The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Simplification Act made several changes to the FAFSA, including changing the formula for determining student financial assistance need and simplifying the application. The rollout of the redesigned 2024-2025 FAFSA application encountered issues that affected students' ability to apply for aid.…

Discusses a new set of indirect cost accounting procedures which must be followed by school districts wishing to recover any indirect costs of administering federal grants and contracts. Also discusses the amount of indirect costs that may be recovered, computing indirect costs, classifying project costs, and restricted grants. (Author/DN)

Four aspects of the relationship between auditing and evaluation in their approaches to program assessment are examined: (1) their different origins; (2) the definitions and purposes of both, and the questions they seek to answer; (3) contrasting viewpoints and emphases of auditors and evaluators; and (4) commonalities of interest and potential…

An independent audit was done of the principal financial statements of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program of the Department of Education for the year ending September 30, 1994. In planning and performing the review the auditors considered the internal control structure of the program in order to determine auditing procedures. The…

In 1997, United States Senator Barbara Boxer asked the General Accounting Office to address certain questions she had about education programs. The answers to her questions are provided in this report. The information centers on five areas: (1) the definitions and criteria used to identify the number of federal education programs and departments…

This handbook was developed for use by sponsors of Bureau of Work Programs such as Operation Mainstream, New Careers, Special Impact Programs, Work Experience Programs, Concentrated Employment Programs and Community Action Programs. Included are the audit requirements of the Manpower Administration, an accounting manual designed for effective…

Two attorneys discuss compliance issues surrounding the new rules concerning return of Title IV funds. They explain the calculation process and identify emerging legal issues and risk factors, including determination of student withdrawal rates, allowances for leaves of absence, the handling of inadvertent overpayments, and student grant repayment…

The U.S. Department of Education's financial management environment and effectiveness are described, together with the reliability of its accounting and internal control systems for the management of the money it gives or lends to schools, individual students, states, and local education agencies. The study found that key accounting and related…

In fiscal year 1995, Head Start--the centerpiece of federal early childhood programs--was appropriated $3.5 billion to provide a range of services to eligible, preschool-aged children from low-income families. Since 1990, Congress increased funding for Head Start by 135 percent to allow more children the opportunity to participate and to improve…

The primary reason for the Federal Highway Administration Cooperative Education Program is to work with colleges and universities in developing preprofessional personnel by assigning work projects which complement academic study. Primary responsibility for the program rests with the Office of Personnel and Training, with on-the-job supervision…

Internal controls are important to ensure your Parent Center's resources are well protected. Steps should be taken to ensure that finance transactions are authorized by management, executed properly and on time, and recorded appropriately. Some centers may not have staff with all of the titles used in the procedures presented in this paper.…

This document provides guidelines for operating Youth Conservation Corps programs under both the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. The guide contains 11 units that cover the following topics: (1) enrollees; (2) enrollee payroll; (3) enrollee problems; (4) Youth Conservation Corps staff; (5) accounting; (6) operations; (7)…

Cooperative activities involving the States and the U.S. Office of Education have been a tradition since the establishment of the Office. In recent years the scope, extent, and magnitude of such programs have increased substantially. These programs provide grants for vocational education; rural library services; the improvement of science,…

This manual provides detailed information on how local non-profit organizations can sponsor licensed family day care homes for participation in the federally funded Child Care Food Program. This program subsidizes the provision of nutritious meals to children who are not in school. The introductory section of the manual answers basic questions…

The administration of the Law Enforcement Education Program was investigated. The program was managed by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration until May 1980, when it was transferred to the new Department of Education. The program provides grants and loans to students enrolled in college programs leading to degrees in law enforcement or…