The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) program makes several types of federal student loans available to individuals to assist them with financing postsecondary education expenses. This report presents a comprehensive overview of the terms and conditions that apply to federal student loans made through the Direct Loan program. It…

For-profit colleges do not always recruit aggressively; nor do they always shortchange students. But the problem of colleges systematically overpromising and underdelivering, when it does happen, has largely been a for-profit phenomenon. The abuses have been the most widespread and most damaging when they have been fueled by government grants and…

James M. Fadool, an associate professor of biology at Florida State University, got a federal grant of more than $300,000 to study eye defects using zebra-fish. Some of that money went to pay another researcher, $1,536 biweekly, to assist with the research and manage the lab where the fish were kept. But an audit by the Office of Inspector General…

President Obama's FY 2013 budget request includes another major spending increase for the Department of Education--2.5 percent more than last year--to nearly $70 billion. American taxpayers are calling for spending restraint in Washington, yet President Obama's proposals would exacerbate the existing bureaucratic maze of federal programs and…

In this report the authors use key outcome measures to summarize student performance within each higher education system; describe the degree of progress derived from system-level initiatives; and offer recommendations to address impediments and reduce demographic disparities. This report is a starting point for determining how everyone can…

Principals are critical to the success of any school improvement effort--from increasing academic rigor toward college- and career-ready standards to teacher evaluation and support. They ensure this success by building a strong, shared vision and leading effective implementation for staff, students, and families. The federal government has an…

The Secretary amends title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations to establish regulations for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program. The TEACH Grant program is a non-need-based grant program that provides up to $4,000 per year to students who are enrolled in an eligible program and who agree to…

On June 23, 2008, final regulations were published in the "Federal Register" to establish regulations for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program. That document inadvertently included several minor technical errors. This document corrects the final regulations. These corrections are effective July…

One institution's several years' experience with the Department of Education's Quality Control Project, which is attempting to ascertain the value of student financial-aid application-verification efforts, is summarized and commented on. (Author/MSE)

Results of a survey of the Western Association of Financial Aid Administrators concerning the prevalence and stringency of validation procedures used in 1985-86 are presented, and the impact and effectiveness of federal verification procedures in offices in that region are discussed. (MSE)

This publication describes how an institution of higher education calculates and pays federal Pell awards to eligible students and how it reports those payments to the Department of Education. The discussion covers what the school must do to process an eligible student's Pell award after the school has received documentation of the student's…

This compilation of federal regulations concerning student aid includes changes through December 31, 1998, that apply to all regulations published in the "Federal Register." An introduction offers suggestions for understanding regulations. The regulations, with original dates and change dates, cover the following parts of Title 34 of the…

This report addresses concerns raised by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the U.S. Senate on : (1) the number and cost of trustee arrangements providing student loans and their shared characteristics; (2) the benefits and protections afforded the federal government through use of trustee arrangements; and (3) the effect…

A study explored the changes in the federal role in education prior to and after the May 1980 Implementation Plan for the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The documents related to the creation of ED determine if any change in the federal role in education was expressed through program components included in the new ED, and those programs not…

A study was conducted to determine: (1) whether federal savings could be expected by replacing Stafford student loans with direct loans under a direct loan program proposed by the National Association of State universities and Land Grant Colleges; and (2) what consequent administrative responsibilities would accrue to educational institution and…