School & Student Services by Community Brands

JUNE 17, 2025

For private and independent K–12 schools, where student records, family financial data, and tax documents converge on digital platforms, IT Directors are increasingly the guardians of both compliance and confidence. The education sector has become one of the most attacked industries in the U.S. In fact, the U.S.

Accessibility

College Aid Services

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

The Education Department released its 2024 Experimental Sites Initiative (ESI) annual report, which contains updates on current findings and experiments.

Title IV

College Aid Services

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

FSA announced that it will resume flagging FAFSA applicants for potentially fraudulent activity on both the the 2024-25 and 2025-26 forms, which will require that schools complete V4 or V5 verification prior to disbursing any Title IV aid.

Title IV

School & Student Services by Community Brands

FEBRUARY 14, 2025

A November 2024 article , from the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) highlights that total financial aid awarded by National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and SAIS schools has grown significantly over the past two decades, reflecting schools commitment to supporting families. million during the same period.

Financial aid

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

DECEMBER 9, 2024

Trump has brought a sense of uncertainty as 2024 draws to a close. As the year winds down, undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and administration are left to wonder what comes next in higher education. Student debt issues loom, and problems due to the rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA linger. Dr. Everrett A.

Mental health

COE

DECEMBER 20, 2024

Impact of a Government Shutdown on TRIO Programs December 20, 2024 by Kimberly Jones Please know that our COE team is always here to assist you. Department of Education (ED) TRIO and GEAR UP staff, will be on furlough. Department of Education staff will be furloughed during a government shutdown.

Student loans

College Aid Services

MARCH 21, 2025

Updated March 21st The Department of Education continues to update the “Technical Frequently Asked Questions and Known Issues” to address issues for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 FAFSA applications. According to the FAQ, there are currently 3 open issues and 3 that have been resolved.

FAFSA

COE

JANUARY 28, 2025

As agencies are directed to provide a report to OMB by Monday, February 10 indicating whether federal grant programs are in compliance with recently issued Executive Orders, grantees may wish to draw down funds to allow for operations at least through that date. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel A. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel A.

Administration

College Aid Services

FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Federal Student Aid has updated the 202425 FAFSA Specifications Guide. The volumes contained in this guide contain FAFSA Processing System (FPS) technical and processing information for the 202425 award year. Update on Feb. 21, 2025: We updated Volume 5 Edits and Rejects and Volume 7 Comment Codes.

FAFSA

College Aid Services

DECEMBER 5, 2024

The Department of Education has released an updated version of the NSLDS Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) User Guide, provides instructions and guidance for complying with the FVT/GE reporting requirements via the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®). What has changed?

NSLDS

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Trump took decisive action Wednesday on a cornerstone issue of his 2024 campaign platform, signing an executive order that aims to prohibit transgender women from participating in women's sports. Title IX, which bars sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational programs, sits at the center of this policy shift.

Compliance

College Aid Services

JANUARY 31, 2025

Federal Student Aid announced the preliminary funding levels for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and Federal Work-Study (FWS) programs for the 2025-26 academic year, based on the 2024-25 award year appropriations.

Grant

College Aid Services

OCTOBER 29, 2024

Our October Team Spotlight is on Dustin Grannis, who joined College Aid Services as a Compliance Manager in 2024. He brings 15 years of experience in higher education and has managed teams of financial aid professionals across numerous schools; including four-year public, private, and proprietary schools.

Compliance

College Aid Services

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

The Department of Education has released an updated timeline for launching batch institutional corrections for the 2024-25 and 2025 -26 FAFSA applications through the Electronic Data Exchange (EDE). Below are the most important details from the announcement. 27 first appeared on College Aid Services.

FAFSA

College Aid Services

DECEMBER 17, 2024

16, 2024: The TEACH Grant Program has… Read More » TEACH Grant Program Moves to StudentAid.gov with Upgraded Features (December 2024 Update) The post TEACH Grant Program Moves to StudentAid.gov with Upgraded Features (December 2024 Update) first appeared on College Aid Services. Update on Dec.

Teaching

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

MARCH 8, 2025

billion of Columbia's annual operating revenue in the 2024 fiscal year. Armstrong, who assumed her interim position following former University President Minouche Shafik's resignation in August 2024, described Columbia as needing a "reset" from the "chaos of encampments and protests." Federal funding constituted approximately $1.3

University

College Aid Services

NOVEMBER 18, 2024

Schools have until December 13, 2024 to make any changes to their financial aid data for Campus-Based programs for the 2023-24 academic year. FSA has issued another important reminder to institutions regarding federal requirements for excess cash management, reconciliation, and reporting Title IV aid disbursements.

Title IV

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

JULY 1, 2024

It also reinforces our view that an accreditation process must be fair and transparent for all institutions of higher education, including HBCUs.” This reaffirmation of accreditation by MSCHE validates our unwavering commitment to academic and operational excellence,” said university officials. “It

University

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

JULY 8, 2024

Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The university received some 75 reports of alleged antisemitic, anti-Palestinian, and anti-Muslim harassment against students from October 2023 through late March 2024.

