to its PPA. Under the PPA, the school agrees to administer the JLD Program according to the appropriate statutory and regulatory provisions.

A: Yes, on the FISAP, the school must provide information about its total JLD expenditures, federal expenditures for JLD, school expenditures for JLD, number of students for whom jobs were located or developed, and total earnings for those students.

A: Yes. It must locate and develop jobs that generate total student wages exceeding the total amount of the federal funds spent under the JLD Program.

A: Yes. The agreement must designate the JLD Program's administrator and must specify the program's terms, conditions, and performance standards. Each school that is part of the agreement retains responsibility for properly disbursing and accounting for the federal funds it contributes under the agreement. For example, each school must show that its own students have earned wages that exceed the amount of federal funds the school contributed to locate and develop those jobs.

A: Either a for-profit or nonprofit employer.

A: Yes. Federal JLD funds are to be used to pay the school's costs of establishing and administering the JLD Program, under which jobs are located and developed for FWS and non-FWS eligible students. However, using JLD funds to find jobs only for FWS students would not satisfy the statutory requirement to expand off-campus jobs for currently enrolled students who want jobs, regardless of financial need.

A: No. JLD funds can only be used to locate and develop jobs off campus.

A: No.

A: Yes. The prohibition against using JLD funds to locate and develop jobs at any school does not include hiring students to work as staff for the JLD Program itself, because the JLD staff jobs were not located and developed with JLD Program funds.

A: No. Any funds allocated under the FWS Program may not be used to pay the non-federal share of FWS compensation to students. However, since JLD allowable costs include staff salaries, the school would pay, with its own funds, the non-federal share of wages FWS students earn while working as staff in the JLD Program. The school would count those funds in meeting the minimum 20 percent institutional share requirement.

A: No. The program locates and develops off-campus employment opportunities for students during and between periods of school attendance.

A: Yes. The JLD Program encourages participation in community service activities. Further, the program description notes that funds are to be expended to establish or expand a program to locate and develop jobs, including community service jobs. However, the JLD Program does not have a specific minimum community service requirement, as does the FWS Program.

A: Yes. Under the JLD Program, jobs located and developed must be suitable to the students' scheduling and other needs and, to the maximum extent practicable, must complement and reinforce students' educational programs or vocational goals.

A: Yes.

A: No. Jobs must not displace employees or impair existing service contracts.

A: The school may use FWS federal funds to pay the federal share of FWS student wages, to carry out certain administrative activities, and to pay the cost of certain activities under the Job Location and Development Program and the Work Colleges Program. The school may also transfer a portion of its FWS federal funds to its Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program.

A: Except for certain waivers allowed under FWS regulations, the federal share of FWS wages paid to students employed by other than a private for-profit organization—or, in some cases, a nonprofit organization that cannot pay the regular non-federal share—may not exceed 75 percent. The non-federal share of FWS wages must be at least 25 percent. A school may use any resource available to pay its share of FWS compensation except federal funds allocated under the FWS Program or other sources that would prohibit such use. The school's share may come from its own funds, from outside funds (such as from an off-campus agency), or from both. The school also has the option of paying its share of a student's FWS wages in the form of a non-cash contribution of services or equipment (e.g., tuition and fees, room and board, and books and supplies).

The federal share of FWS wages paid to students employed by a private for-profit organization may not exceed 50 percent. The private for-profit organization must contribute the non-federal share of funds.

When a public or private nonprofit organization is unable to pay the regular non-federal share of 25 percent, a school may pay a federal share up to 90 percent of wages earned by FWS students employed by that organization. The 90 percent federal share is limited to no more than 10 percent of the students paid under the FWS Program, excluding students who have been employed as reading/math tutors or in family literacy projects.

A: Title III/V Schools - The Department may authorize a federal share of 100 percent of FWS compensation earned by a student at schools designated as eligible under the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (Part 606); Strengthening Institutions Program, American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program (Part 607); Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities Program (Part 608); or Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions Program (Part 609). The school may request an increased federal share for an award year on the FISAP for that year. However, the amount the school receives depends on the funding formula. The work the student performs must be for the school itself, for a federal, state, or local public agency, or for a private nonprofit organization.

B: Reading Tutors of Children - The Department will authorize a federal share of up to 100 percent of the compensation earned by a FWS student employed as a reading tutor of preschool-age children and children in elementary school or employed in performing family literacy activities. The FWS student must perform the work for the school itself; for a federal, state, or local public agency; or for a private nonprofit organization. The school does not have to request a waiver from the Department. To meet its community service requirements, a school must employ at least one FWS student as a reading tutor or in a family literacy project that qualifies as community service. Since most reading tutor placements also meet the definition of community service, schools can meet the FWS Program's community service expenditure requirement.

