2008 TRANSCRIPT EXCHANGE AND HOPE GPA CALCULATION PROCESS

Session Overview Topics in Today’s Session: Overview of the Transcript Exchange and HOPE GPA process Overview on extraction, upload and release process Overview on HS to PS transcript exchange process Update on the Capture and Edit process Overview / Update on STARS reporting Overview of the previous graduate process Overview of any Legislative updates Question and Answer

Overview of the Transcript Exchange and HOPE GPA process DAVID LEE Vice President Research & Analysis Georgia Student Finance Commission

2008 TRANSCRIPT EXCHANGE AND HOPE GPA CALCULATION PROCESS

Transcript Exchange and HOPE Scholarship Eligibility Process

Transcript Exchange Process for HOPE GPA Calculations

2007 Final HOPE GPA Final GPA Calculation process ended September 14, 2007 Students are not on HOPE-eligible list until schools have verified the final calculation Final HOPE Statistics as of September 14, 2007: Out of 618 schools & estimated 82,000 graduating seniors – Number of Schools Uploaded Transcripts - 611 (98.9%) Number of Schools with GPAs Calculated - 609 (98.5%) Number of Schools with Verified GPAs - 600 (97%) Number of Students with GPAs Calculated - 82,671 (100%) Number of Students who have been Verified - 82,100 (99.3%) Percent of Eligible Students who were Verified - 99.9%

2007 Final HOPE GPA Results Final HOPE Statistics as of September 14, 2007: Out of the 82,100 graduating seniors verified Number of Eligible Students 2007 - 34,079 (41.5%) (Eligible Number = 34,124 but Schools Failed to Verify 45 Students) – 99.9% of Eligibles Were Verified Number of In-Eligible Students 2007 - 48,021 (58.5%) (In-Eligible Students = 48,547 but Schools Failed to Verify 526 Students) – 98.9% of In-eligibles Were Verified Number of Eligible Students 2006 - 51,832 Average for 2005/2006 - 50,580

HOPE GPA 2007 Results 34% decrease in the number of HOPE Eligible Public School Students over the 2005/2006 Average 17% decrease in the number of HOPE Eligible Private School Students over the 2005/2006 Average

HOPE 2007 Results Analysis Wide Variation in Grading Scales Among Public Schools Wide Variation in Weighting Practices Among Public Schools Wide Variation in Course Offerings Among Public Schools

Wide Variation in Grading Scales Among Public Schools Highest A: 115- 2 Schools 110- 54 Schools 106- 4 Schools 105- 26 Schools 101- 1 School 100- 277 Schools Lowest A: 93- 1 School 90- 363 Schools Highest B: 92- 1 School 89- 363 Schools Lowest B: 85- 1 School 80- 363 Schools Highest C: 84- 1 School Lowest C: 77- 1 School 75- 34 Schools 74- 47 Schools 73- 15 Schools 71- 49 Schools 70- 217 Schools Highest D: 76- 1 School 74- 34 Schools 73- 47 Schools 72- 15 Schools 71- 1 School 70- 49 Schools Lowest D: 70- 364 Schools No Grade of D- 217 Schools Highest F: 69- 364 Schools Note: These Grading Scales Describe the Grades that are Posted on the Official Transcripts of Students

There is Wide Variation in Local Weighting Practices Among Public Schools Out of 180 Public School Districts: 49 Systematically Weight AP Courses 7 Systematically Weight IB Courses Only 28 Systematically Weight Honors Courses 8 Systematically Weight PSO/Accel Courses 11 Systematically Weight Some Other Type of Course (Examples: Gifted, Pre-AP, Advanced) 31 Public Schools Weight Individual Courses

General Reasons for the Decrease in the Number of HOPE Eligible Students Exclusive Use of 4.0 Scale Rather than an 80 Numeric GPA Removal of Local Weights Added by Schools Inclusion of Failing Grades in 2007

Overview on extraction, upload and release process DEMI FOGLE Transcript Exchange Specialist Information Technology Division Georgia Student Finance Commission

Let’s Get Started Create an account at and login to the Counselor’s Center. Notify your GSFC Installer once completed in order for them to have your account activated.

Select the Preferences Tab Next select School Profile. Here you will specify what type Student Information your school is currently using. This entry will determine if your school will be using a supplied extract, report utility, or creating your own file.

Specify your SIS System Scroll down and select Save at the bottom of the page.

Select the Counselor Tools Tab

Download Extract Software Select the extract version by clicking on the link.

