34 C.F.R. PART 646—STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM
Title 34 - Education
Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14, unless otherwise noted.
Source: 61 FR 38537, July 24, 1996, unless otherwise noted.
The Student Support Services Program provides grants for projects designed to— (a) Increase the retention and graduation rates of eligible students; (b) Increase the transfer rate of eligible students from two-year to four-year institutions; and (c) Foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of low-income and first generation college students and individuals with disabilities through services such as those described in §646.4. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) An institution of higher education or a combination of institutions of higher education is eligible to receive a grant to carry out a Student Support Services project. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) A student is eligible to participate in a Student Support Services project if the student meets all of the following requirements: (a) Is a citizen or national of the United States or meets the residency requirements for Federal student financial assistance. (b) Is enrolled at the grantee institution or accepted for enrollment in the next academic term at that institution. (c) Has a need for academic support, as determined by the grantee, in order to pursue successfully a postsecondary educational program. (d) Is— (1) A low-income individual; (2) A first generation college student; or (3) An individual with disabilities. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) A Student Support Services project may provide services such as: (a) Instruction in reading, writing, study skills, mathematics, and other subjects necessary for success beyond secondary school. (b) Personal counseling. (c) Academic advice and assistance in course selection. (d) Tutorial services and counseling and peer counseling. (e) Exposure to cultural events and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students. (f) Activities designed to acquaint students participating in the project with the range of career options available. (g) Activities designed to secure admission and financial assistance for enrollment in graduate and professional programs. (h) Activities designed to assist students currently enrolled in two-year institutions in securing admission and financial assistance for enrollment in a four-year program of postsecondary education. (i) Mentoring programs involving faculty or upper class students, or any combination of faculty members and upper class students. (j) Programs and activities as described in paragraphs (a) through (i) of this section that are specifically designed for students of limited English proficiency. (k) Other activities designed to meet the purposes of the Student Support Services Program stated in §646.1. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a project period under the Student Support Services Program is four years. (b) The Secretary approves a project period of five years for applicants that score in the highest ten percent of all applicants approved for new grants under the criteria in §646.21. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11) The following regulations apply to the Student Support Services Program: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 85 and 86. (b) The regulations in this part 646. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) (a) Definitions in the Act. The following terms used in this part are defined in sections 402(A)(g), 481, or 1201(a) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended:
First generation college student Institution of higher education Low-income individual (b) Definitions in EDGAR. The following terms used in this part are defined in 34 CFR 77.1:
Applicant Application Award Budget Budget Period Department EDGAR Equipment Facilities Fiscal year Grant Grant Period Grantee Project Project period Public Secretary Supplies (c) Other definitions. The following definitions also apply to this part: Academic need with reference to a student means a student whom the grantee determines needs one or more of the services stated under §646.4 to succeed in a postsecondary educational program. Combination of institutions of higher education means two or more institutions of higher education that have entered into a cooperative agreement for the purpose of carrying out a common objective, or an entity designated or created by a group of institutions of higher education for the purpose of carrying out a common objective on their behalf. Different Campus means an institutional site that is geographically apart from and independent of the main campus of the institution. The Secretary considers a location of an institution to be independent of the main campus if the location— (1) Is permanent in nature; (2) Offers courses in educational programs leading to a degree, certificate, or other recognized educational credential; (3) Has its own faculty and administrative or supervisory organization; and (4) Has its own budgetary and hiring authority. Different population of participants means a group of— (1) Low-income, first-generation college students; or (2) Disabled students. Individual with disabilities means a person who has a diagnosed physical or mental impairment that substantially limits that person's ability to participate in the educational experiences and opportunities offered by the grantee institution. Limited English proficiency with reference to an individual, means a person whose native language is other than English and who has sufficient difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language to deny that individual the opportunity to learn successfully in classrooms in which English is the language of instruction. Participant means an individual who— (1) Is determined to be eligible to participate in the project under §646.3; and (2) Receives project services that the grantee has determined to be sufficient to increase the individual's chances for success in a postsecondary educational program. Sufficient financial assistance means the amount of financial aid offered a Student Support Services student, inclusive of Federal, State, local, private, and institutional aid which, together with parent or student contributions, is equal to the cost of attendance as determined by a financial aid officer at the institution. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) The Secretary accepts more than one application from an eligible applicant so long as each additional application describes a project that serves a different campus, or a different population of participants who cannot readily be served by a single project. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) An applicant shall assure in its application that— (a) At least two-thirds of the students it will serve in its Student Support Services project will be— (1) Low-income individuals who are first generation college students; or (2) Individuals with disabilities; (b) The remaining students it will serve will be low-income individuals, first generation college students, or individuals with disabilities; (c) Not less than one-third of the individuals with disabilities will be low—income individuals; and (d) Each student participating in the project will be offered sufficient financial assistance to meet that student's full financial need. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) (a) The Secretary evaluates an application for a new grant as follows: (1)(i) The Secretary evaluates the application on the basis of the selection criteria in §646.21. (ii) The maximum score for all the criteria in §646.21 is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. (2)(i) If an application for a new grant proposes to continue to serve substantially the same population or campus that the applicant is serving under an expiring grant, the Secretary evaluates the applicant's prior experience in delivering services under the expiring grant on the basis of the criteria in §646.22. (ii) The maximum score for all the criteria in §646.22 is 15 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses with the criterion. (b) The Secretary makes new grants in rank order on the basis of the applications' total scores under paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section. (c) If the total scores of two or more applications are the same and there is insufficient money available to fully fund them both after funding the higher-ranked applications, the Secretary chooses among the tied applications so as to serve geographic areas that have been underserved by the Student Support Services Program. (d) The Secretary does not make grants to applicants that carried out a Federal TRIO program project that involved the fraudulent use of funds. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) The Secretary uses the following criteria to evaluate an application for a new grant: (a) Need for the project (24 points). The Secretary evaluates the need for a Student Support Services project proposed at the applicant institution on the basis of the extent to which the application contains clear evidence of— (1) (8 points) A high number or percentage, or both, of students enrolled or accepted for enrollment at the applicant institution who meet the eligibility requirements of §646.3; (2) (8 points) The academic and other problems that eligible students encounter at the applicant institution; and (3) (8 points) The differences between eligible Student Support Services students compared to an appropriate group, based on the following indicators: (i) Retention and graduation rates. (ii) Grade point averages. (iii) Graduate and professional school enrollment rates (four-year colleges only). (iv) Transfer rates from two-year to four-year institutions (two-year colleges only). (b) Objectives (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the applicant's proposed project objectives on the basis of the extent to which they— (1) (2 points) Include performance, process and outcome objectives relating to each of the purposes of the Student Support Services Program stated in §646.1; (2) (2 points) Address the identified needs of the proposed participants; (3) (2 points) Are clearly described, specific, and measurable; and (4) (2 points) Are ambitious but attainable within each budget period and the project period given the project budget and other resources. (c) Plan of operation (30 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the applicant's plan of operation on the basis of the following: (1) (3 points) The plan to inform the institutional community (students, faculty, and staff) of the goals, objectives, and services of the project and the eligibility requirements for participation in the project. (2) (3 points) The plan to identify, select, and retain project participants with academic need. (3) (4 points) The plan for assessing each individual participant's need for specific services and monitoring his or her academic progress at the institution to ensure satisfactory academic progress. (4) (10 points) The plan to provide services that address the goals and objectives of the project. (5) (10 points) The applicant's plan to ensure proper and efficient administration of the project, including the organizational placement of the project; the time commitment of key project staff; the specific plans for financial management, student records management, and personnel management; and, where appropriate, its plan for coordination with other programs for disadvantaged students. (d) Institutional commitment (16 points). The Secretary evaluates the institutional commitment to the proposed project on the basis of the extent to which the applicant has— (1) (6 points) Committed facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, and other resources to supplement the grant and enhance project