C: Mathematics Tutors of Children - The Department will authorize a federal share of up to 100 percent of the compensation a FWS student earns while employed as a mathematics tutor of children from elementary through ninth-grade levels. The FWS student must perform the work for the school itself; for a federal, state, or local public agency; or for a private nonprofit organization. The school need not request a waiver from the Department.

D: Civic Education and Participation Activities - The Department will authorize a federal share of up to 100 percent of the compensation for FWS students who work on projects that teach civics in schools, raise awareness of government functions or resources, or increase civic participation.

A: Yes. Waivers apply only to the non-federal share of student wages. Employers are still responsible for the employer's share of Social Security, workers' compensation, retirement, or any other welfare or insurance program the employer must pay for an employee, and for any fringe benefits. A school also must ensure it provides the proper federal and non-federal shares for any portion of its FWS allocation expended under the provisions governing student employment provided by a private for-profit organization (50 percent federal-share limitation). Similarly, the school must provide the proper federal and non-federal shares for administering the Job Location and Development Program (80 percent federal-share limitation). The non-federal share requirement for these two categories of FWS expenditures may not be waived.

A: Yes.

A: It is defined as services identified by an institution of higher education—through formal or informal consultation with local nonprofit, governmental, and community—based organizations-that are designed to improve the quality of life for community residents, particularly low-income individuals, or to solve particular problems related to their needs. Services may include (1) work in such fields as health care, child care, literacy training, education (including tutorial services), welfare, social services, transportation, housing and neighborhood improvement, public safety, crime prevention and control, recreation, rural development, and community improvements; (2) work in service opportunities or youth corps as defined in section 101 of the National and Community Service Act of 1990, and service in the agencies, institutions, and activities designated in section 124(a) of that Act; (3) support services to students (other than a school's own students) with disabilities; and (4) activities in which a student serves as a mentor for such purposes as tutoring, supporting educational and recreational activities, and counseling, including career counseling.

A: There are two amounts: First, a school must use at least 7 percent of its FWS federal allocation for an award year to pay for the federal share of wages to students employed in community service jobs for that year. Second, in meeting this 7 percent community service requirement, one or more of the school's FWS students must be employed as a reading tutor for children in a reading tutoring project or must be performing family literacy activities in a family literacy project. However, when a school receives reallocated FWS funds, the minimum amount of FWS federal funds the school must expend on community service jobs is the greater of (1) 7 percent of the adjusted allocation (initial plus supplemental, minus any amount returned on the Reallocation Form or reduced due to a recalculation) or (2) the amount of the reallocated FWS funds.

A: Yes, provided the services are open and accessible to the community. A university or college is not considered a community in and of itself. A service considered open to the community is one that is publicized to the community, and the general public uses the service. If the service is provided only to students, faculty, staff, and their families, the job does not meet the definition of community service under the FWS Program. For example, it would be acceptable for a school to employ students in services located on campus (e.g., tutoring centers or child care centers) if such services are also open to the community. It would also be acceptable for a school to employ students in services at various sites in the community if the school opens the services to the community. In addition to the general public, students, faculty, staff, and their families may also use the services.

A: A school may request a waiver in writing. The Department grants approval only if it determines the school has demonstrated that meeting the requirement would cause a hardship for the school's students. A school's difficulty in complying with this provision is not a basis for granting a waiver.

To allow flexibility when considering valid reasons for a waiver, the Department does not specify the particular circumstances that would warrant a waiver. However, the Department has approved a limited number of waivers for schools that (1) have a very small FWS allocation, (2) are located in rural areas where availability of qualifying jobs and/or transportation are issues, or (3) have such specialized study that students have extensive curriculum and classroom workloads.

A: The FWS Community Service Waiver request will be found in the "Setup" section of the FISAP on the Web. The request and justification must be submitted electronically. Additional information will be available on the IFAP Web site by March 23, 2010.

A: Only if it is a community service job. A school is allowed to pay students for a reasonable amount of time spent for travel to and from work that is directly related to employment in community service activities. However, a school will not be able to directly reimburse students for travel expenses such as gas or bus fare. The time spent for travel must be reported on the student's FWS time record in the same way hours actually worked are reported. The time record should separate the time spent in travel from the actual hours worked.

A: Yes. However, a FWS student may not provide voluntary services to an employer. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended, prohibits employers (including postsecondary institutions) from accepting voluntary services from any paid employee. Any student employed under FWS must be paid for all hours worked.

A: Yes. As with any FWS position, the school must have a job description that includes the position's duties and responsibilities. In determining whether the service is community service, the school must always consider whether the service the FWS student provides benefits primarily the community as opposed to the agency or school. For example, if a private nonprofit agency hired a FWS student to take care of the grounds at a public park, that job would be community service. However, if the FWS student was hired to take care of the grounds for the private nonprofit agency's administrative offices, that job would not be community service.

