[Federal Register: July 30, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 146)] [Notices] [Page 41703-41708] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30jy99-174] [[Page 41703]] _______________________________________________________________________ Part IV Department of Education _______________________________________________________________________ Office of Postsecondary Education; Federal Pell Grant Program; Notice [[Page 41704]] DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education [CFDA No.: 84.063] Federal Pell Grant Program AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice; deadline and submission dates for receipt of applications, reports, and other documents for the 1999-2000 award year. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary announces the deadline dates for receiving documents from persons applying for grants under the Federal Pell Grant Program in the 1999-2000 award year, and the earliest submission and deadline dates for receiving documents from institutions participating in that program in that year. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Federal Pell Grant Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Education (Department), provides grants to students attending eligible institutions of higher education to help them pay for their educational costs. The program supports Goals 2000, the President's strategy for moving the Nation toward the National Education Goals, by enhancing opportunities for postsecondary education. The National Education Goals call for increasing the rate at which students graduate from high school and pursue high quality postsecondary education and for supporting life-long learning. Authority for the Federal Pell Grant Program is contained in section 401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1070a. Deadline and Submission Dates The following table provides deadline dates for application processing and receipt of Student Aid Reports (SARs) or Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) for the Federal Pell Grant Program. BILLING CODE 4000-01-P [[Page 41705]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30JY99.000 [[Page 41706]] BILLING CODE 4000-01-C [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30JY99.001 BILLING CODE 4000-01-C The following table provides the earliest submission and deadline dates for submitting Federal Pell Grant Disbursement Records. The origination record and the disbursement record have replaced the Payment Data record referred to in previous Federal Pell Grant notices. Except for the amount of specific disbursements, the origination record contains basically the same information as the previously used payment data record. This information is used by the Department's Recipient Financial Management System (RFMS) to edit the accuracy of a student's annual award amount and includes information such as the student's annual award amount calculated by the institution, expected family contribution, and cost of attendance. An institution uses the disbursement record: (1) to report a disbursement or expected disbursement for each student, and (2) for those institutions that participate in the Just-in-time payment method pilot, to request funds. The ``regular'' disbursement record basically includes an origination record unique identifier and the amount and date of the disbursement. RFMS uses totals of the accepted disbursement record data in the funding process as either the basis for adjusting an institution's authorization level or as a request for funds. Starting in the 1999- 2000 award year, an institution may submit a disbursement record earlier than the reported disbursement date in the record. The Department considers a disbursement of Federal Pell Grant funds to have occurred on the earlier of the date that the institution: (a) Credits a student's account at the institution's general ledger or any subledger of the general ledger; or (b) pays a student directly with funds received from the Department. The Department considers a disbursement to have occurred even if institutional funds are used in advance of receiving the program funds from the Department (34 CFR part 668.164(a)). Table B provides the earliest date an institution can submit a disbursement record to the Department. Any disbursement record received prior to the earliest submission date is rejected. Table B also includes the latest date an institution may submit a disbursement record. The Department may impose an adverse action such as a fine or other penalty for an institution's failure to submit a Federal Pell Grant disbursement record within the required 30-day timeframe. Also, failing to submit a disbursement record within the required 30-day timeframe may result in an audit or program review finding for an institution. BILLING CODE 4000-01-P [[Page 41707]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30JY99.002 [[Page 41708]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30JY99.003 BILLING CODE 4000-01-C Proof of Delivery for Federal Pell Grant Payment Documents The Department accepts as proof of delivery, if the documents were submitted by mail or by non-U.S. Postal Service courier, one of the following: (1) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service. (2) A legibly-dated U.S. Postal Service postmark. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method of proof of mailing, an institution should check with the post office at which it mails its submission. An institution is strongly encouraged to use First Class Mail. (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial courier. (4) Other proof of mailing or delivery acceptable to the Secretary. The Department accepts commercial couriers or hand deliveries between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday except Federal holidays. Other Sources for Detailed Information on the Application and Automated Processes A more detailed discussion of the student application process for the Federal Pell Grant Program is contained in the 1999-2000 Student Guide, Funding Your Education, the 1999-2000 High School Counselor's Handbook, A Guide to 1999-2000 SARs and ISIRs, and the 1999-2000 Federal Student Financial Aid Handbook. A more detailed discussion of the institutional reporting requirements for the Federal Pell Grant Program is contained in the Federal Student Financial Aid Handbook and the Information for Financial Aid Professionals web site at http:// www.ifap.ed.gov. Applicable Regulations The following regulations apply: (1) Federal Pell Grant Program, 34 CFR part 690, (2) Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR part 668, and (3) Institutional Eligibility, 34 CFR part 600. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jacquelyn C. Butler, Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance Programs, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. (ROB-3, Room 3045), Washington, DC 20202-5447. Telephone: (202) 708-8242. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to Katie Mincey, Director of Alternate Format Center, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. (Switzer Bldg., Room 1000), Washington, D.C. 20202-4560. Telephone: (202) 260-9895. Electronic Access to This Document You may view this document, as well as all other Department of Education documents published in the Federal Register, in the text or Abode Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the following sites: http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm http://www.ed.gov/news.html To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) toll free, at 1-888-293-6498 or in the Washington, D.C. area, at (202) 512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http:// www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html. Program Authority: Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a. Dated: July 26, 1999. Greg Woods, Chief Operating Officer, Office of Student Financial Assistance. [FR Doc. 99-19442 Filed 7-29-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P