Downloading and Installing Using the Extract Utility

Extract Reporting Software

Running the Extract Utility

Launching the SASIxp Configuration Utility

STEP 1 Configure Launch the XAP Transcript Extract utility by clicking: START > All Programs > XAP Corporation > XAP Transcript Extract for SASIxp When the utility launches for the first time, it will present the following series of dialog boxes: Step1 Click “OK” on the “Before you can start…” dialog

STEP 2    2. Enter the Username and Password that you use to login to Counselor Center. Choose which server you wish to receive your uploaded files (It probably should be the LIVE server). We recommend that you also mark the “Upon completion of processing, send an e-mail notification to…” so that you will receive notices when your upload files have been processed and the transcripts are ready to be released (SEND) to GSFC and/or Colleges. Remember to enter your e-mail address! Ask your school’s Network Administrator if your school uses a PROXY server to access the internet. If the answer is “No”, then you may click the “Next >” button and skip to step 3.

If the answer is “Yes”, your school DOES USE a PROXY server in order to access the internet, so you will need to click on the button entitled “Advanced Connection Settings”. Obtain the correct information from your Network Administrator. Input the data into the proper fields. Click “OK”, and then click “Next”.

STEP 3 3 Click the “Choose Dir…” button to identify the pathway to the SIS database. When you have pointed to the database, click the “Finish” button. If the utility can find the database, it will present data in the School Number and Name, School Year, and GPA Selection fields. Select the proper school number, School year and GPAs. Click the “Finish” button.

STEP 4 4. The installation program will respond by presenting the following dialog box. Click the “OK” button.   The installation program will launch the XAP Transcript Extract for SASIxp dBase

STEP 5 5. Note that in File > Preferences, you may change or add your e-mail address if you would like to receive e-mail notices when your uploaded files have finished processing at XAP and are ready for you to release (SEND) to GSFC and/or Colleges. Click the “OK” button to save your updated information.

Downloading and Installing Using Report Utilities

Viewing Upload Results

Uploading All Students

Selecting Students Individually

Releasing Transcripts to GSFC for HOPE Calculations

Overview of the Transcript Exchange and HOPE GPA process JANINE ROBINSON-COMBRE Associate Vice President GACollege411 Georgia Student Finance Commission DESEREE EDWARDS Project Manager

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges Step 1: Go to www.GAcollege411.org Select “School Counselors” link

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges Step 2: Select “Counselor Center” link

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges Step 3: Select “Go to Counselor Center” button

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges Step 4: Login to Counselor Center Enter your username Enter your password Click the “log on” button

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges Step 5: Open Transcript Manager Select “Counselor Tools” menu Select “Transcript Manager”

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges Step 6: Search for desired transcript(s) In this instance, user searched for a date: 07/06/2007 The search function looks in all of the columns visible in this report 49

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts to Colleges Step 7: Select Transcripts Select each transcript that you wish to send (all selected will be sent to the SAME college) Click “next” button 50

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts (Optional) Step 8: Select Destination(s) If sending to GSFC, select both checkboxes Otherwise, select only the appropriate College(s) Click “next” button at bottom of the page

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts (Optional) Step 9: Confirm your selections If the correct student names are listed, and the correct destination schools, then Click “finish” button

High School Counselor: Send Transcripts (Optional) Step 10 Finished A message indicating success will appear Remember to Log out

What is Electronic Transcript Exchange? Allows transcripts from Georgia High Schools to be sent electronically to Post-secondary institutions in the state; Counselors may send using the same method they used for HOPE transcripts; Students may have the ability to send transcripts and applications together electronically.

Students must have a My 411 account to send their transcripts Students must have a My 411 account to send their transcripts. Currently they are matched with their schools through the ssn, name, and DOB.

They can choose which schools they would like their transcripts released to. They can also choose to have future copies of their transcripts released. Transcripts are sent to the schools queue when the student clicks “release transcript”. It will generally not be sent until uploaded by their counselor or designated transcript exchange district representative.

The student will receive a message letting them know when the xcript was released and downloaded.

In order for School Counselors or other school officials to send transcripts from GAcollege411, they must have counselor center accounts. The counselor center can be accessed by clicking on “school counselors” on the left menu bar and then by clicking on “counselor center” under resources. The modules available in the transcript manager will allow you to send transcript, upload transcript, review the transcript upload history, or if needed download extract software. Students for you school will be displayed upon entering the transcript manager. Your students will be listed alphabetically, or you can use the search function to find an individual student. Once you make the selection of students, click next at the bottom of the screen. By clicking on the view, you will get 5 separate screens of information for the student including student info, term info, testing scores, immunization, and a “view all” composite screen. The print option will give you a pdf of the students transcript.

As with the students, the counselor will choose where the transcript will be send from a drop-down list of psi’s.

Specify transcript type Enable/Disable Student release to Colleges You can: Specify transcript type Enable/Disable Student release to Colleges Attach transcript file Identify High School Request e-Mail receipt Send file to Xap When a student requests that a transcript be sent, it must be request for information is sent to a queue for the counselors. By clicking browse, they can choose individual or multiple students, however if they choose more than one, all transcript must have the same destination.