A: No. The job duties must provide services designed to improve the quality of life for community residents or solve particular problems related to their needs. The Department has provided flexibility for schools to determine which jobs provide service to the community. The Secretary does not intend to indicate that certain activities are more important than others or that only jobs that have "direct" contact with community members are acceptable. For example, a FWS student working for a "meals on wheels" program for the elderly may prepare those meals without any direct contact with the community recipients.

A: The school must enter into a written agreement with the agency or organization. The agreement sets forth the FWS work conditions and establishes whether the school, or the public agency or private nonprofit organization will be the employer. The agreement must also indicate whether the school, or the public agency or private nonprofit organization will pay the students. The agreement may require the employer to pay the non-federal share of earnings and the required employer costs, such as the employer's share of Social Security or workers' compensation.

A: Yes. A model appears in the FSA Handbook as an appendix to Volume 6. This agreement is a suggested model for developing a written agreement between a school and a federal, state, or local public agency, or a private nonprofit organization that employs students participating in the FWS Program. As stated in the model, schools and agencies or organizations may devise additional, or substitute, paragraphs consistent with the statute and regulations and may add any pertinent information that orients the agreement towards community service.

A: No. The statute does not allow such organizations to qualify as employers.

A: The Department has provided flexibility for schools to determine a reading tutor's job description and duties. Therefore, the Department is not providing a definition of a "reading tutor" for the FWS Program. The FWS regulations provide, however, that for a school to obtain a waiver of the FWS institutional-share requirement for students employed as reading tutors, the students must be tutoring preschool-age children or children in elementary school. For example, a FWS student reading to a group of preschoolers in a public library would meet this requirement.

A: No. However, it is very important that FWS reading tutors have adequate reading skills.

A: Yes; students should be well-trained before they tutor. When FWS students receive training from a reading specialist, or expert, for sufficient duration and intensity, they are more likely to be successful with the child they are helping learn to read. In addition, tutor training should emphasize the importance of the reading tutor communicating with the regular classroom teacher to maximize effectiveness. For example, it is important for FWS reading tutors to be trained in a way that builds on the child's in-class reading program. The amount and type of training for reading tutors will often vary depending on the child being tutored; for example, a preschool-age child will have needs different from a third-grader; a child with a disability will have different needs from a child without a disability.

A: No. It could take place at a public library or a community center.

A: No. It may also take place after school, on weekends, or in the summer. The school may construct its own reading tutor program or join existing community programs.

A: No. The waiver has been available since the 1997-1998 award year. It would take a regulatory change for the waiver to be removed; no such change is contemplated.

A: Yes, under certain conditions. A parochial school may be eligible for a 100 percent federal share if it is classified as a private, non-profit school by the Internal Revenue Service or a state taxing body. Under the statutory and regulatory requirements for the FWS Program, the work may not involve constructing, operating, or maintaining any part of a building used for religious worship or sectarian instruction. Also, students employed as reading tutors may not use religious material to tutor the children.

A: Neither the FWS statute nor regulations cover background checks. However, some state and local jurisdictions require such checks. Further, requirements will vary according to the agency or organization involved. For example, public schools may require, for the safety of the children and for insurance purposes, that its employees have background checks.

A: One-on-one or in a group.

A: No. A school may spend any portion of its FWS allocation to pay FWS students employed as reading tutors of children; the federal share may be up to 100 percent.

A: Yes. However, using JLD funds to find jobs only for FWS students would not satisfy the statutory requirement to expand off-campus jobs for currently enrolled students who want jobs, regardless of financial need.

A: No. Because state laws vary in their definition of elementary school, the Department will not interfere with a state's determination of what constitutes children who are in elementary school. In some states, elementary school ends after the sixth grade. Other determinations also exist.

A: No. Some reading tutor jobs might qualify for a waiver of the FWS institutional-share requirement but not qualify as part of the 7 percent community service requirement. An example would be a school that employed FWS students to tutor young children in that school's day care center, but the only children in the day care center are those of the school's students, staff, and faculty.

A: Yes, under limited circumstances. Every job consists of some type of training, whether formal or informal. Therefore, FWS students would be eligible for wages during a training period conducted for a reasonable length of time, not to exceed approximately 20 hours.

A: Yes, under limited circumstances. The Department considers a necessary training period conducted for a reasonable length of time to be important for the job of a reading tutor of children.

A: No, such wages would require an institutional share. The waiver of the FWS institutional-share requirement is only for a student employed as a reading tutor of preschool-age children and children in elementary school.

A: Yes. The Department expects that all work performed under the FWS Program will meet FWS Program requirements and that students will be compensated for a reasonable amount of time to perform various activities necessary to accomplish their reading tutoring jobs.

