Transcript Document

FY 2015
Student Support Services
Program Competition
Peer Reviewer Training
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Postsecondary Education
Student Service
March 2, 2015
1
Agenda
Opening Remarks and Introductions
Competitive Preference Priorities
Peer Reviewer Role and Responsibilities
Selection Criteria
Completing the Technical Review Form
What’s Next
Questions/Answers
2
Competitive Preference
Priorities
 Relevance Reviews
3
Competitive Preference
Priorities
 First time for the SSS program.
 Two priorities each with two parts.
 Applicants not required to respond to either
priority.
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FY 2015 SSS
Competitive Preference Priority
1(a)
Influencing the Development of
Non-Cognitive Factors (1 point)
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FY 2015 SSS
Competitive Preference Priority
1(b)
Strategies to Develop Non-Cognitive Factors
Supported by Moderate Evidence of
Effectiveness (2 points)
Note: Can only earn points for 1(b) if applicant
addresses Competitive Preference Priority 1(a)
6
FY 2015 SSS
Competitive Preference Priority
2(a)
Providing Individualized Counseling for
Personal, Career, and Academic
Matters (1 point)
7
Competitive Preference Priority
2(b)
Individual Counseling Activities Supported by
Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness
(2 points)
Note: Can only earn points for 2(b) if applicant
addresses Competitive Preference Priority 2(a)
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FY 2015 SSS
Competitive Preference Priorities
1(b) & 2(b) (cont.)
 To address either/both priorities:
– Provide citation, link, and relevant findings from
one study for each priority on Abstract and
Program Profile Sheet
– Study must be related to the respective priority
9
10
Peer Review Sessions
 Session One:
March 9-13, 2015 (e-reading)
March 15-20, 2015 (on site reading)
 Session Two:
March 23-27, 2015 (e-reading)
March 29 -April 3, 2015 (on site reading)
 Session Three:
April 6-10, 2015 (e-reading)
April 12-17, 2015 (on-site reading)
 Session Four:
May 4-15, 2015 (e-reading)
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Peer Reviewer Role and
Responsibilities
12
Peer Reviewer Role and
Responsibilities
 Specific overall recommendation.
 Confidentiality
 Conflict of Interest
 Reviewing Applications
13
SSS
Program Overview
 One of Seven Distinct Outreach Support Programs Under
the TRIO Umbrella.
 Legislated by Title IV Higher Education Act Section 402 D
 Provide Federal grants to IHEs or a combination of IHEs
for the purposes of increasing retention and graduation
rates.
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SUBPART A - GENERAL
What is the Student Support Services
Program? (§646.1)
SSS provides grants to:
 Increase retention and graduation rates of eligible
students;
 Increase the transfer rate of eligible students from
two-year to four-year institutions;
 Support the success of students who are limited
English proficient, traditionally underrepresented in
postsecondary education, individuals with
disabilities, and homeless children and youth, foster
care youth, or other disconnected students; and
 Improve financial and economic literacy of students.15
Who is eligible to receive a grant?
(§646.2)
 An institution of higher education;
OR
 A combination of institutions of higher education.
16
Who is eligible to participate in a
Student Support Services project?
(§646.3)
A student who meets all of the following criteria:
 Is a citizen or national of the United States or
meets the residency requirements for Federal
student financial assistance;
 Is enrolled or accepted for enrollment in the next
academic term at the grantee institution;
 Has a need for academic support; and
 Is a low-income individual, a first-generation
college student, or an individual with disabilities.
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What activities and services does
a project provide? (§646.4)
Required Services:
 Academic tutoring;
 Advice and assistance in course selection;
 Information on Federal financial aid programs as
well as scholarships;
 Assistance in completing the FAFSA;
 Education or counseling services to improve
financial and economic literacy;
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What activities and services does
a project provide? (§646.4) (cont.)
Required services (cont.)
 Activities to assist participants in the project with
admission to and enrollment in graduate and
professional programs; and
 Activities to assist students enrolled in 2-year
institutions with admission to and enrollment in
4-year programs of postsecondary education.
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What activities and services
does a project provide?
(§646.4) (cont.)
Permissible services:
 Individualized counseling for personal, career
and academic matters;
 Information, activities and instruction on the
range of career options available;
 Exposure to cultural events and programs;
20
What activities and services does
a project provide? (§646.4) (cont.)
Permissible services:
 Mentoring programs;
 Grant Aid to eligible students; and
 Securing temporary housing for certain
disadvantaged youth during breaks in the
academic year.
21
How long is a project period?
