Texas Application for State Texas Application for State Financial Aid: Financial Aid:

Senate Bill 1528 StudentsSenate Bill 1528 Students

Maria Luna-Torres, Director, Education Finance Initiatives, TGMaria Luna-Torres, Director, Education Finance Initiatives, TGJane Caldwell, Director, Grants and Special Programs, THECBJane Caldwell, Director, Grants and Special Programs, THECBJanie Alcala, Associate Director, Outreach, TAMUJanie Alcala, Associate Director, Outreach, TAMU

BackgroundBackground

2001 - House Bill (HB)1403 passed - 2001 - House Bill (HB)1403 passed - allowing undocumented and allowing undocumented and domiciled visa holders access to domiciled visa holders access to Texas resident tuition and state Texas resident tuition and state financial aid financial aid

2005 - Consortium formed to design 2005 - Consortium formed to design state-wide financial aid application state-wide financial aid application (TASFA) (TASFA)

2005 - Senate Bill (SB)1528 passed - 2005 - Senate Bill (SB)1528 passed - affirming, revising HB1403affirming, revising HB1403

Initial ChallengesInitial Challenges

Students’ and parents’ lack of Students’ and parents’ lack of knowledge of financial aid availabilityknowledge of financial aid availability

Fear of filing FAFSA due to Fear of filing FAFSA due to undocumented statusundocumented status

Student, parent, and guidance Student, parent, and guidance counselor confusion on application counselor confusion on application processprocess

Lack of consistency among schools in Lack of consistency among schools in financial aid application processfinancial aid application process

SolutionSolution

Task force formed to develop a Task force formed to develop a statewide applicationstatewide application

Task Force GoalsTask Force Goals

Simplify the financial aid process Simplify the financial aid process Develop a common application Develop a common application Encourage use of the form Encourage use of the form

Task Force ActionsTask Force Actions

First statewide application finalized First statewide application finalized in December 2005 for the 2006-2007 in December 2005 for the 2006-2007 academic yearacademic year

Annual survey conducted Annual survey conducted Point of contact established Point of contact established

Continued ChallengesContinued Challenges

Students unaware of Students unaware of aid opportunitiesaid opportunities

Schools still unaware of form Schools still unaware of form and processand process

Some schools not willing to use formSome schools not willing to use form Guidance counselors unsure which Guidance counselors unsure which

schools use the formschools use the form

Application EvolutionApplication Evolution

Application available in SpanishApplication available in Spanish Checklist attached Checklist attached School contact list available School contact list available Application available online at Application available online at

– www.collegeforalltexans.com– www.aie.org

Approximately 100 colleges and Approximately 100 colleges and universities use formuniversities use form

Residency Residency Eligibility RequirementsEligibility Requirements

SB 1528 SB 1528 Jane Caldwell, Director,Jane Caldwell, Director,

Grants and Special ProgramsGrants and Special Programs

THECBTHECB

Residency RequirementsResidency RequirementsSenate Bill 1528Senate Bill 1528

Graduation from public or Graduation from public or private Texas high school, or private Texas high school, or receipt of GED receipt of GED

Texas residency for at least Texas residency for at least three yearsthree years

Affidavit of intent to become Affidavit of intent to become U.S. permanent resident U.S. permanent resident

Program EligibilityProgram Eligibility

State grants State grants – Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG)Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG)– Texas Equalization Grant (TEG) Texas Equalization Grant (TEG) – TEXAS Grant TEXAS Grant – Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Texas Educational Opportunity Grant

Program EligibilityProgram Eligibility

Self-help aid Self-help aid – College Access Loan College Access Loan – Texas College Work Study (if eligible to work)Texas College Work Study (if eligible to work)

State exemption programsState exemption programs Institutional aidInstitutional aid

Financial Aid Process:Financial Aid Process:Needs AnalysisNeeds Analysis

Janie Alcala, Associate Director, Janie Alcala, Associate Director, OutreachOutreach

TAMU TAMU

FAFSA or TASFAFAFSA or TASFA

Documentation Documentation

Tax returns and W-2s or documentation of Tax returns and W-2s or documentation of income income

Item 31 – if no tax return filed, report wages Item 31 – if no tax return filed, report wages herehere

Threshold $6500 2010-2011Threshold $6500 2010-2011– Provide explanationProvide explanation

< $6500 indicated on tax return< $6500 indicated on tax return>$6500 and no tax return filed>$6500 and no tax return filed

Selective Service registration for males Selective Service registration for males between 18 and 25between 18 and 25

Needs AnalysisNeeds Analysis

Manual calculation processManual calculation process EFC calculators EFC calculators

– www.AIE.org www.AIE.org – Simulation on FAMSSimulation on FAMS

COA – EFC = financial needCOA – EFC = financial need

Income & AssetsIncome & Assets

Non Tax FilersNon Tax Filers

Professional JudgmentProfessional Judgment

May be used in same capacity as May be used in same capacity as with federal aidwith federal aid

Be mindful that these students face Be mindful that these students face unique circumstancesunique circumstances

Situations include but are not Situations include but are not limited to:limited to:– Dependency overridesDependency overrides– No tax return No tax return – Parent signatureParent signature

Audit DocumentationAudit Documentation

Keep all documents supporting Keep all documents supporting decisions decisions – Completed TASFA applicationCompleted TASFA application– EFC calculationEFC calculation– Tax returns and W-2s Tax returns and W-2s – Income documents, e.g. signed Income documents, e.g. signed

statements of receipt of cashstatements of receipt of cash

Comments or questions?Comments or questions?maria.luna-torres@tgslc.orgmaria.luna-torres@tgslc.org