A: The waiver of the FWS institutional-share requirement for working as a reading tutor of children does not apply during the time when a FWS student is working at a job other than tutoring. For example, suppose a FWS student spends only half of his or her time working as a reading tutor of children (including preparation and evaluation time), and the rest of the time is spent on performing non-tutoring tasks. That FWS student may be paid 100 percent federal funds only for half the time; the other half must be paid for with a maximum of 75 percent federal funds and a minimum of 25 percent non-federal funds.

A: Yes.

A: Yes. For example, to work in one local school district, all employees must undergo a background check and be fingerprinted at a cost of $40.00 per employee. If a school district requires such a clearance check and fingerprinting, the costs of such activities would be considered necessary in the operation of the FWS Program and may be charged to the school's ACA. Another example would be the costs for FWS students to be inoculated.

A: No.

A: The school must be able to identify the FWS students who performed the reading tutoring of children and must be able to provide job descriptions for those students. In addition, the school must have records to support the hours worked and the amount paid to the FWS students who were reading tutors.

A: No. However, there are certain restrictions. An internship or practicum that is part of a student's degree requirement does not qualify as a job under the FWS Program, unless the employer normally pays all other persons who hold the same position or has paid all other persons who have held that position in the past. If the employer normally pays or has paid these persons, the internship or practicum qualifies as a FWS job. An example of an internship that normally does not qualify as a FWS job is student teaching. A student who receives academic credit for a FWS job should not be paid any less than if he or she received no academic credit. A student may not be paid under the FWS Program for receiving instruction in a classroom, laboratory, or other academic setting.

A: Yes. A student may be employed during the summer or equivalent vacation period or during a cooperative education program's full-time work period. To be eligible for this employment, a student must be planning to enroll or reenroll at the school for the next regular session. The school must determine the amount of the student's earnings during this period of non-enrollment that is to be applied to the student's cost of attendance (attributed earnings) for the next period of enrollment.

A: When a student fails to attend the subsequent term, the school must be able to demonstrate that the student was eligible for employment and that the school had reason to believe the student intended to study at that school in the next term. At a minimum, the school must keep a written record in its files showing that the student had accepted the school's offer of admittance in the upcoming session.

A: From the student's gross earnings, the school would subtract the taxes and job-related costs the student pays and apply the remaining earnings to the student's cost of attendance for the next period of enrollment.

A: Costs a student incurs because of his or her job, such as costs for uniforms and transportation to and from work. In some circumstances, room and board costs may be considered job-related costs (for example, during vacation periods, if the student is paying those costs only because he or she has a FWS job). However, to provide FWS employment only to meet a student's subsistence costs during a period of non-enrollment would not be in keeping with the program's statutory purpose.

A: Yes. For a school that has off-campus agreements, the Department recommends that appropriate school staff periodically visit each organization with which it has such an agreement to determine whether students are doing appropriate work and whether the terms of the agreement are being fulfilled. However, if such visits are not feasible because of distance and cost, the school can and should use alternative methods to ensure the prudent management of the FWS Program. For example, the school might have periodic conference calls with the supervisor and student or receive reports on the work performed. Such jobs are an excellent means of satisfying a school's 7 percent requirement to employ students in community service jobs.

A: A family literacy program integrates four components. It provides (1) literacy or pre-literacy education for children, (2) literacy training for parents or caregivers of children in the program, (3) a means of equipping parents or caregivers with the skills needed to partner with their children in learning, and (4) literacy activities between parents or caregivers and their children. Note that the fourth component could be met in a variety of ways. For example, parents can engage in literacy activities with their children at the family literacy center, parents can be given assignments and materials that they and their children can work with together at home, or reading activity nights with parents and children can be organized at the local library.

The definition above is consistent with the Even Start and Head Start definitions of family literacy programs. The family literacy concept considers the family as a "school" for education and learning and the parents as their children's first teachers. The family literacy concept also is based on the premise that an investment in the education of adults in a family is, simultaneously, an investment in improving the chances for academic success for the children in that family.

A: Yes. All four components must be included for the FWS family literacy institutional-share waiver to be applicable.

A: Since July 1, 1998, the Department has authorized a federal share of up to 100 percent of the compensation earned by a FWS student employed as a tutor in a family literacy program that provides services to families with preschool-age children or children who are in elementary school. The work must be performed by the FWS student for the school itself; for a federal, state, or local public agency; or for a private nonprofit organization. The school does not have to ask the Department for this waiver.

A: Yes. However, the entities working together must provide all four components of a family literacy program. Many family literacy programs consist of a children's school or center collaborating with an adult literacy program to provide the full range of family literacy services.

A: The Department has provided schools flexibility in determining a tutor's job description and duties. Therefore, the Department is not providing a definition of family literacy activities for the FWS Program

A: Yes. This family literacy waiver is not restricted to providing assistance in reading skills. For example, the FWS student may provide tutoring assistance in math readiness, the use of computers, and other areas covered by the family literacy program. These examples are not meant to be an exhaustive list of topics.

