1. Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)
Presented by
Yolanda Cleveland

2. S.A.P. Satisfactory Academic Progress
School must have a published policy for monitoring a student’s progress
Standards include
Qualitative
Quantitative

3. QUALITATIVE STANDARD Grade based
Programs > than 2 years- at least a C average
Programs < than 2 years- standards = to a “C”
Apply policy consistently
Be as strict as those non T4 enrolled students

4. QUANTITATIVE STANDARD
Time-related
Determines a % of courses completed
Set max time frame to complete program
Undergraduate-150% of length of program
Apply policy consistently
Be as strict as those non T4 enrolled students

5. CHANGE OF MAJOR & TRANSFER CREDITS
All period of enrollment count
You may exclude courses not part of new major
You may limit # of times student changes major
Must count transfer credits for new program
You may count transfer grades
Establish rules for those who want new degrees

6. REPEATS, DROPS, INCOMPLETES, REMEDIAL, ESL COURSES
Explain course repeats including which grade will count.
Quantitative-include all repeated courses
Policy must explain remedial, incomplete grades, and ESL course work
Cannot exclude course work from the Summer term

7. WHEN DO YOU CHECK SAP
No longer than one academic year or the length of the program, whichever is less
Increments generally coincide with payment periods

8. REGAINING SAP ELIGIBILITY
Policy must explain how to regain eligibility
When student meets SAP standards
Place them on probation , part of policy
Submit an appeal, part of policy
Sitting out a term doesn’t regain eligibility
Paying for one term doesn’t regain eligibility

9. PROBATION/WARNING STATUS
Policy explains circumstance and procedures
Continue to receive T4 funding
Must regain eligibility
Cannot allow over two such periods

10. APPEAL POLICY May have an appeal policy for mitigating circumstances
Explain circumstance and procedures
Cannot limit appeals
Approved appeals receive T4 funding
Must regain eligibility by your policy standards

11. PROGRAM RULES SAP policy must include: Incompletes Withdrawals
Repetitions
Transfer of credit from other schools

12. STANDARDIZED TERMS Pace= Measures the pace at each SAP evaluation
Pace= Total cumulative hours completed
Total cumulative hours attempted
FA Warning -Fails to meet SAP at a school who evaluates after each payment period.
FA Probation—Fails to meet SAP at a school, approved appeal and aid reinstated.

13. STANDARDIZED TERMS Maximum time frame-
Undergraduate program (credit hours), cannot exceed 150% of published length of program
Undergraduate program (clock hours), cannot exceed 150% of published length of program, measured by cumulative # of clock hours required to complete.
Graduate program—rules do not change.
150% rule does not apply
Must develop a policy and apply consistently.

14. APPEAL POLICY Appeal May have an appeal procedure
Process by which a student not meeting a school’s SAP standards petitions for reconsideration of T4 eligibility.
May have an appeal procedure
How the student may re-establish T4 eligibility
Basis for filing an appeal
Petition must include why the student failed to meet SAP, what has changed that will allow the student to meet SAP at the next review.

15. SCHOOLS THAT EVALUATE SAP EACH PAYMENT PERIOD
Option 1
Place on FA warning
Receives T4 funding for one payment period
Not meeting SAP after that , loses T4 eligibility
No appeal policy, regain eligibility when meets SAP
Approved appeal, FA Probation, receives T4 funds
Student must meet SAP end of next payment period or
Comply with academic plan designed to ensure student will meet SAP standards

16. SCHOOL EVALUATES EACH PAYMENT PERIOD
Option 2
SAP not met
Student loses T4 eligibility immediately
No appeal policy, regain eligibility when meets SAP
Approved appeal, FA Probation, receives T4 funds
Student must meet SAP end of next payment period or
Comply with academic plan designed to ensure student will meet SAP standards

17. EVALUATES SAP ANNUALLY OR LESS THAN EACH PAYMENT PERIOD
Student not making SAP, loses T4 funding
Approved appeal, receive T4 funding
Part of your policy
Student placed on FA Probation
Student must meet SAP end of next payment period or
Comply with academic plan designed to ensure student will meet SAP standards
No appeal policy-student regain eligibility when they meet school’s SAP standards

18. FINANCIAL AID PROBATION
School determines that student should be able to meet SAP standards by the end of the next payment period. OR
An academic plan is developed and student can meet school’ SAP standards by a specific point in time.

19. ACADEMIC PLAN Steps needed to meet SAP standards
Review of progress at each SAP evaluation
Specified time frame by which SAP standards must be met

20. SAP NOTIFICATION
Must notify students of the SAP evaluations end of each review
If an appeal process, describe how to appeal
Not meeting SAP, describe how to regain eligibility

21. RESOURCES: Federal Register 668.34 (c); (d); (a) (3-7), (b)
2010 FSA Conference
Program Integrity Final Rules
Industry Webinars

22. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Is the school required to have an appeal process?
Can the school limit the # of appeals?
What is included in the academic Plan?
Case Studies…..