Understanding Financial Aid Award Letters

Free download: Help students understand award letters

With deadlines to accept financial packages looming, are your students confused about award letters?  Here are some tips and a free handout to walk students through their letters: 

Make sure students check the deadline. Most colleges and universities require a response by May 1.

Explain the differences between these kinds of financial aid:

• Grants and scholarships
• Loans
• Work study

Help students understand next steps: In addition to a signed copy of the award letter, is the school asking for other paperwork?

Free handout: Download our “Understanding Award Letters” handout, including a sample award letter, here.

One piece of information missing in this resource is the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans. You may also want to share the above link with parents to help them understand the difference.

Legislative Update on State Assessment

HF 2235 - State Assessment - This bill requires that the State Board of Education adopt administrative rules designating the “assessment developed by the Iowa Testing Programs within the University of Iowa College of Education and administered by the Iowa Testing Programs’ designee” as Iowa’s statewide/summative assessment for accountability. The bill requires that the assessment must be aligned to the Iowa Core academic standards; accurately describe student achievement and growth; be available in both paper-and-pencil computer-based formats; and meet the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

The bill also requires that the designated assessment must be peer-reviewed by an independent, third-party evaluator to determine that it is aligned with the Iowa Core academic standards and meets the summative assessment requirements of ESSA. If the third-party evaluator determines that the assessment from Iowa Testing Programs is not aligned or does not meet the requirements of ESSA, then Iowa Testing Programs must “make any necessary adjustments as determined by the peer review” in order to meet those requirements. The assessment would be administered in the last quarter of the 2018-2019 school year.

A few highlights pulled out:

• All students in grades 3-11 must take a math assessment and ELA assessment that includes reading and writing
• Students in grade 5, 8 and 10 must take a science assessment
• Testing will take place during the last quarter of the school year
• The assessment must be aligned in content and rigor with the Iowa/Common Core
• Include assessments in reading, writing, science, and math
• The assessment must be available in both paper and computer format
• If a peer review determines the Iowa test does not meet these requirements, Iowa Testing must make necessary adjustments
• The assessment would be administered in the last quarter of the 2018-2019 school year.
• The assessment must meet ESSA requirements

ADAH Summary Sheet

Here is a brief summary of ADHD.  You may have something like this already but if not, it may be an option for your use.