A: No, such wages would require an institutional share. The waiver of the FWS family literacy institutional-share is only for a student employed as a tutor in a family literacy program that provides services to families with preschool-age children or children who are in elementary school.

A: Preschool-age children are children from infancy to the time at which the state provides elementary education. The FWS family literacy institutional-share waiver is available for tutoring in programs that provide services to families with those children.

A: No. Because state laws vary in their definition of elementary school, the Department will not interfere with a state's determination of what constitutes children who are in elementary school. The school should check the maximum grade level for elementary school with the appropriate state agency.

A: All federally funded Even Start and Head Start programs meet the definition of a family literacy program. If an official of another family literacy program provides a signed letter stating that program provides all four components outlined in the first Q&A under FWS Family Literacy above, that statement would be sufficient.

A: Only if it is a community service job. A school is allowed to pay students for a reasonable amount of time spent for travel to and from work that is directly related to employment in community service activities. However, a school will not be able to directly reimburse students for travel expenses such as gas or bus fare. The time spent for travel must be reported on the student's FWS time record in the same way hours actually worked are reported. The time record should separate the time spent in travel from the actual hours worked.

A: No. However, it is very important that FWS students employed as such tutors have adequate reading, writing, and other basic skills.

A: It is strongly recommended that FWS students be well-trained before they tutor. Training should be appropriate for the specific age groups and the needs of those individuals with whom the tutor will be working. For family literacy training, the Department encourages schools to approach existing family literacy programs that have reading specialists or experts working with them who can provide this training. Schools may wish to coordinate training with reading specialists on their own campus.

A: Yes, under limited circumstances. A training period, conducted before the FWS student begins tutoring and for a reasonable and limited length of time, would be important for the job as a tutor in a family literacy program. The Department would consider a training period that does not exceed approximately 20 hours to be reasonable.

A: Yes, as long as the time spent for this purpose is reasonable. The Department expects that all work performed under the FWS Program meet FWS Program requirements and that students will be compensated for a reasonable amount of time to perform various activities necessary to accomplish their tutoring jobs. For example, the Department would consider attending evaluation and preparation meetings once a week for approximately one hour to be reasonable. The Department wants to give some flexibility because of the value of evaluation and preparation time. However, the goal is to spend the funds for FWS students to interact with the families and their children, not for other activities.

A: To qualify for the FWS family literacy institutional-share waiver, the FWS student can tutor the parents or caregivers, the children, or both. For example, a FWS tutor can work with only parents in a family literacy program if others in the program are providing the remaining family literacy components.

A: Yes. In a group tutoring session primarily attended by parents or caregivers of preschool-age children or children who are in elementary school, the FWS student may also tutor some adults who do not have children.

A: Yes. A FWS tutor may spend a percentage of his or her time in both programs.

A: No. The tutoring could take place, for example, at a public library, a community center, or a day care center. These examples are not meant to be an exhaustive list.

A: No. The FWS family literacy institutional-share waiver has been available since the 1998-1999 award year.

A: No. A school may spend any portion of its FWS allocation to pay FWS students employed as tutors in family literacy programs, with a federal share of up to 100 percent. In addition, placing students in jobs as tutors in family literacy programs is, in many instances, an important way for schools to meet the FWS Program's community service expenditure requirement.

A: No. Some tutoring jobs might qualify for the FWS family literacy institutional-share waiver but not qualify as part of the 7 percent community service requirement. One example would be a school that employed FWS students to tutor in a family literacy program open only to students, staff, and their families.

A: Yes. Schools participating in the campus-based programs are allowed to use their ACA to help offset administrative costs. For example, the ACA can be used to pay for background checks if the state or school district requires them. The ACA could also be used to help pay a professional trainer to train tutors to work in family literacy programs.

A: Yes. The JLD Program may be used to locate and develop off-campus jobs for FWS and non-FWS students as tutors in family literacy programs. However, using JLD funds to find jobs only for FWS students would not satisfy the statutory requirement to expand off-campus jobs for currently enrolled students who want jobs, regardless of their financial need.

A: Since July 1, 1999, the Department has authorized a federal share of up to 100 percent of the compensation a FWS student earns while employed as a mathematics tutor for elementary school students (through the ninth grade). The FWS student must perform the work for the school itself; for a federal, state, or local public agency; or for a private nonprofit organization. Check with the appropriate state agency for the minimum grade level for elementary school, since state laws vary in their definitions.

A: This waiver is based upon international and national data that show that U.S. school children are not performing at internationally competitive levels in mathematics. Student performance in mathematics declines significantly between fourth and eighth grades, leaving too few students adequately prepared for advanced coursework in high school.

A: No. A school may spend any portion of its FWS allocation to pay FWS students employed as mathematics tutors, with a federal share of up to 100 percent. However, the school still must use at least 7 percent of its FWS federal allocation for an award year to pay for the federal share of wages to students employed in community service jobs for that year.