(§646.5)
22
What regulations apply? (§646.6)
 The Education Department General Administrative
Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR parts
74,75,77,79,80,82,84,85,86,97,98 and 99
 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-10-
26/html/2010-24324.htm
 The regulations in part 646
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What definitions apply? (§646.7)
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Institution of higher education;
Combinations of institutions of higher education;
Low-income individual;
First-generation college student;
Individual with disabilities;
Academic need;
Different campus;
Different population of participants;
Participant; and
Limited English proficiency.
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SUBPART B- How Does One Apply
for an Award?
How many applications may an eligible applicant
submit and for what different populations may an
eligible application be submitted?(§646.10)
More than one application may be submitted if the
project serves:
– A different campus; or
– A different population of participants who
cannot be readily served by a single
project.
*Different populations will be designated by
the Secretary for each grant competition.
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SUBPART B- What assurances
and other information must an
applicant include (§646.11)
At least two-thirds of students served will be:
 Low-income and first-generation or individuals
with disabilities.
Remaining students served will be:
 Low-income individuals, or
 First generation college students, or
 Individuals with disabilities (1/3 of the
individuals with disabilities must also be lowincome).
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SUBPART B- What assurances
and other information must an
applicant include (§646.11) (cont.)
Applicant must describe past history and/or efforts
to:
 Provide sufficient financial assistance to meet the
full financial need of each student in the project;
and
 Maintain the loan burden of each student in the
project at a manageable level.
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SUBPART B- What assurances
and other information must an
applicant include (§646.11) (cont.)
 Assure that a student will not be served by more
than one SSS project at any time; and
 Assure that the institution’s financial aid office
will consult with the SSS project regarding the
distribution of grant aid.
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SUBPART C How Does the Secretary Make a
Grant?
 (§ 646.20) How does the Secretary decide which
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new grants to make?
(§ 646.21) What selection criteria does the
Secretary use to evaluate an application?
(§ 646.22) How does the Secretary evaluate prior
experience?
(§ 646.23) How does the Secretary set the grant
amount?
(§ 646.24) What is the review process for
unsuccessful applicants?
(402D (c.)(6) Special Rules) Supplement, not Supplant)
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SUBPART C - How does the
Secretary decide which new
grants to make? (§646.20)
 The Secretary evaluates the application on the
basis of the selection criteria in §646.21.
-The maximum score for all the criteria in
§646.21 is 100 points.
 Prior Experience (PE)
-An applicant may earn up to 15 PE points for
each of the designated project years for which
annual performance report data are available.
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SUBPART C - How does the
Secretary decide which new
grants to make? (§646.20) (cont.)
 The Secretary makes new grants in rank order on
the basis of the applications' total scores.
-Geographical Tiebreaker.
 The Secretary does not make a new grant to an
applicant if the applicant's prior project involved the
fraudulent use of program funds.
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What selection criteria does the
Secretary use to evaluate an
application?(§646.21)
Need for the project
Objectives
Plan of operation
Institutional commitment
Quality of personnel
Budget
Evaluation plan
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8
30
16
9
5
8
points
points
points
points
points
points
points
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How does the Secretary evaluate
prior experience? (§646.22)
Prior Experience Criteria
Number of participants
3 points
Postsecondary retention
4 points
Good academic standing
4 points
Degree completion (4-year)
4 points
or
Degree completion and
transfer (2-year)
4 points
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How does the Secretary set the
amount of a grant? (§646.23)
 New Applicant: $220,000 (maximum)
 Currently Funded Grantees: Up to the FY 2012
base award amount
34
What is the review process for
unsuccessful applicants?
(§646.24)
 Second review.
 Technical or administrative error for applications
not reviewed.
 Administrative or scoring error for applications that
were reviewed.
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SUBPART D What Conditions Must Be Met by a
Grantee?
 (§646.30) What are allowable costs?
 (§646.31) What are unallowable costs?
 (§646.32) What other requirements must a
grantee meet?
 (§646.33) What are the matching requirements
for a grantee that uses Student Support Services
program funds for student grant aid?
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SUBPART D - What are
allowable costs? (§646.30)
Examples of allowable costs:
 Cost of remedial and special classes.
 Courses in English language instruction for
students of limited English proficiency.
 In-service training of project staff.
 Activities of an academic or cultural nature.
 Transportation, meals and lodging for participants
and staff during approved educational and cultural
activities.
 Purchase, lease, or rental of computer hardware,
software, and other equipment, service
agreements for such equipment, and supplies.
37
SUBPART D - What are allowable
costs? (§646.30)(cont.)
Examples of allowable costs:
 Professional development travel for staff.
- not exceed four percent of total project
salaries.
 Project evaluation.
 Grant aid to eligible students.
 Temporary housing during breaks in the academic
year
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SUBPART D - What are
unallowable costs? (§646.31)
Examples of unallowable costs:
 Costs involved in recruiting students for enrollment at the
institution.
