SAP

Satisfactory Academic Progress

with

CONSUELA MITCHELL YOLANDA CLEVELAND

S.A.P.

• Satisfactory Academic Progress

• School must have a published policy for

monitoring a student’s progress

• Standards include

– Qualitative

– Quantitative

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QUALITATIVE STANDARD• Grade based• Programs > 2 years- at least a “C”

average• Programs < 2 years- standards = to a “C”• Apply policy consistently• Be as strict as those non-T4 enrolled

students

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QUANTITATIVE STANDARD

• Time-related• Determines % 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

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CHANGE OF MAJOR & TRANSFER CREDITS

• All periods 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

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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 or mini-terms

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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

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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

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PROBATION / WARNING STATUS

• Policy explains circumstance and

procedures• Continue to receive T4 funding

• Must regain eligibility

• Cannot allow over two consecutive periods

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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

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PROGRAM RULES

• SAP policy must include:– Incompletes–Withdrawals– Repetitions– Transfer of credit from other schools

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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, then aid reinstated.

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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. NAOW

APPEAL POLICY• Appeal

– 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.

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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

eligibilityo 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

– No appeal policy, regain eligibility when meets SAP

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SCHOOL EVALUATES EACH PAYMENT PERIOD

• Option 2– SAP not met

– Student loses T4 eligibility immediately

– Approved appeal, FA Probation, receives T4 funds

– Student must meet SAP end of next payment periodor– Comply with academic plan designed to ensure

student will meet SAP standards

– No appeal policy, regain eligibility when meets SAP

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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 at 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

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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.

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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

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

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RESOURCES:

Federal Register 668.34 (c); (d); (a) (3-7), (b)

Federal Student Aid Handbook

www.ifap.ed.gov

Volume 1- student eligibility

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Pages 1-9 through 1-13

Program Integrity Final Rules

Industry Webinars

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS• Is the school required to have an appeal

process?

• Is an institution required to use the same SAP policy for all students?

• Can the school limit the # of appeals?

• What is included in the academic Plan?

• Case Studies…..

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Q & ANAOW