A: No. The interaction between tutors and students must be centered on mathematics topics. However, the context in which such tutoring occurs may be broader than a classroom setting. For example, programs designed to help elementary through ninth-grade students think of themselves as prospective college students often include an academic component, such as mathematics. Saturday or after-school programs, based in community settings, often include the use of mathematics in problem-solving challenges. In such cases, the FWS waiver for mathematics tutors may be applied.

A: Yes. The waiver applies only to the non-federal share of student wages. Employers are still responsible for the employer's share of Social Security, workers' compensation, retirement, any other welfare or insurance program, and any fringe benefits.

A: Yes. A school has the option of continuing to provide a share and determining the amount of that share.

A: No. The FWS institutional-share waiver is only for a student employed as a mathematics tutor for elementary through ninth-grade students. However, a school may employ FWS students as administrative support, but the school must pay the institutional share.

A: Yes. If a FWS student wishes, he or she may provide tutoring services in reading, mathematics, or both. However, since tutors will need adequate training in both disciplines, the number of tutoring contact hours will be reduced. To the extent possible, the Department encourages a majority of a tutor's time to be spent working with young students.

A: No. Most mathematics tutoring jobs will qualify as part of the 7 percent community service requirement. However, some will not, even though those jobs might qualify for the FWS mathematics tutoring institutional-share waiver. If, for example, a school employed FWS students to tutor in a mathematics program open only to children of students, faculty and staff, such a program would not meet the definition of community service.

A: A school that participates in the campus-based programs is allowed to use its ACA to offset administrative costs. For example, the ACA can be used to pay for training costs, such as helping to pay a professional trainer or program coordinator, or for background checks and fingerprinting if required by the state or school district.

A: No. However, it is very important that such students have strong mathematics skills.

A: It is strongly recommended that before tutoring jobs begin, FWS mathematics tutors receive training in both content and pedagogy pertinent to the age group of the children being tutored. Interested higher education faculty, such as those in the College of Education or in the Department of Mathematics, or qualified personnel affiliated with the tutoring site—such as teachers or after—school program coordinators-could provide such training. These suggestions are not meant to be exhaustive.

A: Regular meetings between tutors and adult coordinators help improve the quality of the tutoring experience. Tutors might raise questions about particular challenges they are facing with particular students. Coordinators might discuss ways to evaluate progress among the young students and/or ways to communicate with parents and teachers.

A: Yes, as long as the time spent for this purpose is reasonable. The Department recognizes the value to all concerned when high quality training is provided. For example, the Department would consider a training period that begins before the actual tutoring to be reasonable if it does not exceed approximately 20 hours. Although a school has flexibility in establishing training activities, optimizing tutor contact hours is the goal.

A: Yes, as long as the time spent for this purpose is reasonable. The Department expects that all work performed will meet FWS Program requirements and that FWS students will be paid for a reasonable amount of time to perform various activities necessary to accomplish their tutoring jobs. For example, the Department would consider weekly evaluation meetings of approximately one hour to be reasonable.

A: A school can contact local schools, community-based organizations, local religious organizations, and 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLCs) as starting points for placing math tutors. This list is not meant to be exhaustive.

A: Yes. A model off-campus agreement appears in the Federal Student Aid Handbook as an appendix to Volume 6. The model is for the development of a written agreement between a school and a federal, state, or local public agency, or a private nonprofit organization that employs students participating in the FWS Program. As stated in the model, schools and agencies or organizations may devise additional or substitute paragraphs consistent with the statute and regulations and may add any pertinent information that orients the agreement towards community service.

A: Yes. The JLD Program may be used to locate and develop off-campus jobs for FWS and non-FWS students. However, using JLD funds to find jobs only for FWS students would not satisfy the statutory requirement to expand off-campus employment for currently enrolled students who want jobs, regardless of their financial need.

A: Only if it is a community service job. A school is allowed to pay students for a reasonable amount of time spent for travel to and from work that is directly related to employment in community service activities. However, a school will not be able to directly reimburse students for travel expenses such as gas or bus fare. The time spent for travel must be reported on the student's FWS time record in the same way hours actually worked are reported. The time record should separate the time spent in travel from the actual hours worked.

A: There are three ways to have data validated. Two of these are found under the "Validation" link in the left navigation bar on the Web site:

• Validate - Selecting this link will validate the FISAP up to the section where you are currently located.
• Validate All - Selecting this link will validate your entire FISAP. You should complete your FISAP before selecting this link.

The third way to validate is by selecting the "Submit" link that appears below the "Validation" link in the left navigation bar. (To see the "Submit" link, you cannot currently have selected "Validation." Alternatively, you can click on "Exit Validation" to see the "Submit" button.) Selecting "Submit" will automatically validate your entire FISAP and, unlike "Validate All," will allow you to proceed to submission.