Compliance

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

JUNE 17, 2024

Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to register its commitment to compliance with Title VI of the of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. OCR reviewed documentation of 75 similar reports from the 2022-23 school year through February 2024. Catherine E.

Compliance

College Aid Services

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

Federal Student Aid has updated the draft 2024–25 FAFSA Specifications Guide. The volumes contained in this guide contain FAFSA Processing System (FPS) technical and processing information for the 2024–25 award year. What changed?

FAFSA

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

NOVEMBER 9, 2023

Ramos Though progress is being made, the efforts are late and “devastatingly stagnant,” says Dr. Rose Soza War Soldier, an assistant professor of ethnic studies at California State University, Sacramento and member of California’s Education Department’s American Indian Education Oversight Committee. 31, 2025.

Compliance

College Aid Services

DECEMBER 15, 2023

Department of Education and the office of Federal Student Aid, including statutory and… More » FSA Announces Winter-Spring 2024 Webinar Series The post FSA Announces Winter-Spring 2024 Webinar Series first appeared on College Aid Services. The webinars provide the most recent guidance from the U.S.

Title IV

College Aid Services

AUGUST 6, 2024

Federal Student Aid has created a new training series that focuses on rudimentary topics such as how schools request funds from the Department of Education, reporting requirements, and institutional eligibility for Title IV funds.

Title IV

College Aid Services

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

The Department of Education is addressing two software issues that flag incorrectly flag ISIRs as “Conflicting Information” for the 2024-25 award year.

Education

College Aid Services

AUGUST 26, 2024

Available Volumes: Introduction: This section provides an overview of the information in… More » 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide (August 2024 Update) The post 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide (August 2024 Update) first appeared on College Aid Services.

FAFSA

College Aid Services

DECEMBER 20, 2023

The Department of Education has released the official 2023-2024 SAR Comment Codes and Text reference guide. 19, 2023) Note… More » 2023-2024 SAR Comment Codes and Text Guide Now Available The post 2023-2024 SAR Comment Codes and Text Guide Now Available first appeared on College Aid Services.

Education

IHEP Institute for Higher Education Policy

JULY 23, 2024

Higher education leaders, institutions, and systems need data that are accurate, accessible, and disaggregated by race and ethnicity in ways that reflect the increasing diversity of today’s students. Full compliance across all data collections and publications is required by March 2029.

FAFSA

College Aid Services

JANUARY 9, 2024

POSTED DATE: January 05, 2024 SUBJECT: 2024–25 FAFSA Submission Summary Mock-Ups Mock-ups of the final versions of the 2024–25… More » 2024–25 FAFSA Submission Summary Mock-Ups The post 2024–25 FAFSA Submission Summary Mock-Ups first appeared on College Aid Services.

FAFSA

College Aid Services

JUNE 18, 2024

FSA has released an electronic announcement to clarify how issues discovered during the 2024-25 FAFSA rollout would be treated in terms of conflicting information and the appropriate steps that Financial Aid offices should take.

FAFSA

College Aid Services

AUGUST 1, 2024

ET; corrections to the report will be on December 13, 2024. Below is overview of the initial changes to the FISAP,… More » 2025-26 FISAP Reporting Guidelines (July 2024 Update) The post 2025-26 FISAP Reporting Guidelines (July 2024 Update) first appeared on College Aid Services.

Application

College Aid Services

JULY 25, 2024

Federal Student Aid has published two volumes the 2024-2025 Federal Student Aid Handbook and updated the Application Verification Guide. What has changed: Volume 8: The Direct Loan Program – This volume discusses the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loan Program) and describes how the U.S.

Application

College Aid Services

JANUARY 9, 2024

The online sessions will be held using a Q&A format and the complete details to access each webinar are located below: PUBLICATION DATE: January 05, 2024 DCL ID: ANN-24-01 SUBJECT: Live Internet Webinars – Better FAFSA… More » Better FAFSA Better Future Webinar Series: January–February 2024 The post Better FAFSA Better Future Webinar Series: (..)

FAFSA

College Aid Services

APRIL 18, 2024

FSA has notified institutions that it will suspend batch processing for the Common Origination Disbursement System (COD) as it makes important updates in preparation for the 2024-25 academic year. ET on April 20, 2024 and 11 a.m. ET on April 21, 2024. The outage is scheduled to occur between 11 p.m.

Scheduling

College Aid Services

APRIL 4, 2024

The Department of Education has made numerous changes to the eZ-Audit reporting system as part of the 90/10 regulatory changes that went into effect on July 1, 2023 for proprietary organizations; officials expect to finish the updates by June 30, 2024.

Compliance

College Aid Services

JULY 26, 2024

The Department of Education has released an updated version of the NSLDS Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) User Guide, provides instructions and guidance for complying with the FVT/GE reporting requirements via the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®). What has changed? Volume 3 – FVT/GE Completers List.

NSLDS

College Aid Services

APRIL 11, 2024

The Department has released additional guidance for 2024-25 Aid Awards using the ISIRs affected by errors. They reaffirmed the plan to retransmit all impacted ISIRs in the coming weeks.

Financial aid