The Transcript Upload History will give you a record of all upload requests. The following information will be given: The unique report identifier; the status, whether the job is completed or not; date and time of upload; file name;

Printed transcript layout.

Pilot program began September 30th High School participants: Bibb County, Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Fulton County, Colquitt County, Irwin County; Tift County Post Secondary participants: Georgia College & State University, Macon State, Georgia Tech, Abraham Baldwin, Kennesaw State, University of Georgia and Georgia State

High School Feedback “Process is simple and efficient”; “Like having proof in ‘black and white’ that the transcript has been sent”; Some “called just to be sure that the schools received the transcript, and they did”; “Don’t know if I like the idea of students sending themselves”;

Post Secondary Feedback “Overall process is easy one”; “The data is presented in a format that is easily readable”; “The download process is similar to application download”;        “Staff will need some additional training, but it should not be very much.  The standardized format should make the evaluation process much easier and faster”.

Post Secondary Feedback, continued “Transcripts need header/footer added to aid upload to our imaging product (if there is more than one page and they get separated, we can’t match them up)”; “A larger font for type on all transcripts would be appreciated. The type is very small and there seems to be enough space for larger type”; “Some inconsistencies in Year/Term submissions by schools. Could be because they were putting in for test, but want to be sure data is clean and consistent”; “Some inconsistencies in Weight Indicator - some numerical codes, some blank, some AP only. Prefer uniformity across transcripts”.

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS BOB LAHL Planning and Administration Manager Information Technology Division Georgia Student Finance Commission

Update on Capture and Edit Process Purge prior years data before new year process System automatically create backup copy of DB (MMDDYYYYHHMMSS-all.bls) Verify current version 1.27 Designed to allow schools with no SIS to data enter required student transcript data Download via STARS system – (WinZip required) Allows schools to view / update transcript data Automatic update to missing / incorrectly formatted field Import / Exports data in standard Xap file layout

Update on Capture and Edit Process Version # 1.27

Update on Capture and Edit Process Designed to allow schools with no SIS to data enter required student transcript data School Information Term Information Student Information Academic course history

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process Download via STARS system Full version Update Latest version on STARS WinZip required to install program (www.winzip.com)

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process Allows schools to view /update SIS transcript data View / Update student data View / Update Course data Batch update data fields

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process Version # 1.27

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process Import / Exports data in standard Xap file layout

Update on Capture and Edit Process Version # 1.27

Update on Capture and Edit Process

Update on Capture and Edit Process Version # 1.27

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS 2008 Preliminary / Final process began on Sept. 17th Dual processing through April On-line report options for 2007 Final and 2008 Preliminary / Final New error report for ineligible POS / Diploma types Transcript load error report Prior Year graduate reports available

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS

Underclass transcript processing Ability for schools to upload underclass transcripts (currently testing) Process period to be determined Grade level on transcripts required Progress calculation only performed Progress reports for underclass students

Update on new process flow and report features on STARS NEW Reports to be released Prior year graduate reports (if processed electronically) Underclass Progress reports Underclass GACollege411 Progress report

Verification Tips Review School rules Review unverified eligible and ineligible list Review detail reports Review error reports / make corrections Review transcript load error report Verify both eligible and ineligible list

Overview of the previous graduate process CAYLEE FRENCH Senior Manager Origination Services Georgia Student Finance Commission

Overview of the previous graduate process Review of 2007 Out-of-state and Previous Graduate processing GSFC received over 1250 transcripts from students who graduated either from an out-of-state high school or before May 1, 2007. Completely manual process for calculations using an Excel Spreadsheet Time intensive due to the number of high schools that had to be contacted to gather additional information GSFC is now current on all out-of-state and prior year graduate transcript processing

Overview of the previous graduate process 2008 Out-of-state and Previous Graduate processing “Previous Graduates” are those students that graduated prior to December 1, 2006. High schools and counties that have the system capability to do so will be able to submit transcripts for previous year graduates electronically Submit under the 2008 Final heading and GSFC will separate them into a different database Schools will see reports on STARS with the previous graduate calculations and must verify the calculation Students will NOT be able to view calculation on GAcollege411.org, but will receive a letter Enhanced internal process for paper transcripts for previous and out of state graduates

Overview of the Transcript Exchange and HOPE GPA process DAVID LEE Vice President Research & Analysis Georgia Student Finance Commission

Overview of any Legislative updates Potential Legislative Issues May Include: Weighting of Honors Courses – Requiring Statewide Standards for Honors Courses Not Counting Technical College Courses Taken in High School Towards HOPE Hours Standardization of Public School Grading Scales Standardization of Public School Grade-Weighting Practices

Questions?