To confirm your submission, go to the "Self-Service" page, select "Acknowledgements," and then "Submission Log."

A: Each validation edit error message comprises a five-digit code followed by an explanation. Each edit should be either explained or corrected. If you are going to fix the error, then you need to click on the "Fix Error" option, which takes you to the FISAP page where the error occurs. If the error involves more than one field on separate pages, the system will take you to the last page affected by the error. The error message text will describe other fields affected by the error, which you might need to adjust.

If you are going to explain why the edit is not an error, check each edit you want to explain and click "Log" at the bottom of the left side of the screen. This action will display the "Additional Information" screen. Select the edit number from the drop down box and provide your explanation in the "Notes" box. Be sure to include a reasonable, full explanation. (For example, "The information provided is accurate because the prior year data was incorrect. We are submitting a correction for the prior year's FISAP.")

A: For the campus-based programs, a negative balance, or unprocessed deobligation, occurs when the net amount of funds drawn down from G5 for a particular program for a given year exceeds the total expenditures reported on the school's FISAP. The school should take the necessary steps to resolve the unprocessed deobligation so the campus-based account and G5 are reconciled. These steps might include revising the FISAP or adjusting the G5 drawdown amounts or returning money for the award year.

A: Yes. A school participating in any of the campus-based programs is entitled to an administrative cost allowance (ACA) to help offset administrative expenses. Schools may use the ACA to help pay the costs of administering not only the campus-based programs but the Federal Pell Grant Program as well. The ACA may also cover expenses for carrying out the student consumer information services requirements. The ACA is determined by adding the following:

• 5 percent of the first $2,750,000 of a school's total awards to students under the campus-based programs for an award year, plus
• 4 percent of total awards to students under the campus-based programs that exceed $2,750,000 but are less than $5,500,000 for an award year, plus
• 3 percent of total awards to students under the campus-based programs that equal $5,500,000 or greater for an award year.

A: A school takes the ACA out of the annual authorizations the school receives for the FSEOG and FWS programs and from the available cash on hand in its Federal Perkins Loan Fund. The ACA is not a separate allocation sent to the school. A school may take its ACA from any combination of the campus-based programs, or it may take the total allowance from only one campus-based program, provided there are sufficient funds in that program. However, a school may not draw any part of its ACA from a campus-based program unless the school has disbursed funds to students from that program during the award year.

A: A school may carry forward into the next award year up to 10 percent of its original plus supplemental awards in FSEOG and FWS. A school may also carry back to the prior award year up to 10 percent of its original plus supplemental awards in both programs. In addition to the 10 percent carry back provision, a school may carry back any additional amount to spend for summer enrollment in FSEOG and for student wages in FWS (earned from May 1 to July 1). A school may carry forward or back only within the same program.

A: A school may transfer up to 25 percent of its original plus supplemental award in FWS to FSEOG or the Federal Perkins Loan Program. FSEOG money can be transferred to FWS. Any amount transferred but not spent must be returned.

A: A merger occurs when two or more eligible schools (schools that have met the criteria set forth by the Secretary in CFR 34 Part 600.20) merge to become one entity, and the surviving school, or parent school, retains its OPEID Number. When a merger has been completed, the surviving school will request campus-based funds for itself and all its eligible (non-separate) locations. The school that has been merged will no longer be able to apply separately for campus-based funds.

A merger of FISAPs can also occur without merging the schools. To request funds on the same FISAP, separately eligible schools must be able to show common ownership.

A: As soon as possible. Although campus-based FISAPs cannot be merged until the School Participation Team has approved the process, early notification may help smooth your school's transition. Mergers of FISAPs from commonly owned schools can occur anytime without the School Participation Team's approval.

A: FISAP data should not be merged until the School Participation Team has approved your school's merger. Once you have notified a campus-based specialist of your school's merger, that individual will provide ongoing assistance until the merger has been approved; your school's FISAP application sections can then be combined. Note: Schools that are Title III/V eligible should file separately from schools that are not. Otherwise, Title III/V-eligible schools will not be able to receive the Title III/V waiver.

A: Separately eligible schools or schools that will soon be separately eligible, and which are applying for and receiving campus-based funds under another school's FISAP, can apply for campus-based funds by submitting their own FISAP applications. The FISAP Part I and Part II data should be split on the FISAP applications so that only the data relevant to the school applying is shown in Part I and Part II.

A: You should contact the Campus-Based Call Center at 1-877-801-7168.