 Tuition, fees, stipends, and other forms of direct financial
support, except for grant aid, for staff or participants.
 Research not directly related to the evaluation or
improvement of the project.
 Construction, renovation or remodeling of any facilities.
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SUBPART D - What other
requirements must a grantee
meet? (§646.32)
 Number of participants;
 Eligibility of participants;
 Recordkeeping (specific requirements included in
regulations);
 Project director (Full-time director required; but
conditions may apply); and
 Project coordination.
40
SUBPART D - What are the matching
requirements for a grantee that uses
Student Support Services program
funds for student grant aid?(§646.33)
 No more than 20 percent of the SSS program
funds may be used for grant aid (each year);
 Distributed amount cannot be less than or more
than the minimum and maximum Pell amounts (for
the project year);
41
SUBPART D - What are the matching
requirements for a grantee that uses
Student Support Services program
funds for student grant aid?(§646.33)
(cont.)
 No match required for Title III (HBCUs and
American Tribally Controlled Colleges ) or Title V
(HSIs) institutions; and
 Match for grant aid (if required) must be in cash
(non-Federal) in an amount not less than 33
percent of the total amount of grant funds.
42
What selection criteria does the
Secretary use to evaluate an
application?(§646.21)
Need for the project
Objectives
Plan of operation
24 points
8 points
30 points
Institutional commitment
Quality of personnel
16 points
9 points
Budget
Evaluation plan
Total for Selection Criteria
5 points
8 Points
100 Points
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Need for the Project
(§646.21(a)(1))
(Total 24 points)
A high number or percentage, or both, of students
enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the applicant
institution
(8 points)
– Show number or percentages of eligible
students enrolled by combinations of
eligibility criteria (i.e., low-income and firstgeneration students with academic need);
44
Need for the Project
(§646.21(a)(2))
The academic and other problems that eligible
students encounter at the applicant institution;
and
(8 points)
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Need for the Project
(§646.21(a)(3))
The differences between eligible Student Support
Services students compared to an appropriate
group, based on:
– Retention and graduation rates
– Grade point averages
– Graduate and professional school enrollment
rates (four-year colleges only)
– Transfer rates from two-year to four-year
institutions (two-year colleges only)
(8 points)
Provide data for applicant institution only
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Need for the Project
(§646.21(a)(3)) (cont.)
Appropriate comparison groups may include:
– total enrollment of institution;
– SSS eligible students not served by project; or
– any combination of the above.
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Data Sources
 Financial aid office;
 Institution’s research office; and
 Admissions office
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Validity of Data
 List only data concerning students enrolled in
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the applicant institution;
Use the best and most recent information
available that is not over three years old;
Provide factual and readily verifiable data;
Do not use estimates;
Present data so that meaningful comparisons
can be made (cohorts); and
Provide the source and date of the information.
49
Validity of Data (cont.)
Note:
 The data provided in the Need section of the
application will form the baseline that your
project will use to determine student outcomes.
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Objectives (§646.21(b))
(Total 8 Points)
 The Department has developed standardized
objectives for the SSS Program.
 Refer to the scoring guideline.
 For each objective you must assess whether the
proposed goal is both ambitious and attainable.
 Be sure to address the appropriate objectives
based on sector designation (i.e. 2 year or 4 year)
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SSS Standardized Objectives
(2-year institutions)
A. PERSISTENCE Rate: ___% of all participants
served in the reporting year by the SSS
project will persist from one academic year
to the beginning of the next academic year or
earn an associate’s degree or certificate at
the grantee institution and/or transfer from a
2-year to a 4-year institution by the fall term
of the next academic year.
(3 points)
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SSS Standardized Objectives
(2-year institutions)
B. GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING Rate:
___% of all enrolled SSS participants served
will meet the performance level required to
stay in good academic standing at the grantee
institution.
(2 points)
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SSS Standardized Objectives
(2-year institutions)
C. GRADUATION/TRANSFER Rates
1. ___% of new participants served each year
will graduate from the grantee institution with
an associate’s degree or certificate within
four (4) years; (1 point)
AND
2. ___% of new participants served each year
will receive an associate’s degree or
certificate from the grantee institution and
transfer to a four-year institution within four
(4) years. (2 points)
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SSS Standardized Objectives
(4-year institutions)
A. PERSISTENCE Rate: ___% of all participants
served by the SSS project will persist from
one academic year to the beginning of the
next academic year or will have earned a
bachelor’s degree at the grantee institution
during the academic year.
(3 points)
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SSS Standardized Objectives
(4-year institutions)
B. GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING Rate:
___% of all enrolled SSS participants served
will meet the performance level required to
stay in good academic standing at the grantee
institution.
