1. State Education Assistance Authority
State Update
State Education Assistance Authority
Elizabeth McDuffie
Wrightsville Beach
April 10, 2019

2. Today’s Topics Organizational Transitions FAFSA Volume Update
State of Aid in NC
Outreach
State Loan Program
Current Legislative Update
Red because I need to edit once done.

3. Organization Changes Transitions at College Foundation:
Mary Lane Coalson –retired
April Query –Regional and Community Services Manager
Brittany Privott – Regional Representative for area code 910

4. FAFSA Volume Trend
2016
2017
2018
2016
Updated per Traci 4/1/2019.

5. Total FAFSAs file by Dependency Status

6. NC State Grants – Undergraduates 2000-01 to 2018-19 (est)

7. Average Debt at Graduation
2012
2015
2017
2 Year Change
5 Year Change
North Carolina
23,893
25,645
26,526 3%
11%
% With Debt
59%
61%
57%
United States
29,400
30,100
28,650
-5%
-3%
71%
68%
65%
NC Average Debt
-19%
-15%
-7%
Compared to US Average
But I do not want to minimize the importance of a couple of ideas
Encourage savings to reduce borrowing
Use the “Smart Borrower Calculator” on CFNC to help students understand debt and repayment
Source: Project on Student Debt

8. New Programs Status Tuition Grants for NCSSM Graduates
Enroll at a UNC institution
Available for first year of study only
Grant reduced if total aid exceeds COA
Teaching Fellows
Similar number of applications as last year (over 200)
Same number of semi-finalists – 150
Offers made to 133 students for

9. Outreach
2019 Summer—Three seminars for school counselors focused on creating a college-going culture in their schools
Fall Counselor Training Workshops —October
Countdown to College (College Application Month) October 2019
Focus on completing FAFSA, Residency and Admissions applications
College Application Week ‒ Oct. 21−25, 2019

10. FINISH the FAFSA!
SEAA-led initiative with CFI to provide information to high school counselors about the FAFSA status of their seniors
Via CFNC, counselors can monitor if high school seniors have completed the FAFSA and remind non-completers
368 high schools participating representing more than 71,000 high school seniors
As of end of March, 48% FAFSA completion rate at FtF high schools v 42% at non-participating high schools

11. NC Assist Loans Interest rates same as last year
5.5% for parents
6.5% for students
Good credit score required
Maximum annual loan amount
Cost of Attendance minus other aid
Aggregate maximum = $120,000

12. Financial Aid Study Group
NCCCS and UNC group reviewed state grant programs
Recommendations forthcoming
Combine UNC Need-based and NCCCS Grants under one program name
Underlying appropriations to sectors would not change
Transition the UNC program to a more transparent program akin to CC grant that uses EFC to determine grants
Summer grant program
Bonus program for 30 hours in a year

13. Governor’s Budget
Senate Bill 452
House Bill 588

14. NC GROW (Getting Ready for Opportunities in the Workforce) Scholarships
Covers tuition for qualifying students in certain fields including, architecture and construction, health sciences, IT, electrical line worker, manufacturing programs
NC resident, unmet need for tuition/fees after state and federal aid applied
Administered by SEAA

15. NC GROW Financial Aid for Students Seeking Industry Credentials
Administered by NCCCS
State Board determines eligible programs of study
Architecture and construction, health sciences, IT, electrical line worker, manufacturing programs and other
Eligible short-term programs to be identified

16. Finish Line Grants
Grants of up to $1,000/year for financial emergencies that threaten student’s ability to remain enrolled to complete their program of study
State Board of CC, UNC Board of Governors, NC Independent Colleges and Universities shall administer the program and allocate resources for their respective sectors

17. Summer Scholarships for Student Success
State Board of CC and UNC Board of Governors to work with SEAA to develop program guidelines and determine the allocation of funds for their systems
SEAA to disburse to institutions
Program requirements:
Grants of up to $1,000 for summer enrollment
NC residents with min. GPA of 2.0
Grants targeted to accelerate their path to timely completion or to remain on track

18. Other Initiatives Teaching Fellows Program
Remove limitation of fields of study
Remove limitation of institutions
Expand eligibility for the NC Need- based Scholarship (NBS) to dependents of veterans or active duty members living in NC

19. Legislative Initiatives
Teaching Fellows Program
NCSSM Tuition Grant
Extend Grant Eligibility to Prisoners
High Achieving Tuition Scholarships
NC HOPE Tuition Program
Extend In-State Tuition Eligibility
Other

20. Teaching Fellows Program
Ideas in proposed legislation
Expand the number of colleges participating in TF
Add world languages to the eligible fields
Include students enrolled in cc’s for their first two years of college with plans to transfer and study education
Bills include: H236, H408, S400, S383

21. NC School of Science and Mathematics Tuition Grant
Two bills
Expand funding from one year to four years of eligibility
Tuition grant and other aid cannot exceed COA
One bill includes students attending NC institutions who participate in NBS; the other bill restricts eligibility to UNC institutions
Grant at a private institution would be restricted to the highest award for a student attending a UNC

22. Extending Grant Eligibility to Prisoners
UNC Need-Based Grants and NC Community College Grants
Extends eligibility to students enrolled in state prisons and local jails
Effective for
No new funds provided

23. High Achieving Tuition Scholarship
Goals
Encourage higher-performing students to attend community colleges
Utilize State’s educational resources to the fullest
Create more educational and career options
Realize significant costs-savings to the State
Develop a more competitive workforce
Eligibility
HS graduates with at least an unweighted 3.5 GPA in semester prior to enrolling at community college
No felony drug conviction
Award
Must complete FAFSA—award is reduced by other state and federal sources
Admission deferred if also accepted to a UNC
Effective fall semester 2020

24. NC HOPE Tuition Waiver
Waive the cost of tuition for up to two years for students who
Graduate from a cooperative innovative high school
Earn at least an associate degree prior to graduation from high school and
Meet enrollment requirements at ECSU, UNCP, or WCU
Purpose: Further assist eligible students and encourage attendance at the three NC Promise campuses
Waiver to be reduced is other grants/scholarships received if grant aid would exceed COA.

25. Extend In-State Tuition Benefits
Proposals to extend tuition benefits to:
Students living in neighboring counties along border of another state
Dependents of certain military
DACA students
Navy members who served on the USS North Carolina SSN 777

26. Other—Summer Funding
Proposed program: NC College Completes Scholarship (NCCCS?)
Summer aid with priority to students who have need and need courses to attain 30 credits or stay on track
Allocation:
$7m to UNCs
$3m to CCs

27. One-time scholarship for transfers with associate degrees
$1,000 to students who earn an associates degree prior to transferring from a NC community college to a UNC
Degree must be covered by an articulation agreement
Transfer must occur within 12 months of earning the degree
$4 million proposed
Effective for year……

28. Legislative Outcomes? Stayed tuned…..

29. Questions?

30. Spring Conference April 7 – 10, 2019