services; (2) (6 points) Established administrative and academic policies that enhance participants' retention at the institution and improve their chances of graduating from the institution; (3) (2 points) Demonstrated a commitment to minimize the dependence on student loans in developing financial aid packages for project participants by committing institutional resources to the extent possible; and (4) (2 points) Assured the full cooperation and support of the Admissions, Student Aid, Registrar and data collection and analysis components of the institution. (e) Quality of personnel (9 points). To determine the quality of personnel the applicant plans to use, the Secretary looks for information that shows— (1) (3 points) The qualifications required of the project director, including formal education and training in fields related to the objectives of the project, and experience in designing, managing, or implementing Student Support Services or similar projects; (2) (3 points) The qualifications required of other personnel to be used in the project, including formal education, training, and work experience in fields related to the objectives of the project; and (3) (3 points) The quality of the applicant's plan for employing personnel who have succeeded in overcoming barriers similar to those confronting the project's target population. (f) Budget (5 points). The Secretary evaluates the extent to which the project budget is reasonable, cost-effective, and adequate to support the project. (g) Evaluation plan (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of the evaluation plan for the project on the basis of the extent to which— (1) The applicant's methods for evaluation— (i) (2 points) Are appropriate to the project and include both quantitative and qualitative evaluation measures; and (ii) (2 points) Examine in specific and measurable ways, using appropriate baseline data, the success of the project in improving academic achievement, retention and graduation of project participants; and (2) (4 points) The applicant intends to use the results of an evaluation to make programmatic changes based upon the results of project evaluation. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) (a) In the case of an application described in §646.20(a)(2)(i), the Secretary reviews information relating to an applicant's performance under its expiring Student Support Services project. This information may come from performance reports, site visit reports, project evaluation reports, and any other verifiable information submitted by the applicant. (b) The Secretary evaluates the applicant's prior experience in achieving the goals of the Student Support Services Program on the basis of the following criteria: (1) (4 points) The extent to which project participants persisted toward completion of the academic programs in which they were enrolled. (2) (4 points) The extent to which project participants met academic performance levels required to stay in good academic standing at the grantee institution. (3) (4 points) (i) For four-year institutions, the extent to which project participants graduated; and (ii) For two-year institutions, the extent to which project participants either graduated or transferred to four-year institutions. (4) (3 points) The extent to which the applicant has met the administrative requirements—including recordkeeping, reporting, and financial accountability—under the terms of the previously funded award. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a–14) (a) The Secretary sets the amount of a grant on the basis of— (1) 34 CFR 75.232 and 75.233, for new grants; and (2) 34 CFR 75.253, for the second and subsequent years of a project period. (b) If the circumstances described in section 402A(b)(3) of the HEA exist, the Secretary uses the available funds to set the amount of the grant at the lesser of— (1) $170,000; or (2) The amount requested by the applicant. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11) The cost principles that apply to the Student Support Services Program are in 34 CFR part 74, subpart Q. Allowable costs include the following if they are reasonably related to the objectives of the project: (a) Cost of remedial and special classes if— (1) These classes are not otherwise available at the grantee institution; (2) Are limited to eligible project participants; and (3) Project participants are not charged tuition for classes paid for by the project. (b) Courses in English language instruction for students of limited English proficiency if these classes are limited to eligible project participants and not otherwise available at the grantee institution. (c) In-service training of project staff. (d) Activities of an academic or cultural nature, such as field trips, special lectures, and symposiums, that have as their purpose the improvement of the participants' academic progress and personal development. (e) Transportation of participants and staff to and from approved educational and cultural activities sponsored by the project. (f) Purchase of computer hardware, computer software, or other equipment to be used for student development, student records and project administration if the applicant demonstrates to the Secretary's satisfaction that the equipment is required to meet the objectives of the project more economically or efficiently. (g) Professional development travel for staff if directly related to the project's overall purpose and activities, except that these costs may not exceed four percent of total project salaries. The Secretary may adjust this percentage if the applicant demonstrates to the Secretary's satisfaction that a higher percentage is necessary and reasonable. (h) Project evaluation that is directly related to assessing the project's impact on student achievement and improving the delivery of services. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) Costs that may not be charged against a grant under the Student Support Services Program include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) Costs involved in recruiting students for enrollment at the institution. (b) Tuition, fees, stipends, and other forms of direct financial support for staff or participants. (c) Research not directly related to the evaluation or improvement of the project. (d) Construction, renovation, or remodeling of any facilities. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–14) (a) Eligibility of participants. (1) A grantee shall determine the eligibility of each participant in the project when the individual is selected to participate. The grantee does not have to revalidate a participant's eligibility after the participant's initial selection. (2) A grantee shall determine the low-income status of an individual on the basis of the documentation described in section 402A(e) of the Higher Education Act. (3) A grantee may not serve any individual who is receiving the same services from another Federal TRIO program. (b) Recordkeeping. A grantee shall maintain participant records that show— (1) The basis for the grantee's determination that each participant is eligible to participate in the project under §646.3; (2) The grantee's basis for determining the academic need for each participant; (3) The services that are provided to each participant; and (4) The performance and progress of each participant by cohort for the duration of the participant's attendance at the grantee institution. (c) Project director. (1) A grantee shall employ a full-time project director unless paragraph (c)(3) of this section applies. (2) The grantee shall give the project director sufficient authority to administer the project effectively. (3) The Secretary waives the requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if the applicant demonstrates that the requirement will hinder coordination— (i) Among the Federal TRIO programs; or (ii) Between the programs funded under sections 404A through 410 of the Higher Education Act and similar programs funded through other sources. (d) Project coordination. (1) The Secretary encourages grantees to coordinate project services with other programs for disadvantaged students operated by the grantee institution provided the Student Support Services grant funds are not used to support activities reasonably available to the general student population. (2) To the extent practical, the grantee may share staff with programs serving similar populations provided the grantee maintains appropriate records of staff time and effort and does not commingle grant funds. (3) Costs for special classes and events that would benefit Student Support Services students and participants in other programs for disadvantaged students must be proportionately divided among the benefiting projects. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–11 and 1070a)
Title 34: Education
PART 646—STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM
Section Contents
§ 646.1 What is the Student Support Services Program?
§ 646.2 Who is eligible to receive a grant?
§ 646.3 Who is eligible to participate in a Student Support Services project?
§ 646.4 What activities and services may a project provide?
§ 646.5 How long is a project period?
§ 646.6 What regulations apply?
§ 646.7 What definitions apply?
§ 646.10 How many applications for a Student Support Services award may an eligible applicant submit?
§ 646.11 What assurances must an applicant include in an application?
§ 646.20 How does the Secretary decide which new grants to make?
§ 646.21 What selection criteria does the Secretary use to evaluate an application?
§ 646.22 How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?
§ 646.23 How does the Secretary set the amount of a grant?
§ 646.30 What are allowable costs?
§ 646.31 What are unallowable costs?
§ 646.32 What other requirements must a grantee meet?
Subpart A—General
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§ 646.1 What is the Student Support Services Program?
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§ 646.2 Who is eligible to receive a grant?
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§ 646.3 Who is eligible to participate in a Student Support Services project?
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§ 646.4 What activities and services may a project provide?
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§ 646.5 How long is a project period?
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§ 646.6 What regulations apply?
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§ 646.7 What definitions apply?
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Subpart B—How Does One Apply for an Award?
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§ 646.10 How many applications for a Student Support Services award may an eligible applicant submit?
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§ 646.11 What assurances must an applicant include in an application?
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Subpart C—How Does the Secretary Make a Grant?
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§ 646.20 How does the Secretary decide which new grants to make?
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§ 646.21 What selection criteria does the Secretary use to evaluate an application?
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§ 646.22 How does the Secretary evaluate prior experience?
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§ 646.23 How does the Secretary set the amount of a grant?
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Subpart D—What Conditions Must Be Met by a Grantee?
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§ 646.30 What are allowable costs?
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§ 646.31 What are unallowable costs?
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§ 646.32 What other requirements must a grantee meet?
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