A: The institution will comply with all provisions of Section 448 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), and the applicable program regulations, and makes the following assurances:

• The institution is a public or private nonprofit, four-year, degree-granting institution with a commitment to community service;
• The institution has operated a comprehensive work-learning-service program for at least two years;
• The institution requires students, including at least one-half of all students who are enrolled on a full-time basis, to participate in a comprehensive work-learning-service program for at least five hours each week, or at least 80 hours during each period of enrollment, except summer school, unless the student is engaged in an institutionally organized or approved study abroad or externship program;
• The institution provides students participating in the comprehensive work-learning-service program with the opportunity to contribute to their education and to the welfare of the community as a whole;
• The institution has a comprehensive work-learning-service program that:
  1. Is an integral and stated part of the institution's educational philosophy and program;
  2. Requires participation of all resident students for enrollment and graduation;
  3. Includes learning objectives, evaluation, and a record of work performance as part of each student's college record;
  4. Provides programmatic leadership by college personnel at levels comparable to traditional academic programs;
  5. Recognizes the educational role of work-learning-service supervisors; and
  6. Includes consequences for non-performance or failure in the work-learning-service program similar to the consequences for failure in the regular academic program.
• The institution understands that in addition to any separately allocated funds, the institution may transfer allocated 2009-2010 Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program funds to the Work Colleges Program to provide flexibility in strengthening the self-help-through-work element in financial aid packaging for eligible students;
• The institution will match federal funds used for the Work Colleges Program on a dollar-for-dollar basis from non-federal sources; and
• The institution understands that available federal funds may be used:
  1. To support the educational costs of qualified students through self-help payments or credits provided under the work-learning-service program of the institution within the limits of Part F of Title IV of the HEA;
  2. To promote the work-learning-service experience as a tool of postsecondary education, financial self-help, and community service-learning opportunities;
  3. To carry out activities described in Section 443 or 446 of the HEA;
  4. For the administration, development, and assessment of comprehensive work-learning-service programs, including—
     1. Community-based work-learning-service alternatives that expand opportunities for community service and career-related work; and
     2. Alternatives that develop sound citizenship, encourage student persistence, and make optimum use of assistance under Part C of Title IV of the HEA in education and student development;
  5. To coordinate and carry out joint projects and activities to promote work service learning; and
  6. To carry out a comprehensive, longitudinal study of student academic progress and academic and career outcomes, relative to student self-sufficiency in financing their higher education, repayment of student loans, continued community service, kind and quality of service performed, and career choice and community service selected after graduation.

A: In accordance with HEA sections 413D(d)(2), 442(d)(2) and 462(i)(4), if a school returns more than 10 percent of its Federal Perkins Loan, FWS, or FSEOG allocation for an award year, the allocation for the next fiscal year for that program will be reduced by the dollar amount returned. The law also provides that the Secretary may waive this requirement if its enforcement would be contrary to the interest of the affected campus-based program. Your school must apply for such a waiver.

Your expended amount from the FISAP is used to calculate the unexpended percentage of funds. The unexpended percent = (Highest award amount – expended amount)/(Highest award amount) x 100 percent. If this unexpended percent is greater than 10 percent, you will receive a penalty next year unless a waiver has been approved. Funds returned during reallocation do not affect the underuse penalty calculation.

A: Use Part II, Section C and the "Additional Information" screen of the FISAP on the Web. Such requests must be received by February 12, 2010.

A: The Department will notify schools by mid-March each year.

A. Schools that participate in the Federal Perkins Loan Program are reimbursed for loans they cancel due to full-time borrower employment in certain public service fields, such as teaching in a designated low-income school or teaching in certain subject matter areas where there are teacher shortages. Cancellations are also given for military service, volunteer service, law enforcement and corrections officer service, child/family/early intervention service, and nurse/medical technician service.

A: The Reallocation Form, which is used to return unused prior year award funds and to apply for a FWS supplemental award, is available by August 1 of each year. The Reallocation Form is due to the Department around mid-August each year. This year, the form is due on August 21, 2009. Supplemental FSEOG and Perkins FCC awards are calculated automatically for schools that meet the criteria below and have request amounts that were not met or that exceeded their initial awards. Schools must submit a FWS request figure on the Reallocation Form to receive supplemental FWS funds, as this additional funding must be spent entirely on community service compensation.

A: For FSEOG, the award decrease is equal to your current FSEOG award authorization amount minus the expended FSEOG authorization amount from Part IV, Field 17 of your FISAP. Your final FSEOG award amount will be equal to your expended FSEOG authorization amount (Field 17).

For FWS, the award decrease is equal to your current FWS award authorization amount minus the expended FWS authorization amount from Part V, Field 18 of your FISAP. Your final FWS award amount will be equal to your expended FWS authorization amount (Field 18).

If your school does not submit a FISAP showing expenditures, then your authorizations will be reduced to zero for that school year.

A: You can correct the FISAP through the FISAP on the Web. You will also need to contact the Department and state you need your award amount(s) in G5 adjusted based on the FISAP expenditure change you submitted. You may call the Campus-Based Call Center at 1-877-801-7168 to have your FISAP expenditure report adjusted, to reinstate part or all of your award, or to receive answers to any questions regarding the closeout process.