Finding Text
Finding: The District did not always accurately or timely report Program enrollment data. Criteria: Title 34, Section 685.309(a)(2), Code of Federal Regulations, requires the District to submit reports in accordance with deadlines established by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). The ED Dear Colleague Letter GEN 14-07 requires that enrollment information be requested from schools every 60 days and schools respond to those requests using the NSLDS within 15 days of the date that the ED sends the electronic enrollment reporting roster to the school or to the school?s designated third-party servicer. Schools have the ability to report enrollment data to the NSLDS by batch or online submission. The NSLDS permits schools to request enrollment information be sent more often than every 60 days and allows schools to enter ad-hoc updates to a student?s enrollment on the NSLDS Web site. In addition, effective supervisory oversight should include review and approval of enrollment data to verify the timeliness and accuracy of activity reported to the NSLDS. Condition: The District received enrollment information requests from the ED every 60 days and District procedures provided for financial aid personnel to update the student records on the NSLDS Web site using the online update function of the NSLDS Web site within 15 days of receiving the enrollment information from the ED. However, District personnel did not determine that enrollment records for students who enrolled or had enrollment status changes during the 2021-22 fiscal year were always timely reported in the NSLDS nor were supervisory review procedures established to verify the timeliness and accuracy of reported activity. From the population of 83 students who received Program funds and enrolled or had status enrollment changes during the 2021-22 fiscal year, we examined records related to 25 selected students to determine whether the District accurately and timely reported enrollment data using the NSLDS. We found that: ? As of July 19, 2022, the District had not reported enrollment to the NSLDS for 2 students and 306 days had elapsed since the 15-day deadline. ? The enrollment status changes for those 2 students and 2 other students were reported to the NSLDS 22 to 245 days, or an average of 127 days, after the 15-day deadline. Cause: Due to financial aid office staff changes and lack of effective supervisory oversight, student enrollment and enrollment status changes were not always timely and accurately reported. Effect: When the NSLDS is not timely provided correct enrollment information, the effectiveness of the NSLDS for monitoring and evaluating Program grant recipients is diminished. Recommendation: The District should enhance procedures to ensure that enrollment and enrollment status changes for Program grant recipients are timely reported in the NSLDS. Such enhancements should include appropriate training for financial aid office staff and supervisory review and approval to verify the timeliness and accuracy of the information reported. District Response: In response to the deficiency identified by this finding, the District will update the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) monthly to reflect Federal Financial Aid enrollment status changes and will ensure the delivery of appropriate training for financial aid office staff and supervisors.