(2 points)
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SSS Standardized Objectives
(4-year institutions)
C. Graduation Rate:
___ % of new participants served each year will
graduate from the grantee institution with a
bachelor’s degree or equivalent within six (6)
years. (3 points)
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Objectives (§646.21(b))
(Continued)
The Objectives Selection Criterion is worth 8 Points.
– All 8 Points will be awarded based on whether the
objectives are ambitious AND attainable based on
the need, resources and project design.
– Applicants must provide comparative data to show
why the percentage that is proposed for each
standardized objective is ambitious AND
attainable.
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Plan of Operation (§646.21(c))
(Total 30 points)
 Inform the institutional community
(3 points)
 Identify, select, and retain project participants
with academic need
(3 points)
 Assess each eligible student’s academic need
and monitor academic progress
(4 points)
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Plan of Operation (§646.21(c))
Provides services that address:
 SSS Program purposes
 SSS project goals and objectives
 Project participants’ identified needs
(10 points)
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Plan of Operation (§646.21(c))
Project administration
 organizational placement of the project
 time commitment of key project staff
 financial management
 student records management
 personnel management
 coordination with other appropriate programs
(10 points)
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Institutional Commitment
(§646.21(d))
(Total 16 points)
 Facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, and
other resources
(6 points)
 Administrative and academic policies that
enhance participants’ retention and improve
their chances of graduating
(6 points)
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Institutional Commitment
(§646.21(d)) (cont.)
 Minimize the dependence on student loans in
developing financial aid packages
(2 points)
 Cooperation and support of Admissions,
Financial Aid, Registrar and Sponsored
Programs of the institution
(2 points)
63
Quality of Personnel (§646.21(e))
(Total 9 points)
 Project Director
 Other Key Personnel
 Plan to employ
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Quality of Personnel (§646.21(e))
(cont.)
Project Director
 formal education
 training
 experience in designing, managing, or
implementing SSS or similar projects
(3 points)
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Quality of Personnel (§646.21(e))
(cont.)
Other Key Personnel
 formal education
 training
 work experience related to project objectives
(3 points)
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Quality of Personnel (§646.21(e))
(cont.)
Employment plan
 Employ staff who have succeeded in overcoming
barriers similar to those confronting the project’s
target population
(3 points)
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Budget (§646.21(f))
(Total 5 points)
Project budget is:
– Reasonable
– Cost-effective
– Adequate
Provide a detailed budget narrative and a
summary for the first year only. Budget narrative
should clearly show and explain all costs.
(5 points)
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Evaluation Plan (§646.21(g))
(Total 8 points)
 Appropriate and include both quantitative and
qualitative evaluation measures
(2 points)
 Examine in specific and measurable ways, using
appropriate baseline data, the success of the
project in improving academic achievement,
retention and graduation of project participants
(2 points)
 Use the results to make programmatic changes
based upon the results of project evaluation
(4 points)
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Evaluating Student Success
Suggested Comparison Groups
– SSS student participants and like-group of
non-SSS student participants tracked for as
long as the students are enrolled at the
institution;
– Institution will maintain data on groups, and
report comparison results; and
– Sizes of comparison groups must be
comparable and designed to yield valid
comparisons
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Completing the Technical
Review Form
 Applications start at zero and must earn each point.
 Comments must be objective – no personal feelings or
observations should be included.
 Assess the response. Use evaluative language to describe
the quality of the proposal.
 Justify each response - do not use boilerplate language.
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Completing the Technical
Review Form (cont.)
72
Completing the Technical
Review Form (cont.)
 Do not make reference to page numbers or charts/tables
from the application in your comments.
 Do not use the first person
 Format your comments such that it is clear you have
assessed each subcriterion.
 If you do not find a weakness for a given criterion or
subcriterion, write “No weakness noted.”.
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Completing the Technical
Review Form (cont.)
 When you are awarding points under strengths, do not
indicate the point total. When you are not awarding points
under weaknesses, write “(X point(s) not awarded)” after
your comment.
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TRF Formatting Instructions
STRENGTHS
 1) “The applicant well documents….”
 2) “The proposal clearly demonstrates…”
 3) i) “No strengths noted.”
ii) “Clear data is presented to…”
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TRF Formatting Instructions
(cont.)
WEAKNESSES
 1) No weaknesses noted.
 2) No weaknesses noted.
 3) i) “The applicant should have provided…” (2 points not
awarded)
ii) No weaknesses noted.
iii) “The applicant failed to…” (2 points not awarded)

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What’s Next?
 Travel Email
– http://www.reviewgrants.com/sss/
 Panel Assignments
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Q&A
 Review of Main Questions
 Other questions will be posted later
as an FAQ
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Student Support Services
Program
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!
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