<p>The U.S. Department of Education recently announced the availablility of new grants beginning July 1, 2006, to Pell grant eligiible students.</p>
<p>"Math, Science and foreign language skills are the new currency in our global economy."</p>
<p>These days, it is more important than ever to build those cultural bridges - glad to see that language study is included along with math and science. </p>
<p>thanks for the link asteriskea - this is great news for everyone. </p>
<p>I just did a quick read but it seemed like the grants for first and second year college students are for anyone who meets the requirement academically and the third and fourth year grants are for people who qualify and eligible for Pell grants. </p>
<p>Did I read that correctly?</p>
<p>I don't believe your interpretation is the correct one. Sorry :( I read through both links. It looks like grants are only for those students who are eligible for Pell grants AND meet the qualifications of these additional grants.</p>
<p>Oh, thanks - I read it again and see that. I thought it seemed odd, but then again you never know what goes on in the DoE!</p>
<p>Edited to say it is about time that they realized the Pell grant does not go very far in terms of tuition these days!</p>
<p>""Math, Science and foreign language skills are the new currency in our global economy."</p>
<p>Glad to see the new currency. The old one was business and law.</p>
<p>From what I can tell, students who are eligible for Pell grants will be notified of their potential eligibility for these new grants either by mail or e-mail. Students have to plug in all their information on the forms found on the FAFSA website. Hopefully, the new currency will translate into real money for our kids and at the same time promote academic excellence and multi-cultural understanding for a wider pool of students and not just spread around money for those that will be getting large amounts of merit or other grant money under other programs. What we don't want here is more government redundancy. </p>
<p>I really do hope this is a successful program, if for no other reason because I just hate the image of the ugly American that dominates the media image of America at times - these days, even Superman isn't exempt. Living abroad, the importance of speaking different languages really hits home - I don't think anyone will dispute the importance of fluency in Spanish, German, or French in today's world - and it is high time that existing programs promoting more exotic, but nonetheless strategically important, languages such as Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, and Turkish, as well as Japanese and Portuguese got their due. While I agree that this is good news, as with everything else, the government's announcement of this grant program is not without its critics:</p>
<p>This following DOE page leads to a few other links for other language programs and grants:</p>
<p>This faq link addresses the basic questions related to the new Academic Competitiveness Grants. </p>
<p>Received our e-mail today (7-1). The notification says that based on SAR, D could be eligible. Will be filling out forms shortly.</p>
<p>From the Washington Times:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Arlington public schools will begin teaching Chinese and Arabic this summer through a University of Maryland grant that promotes "undertaught, critical languages."
The Northern Virginia school system was among 34 nationwide to receive a Startalk grant from the university's National Foreign Language Center.
In conjunction with Northern Virginia Community College, Arlington will offer three-week courses to high school students who have no experience in either foreign language or are enrolled in Arabic I or Chinese I.
"As the world is evolving today, from a political and economic perspective, we need additional languages in order to interact with others in the world," said Betsy Hart, associate director of the language center.
Education in foreign languages other than French, German or Spanish is in demand, but schools are having difficulty finding qualified teachers because of a national shortage....</p>
<p>"We've been lucky," Mrs. Ullrich said, adding that a partnership with Northern Virginia Community College helps meet demands.
Students receive credit from their school and the community college for Arabic and Chinese classes, which are taught through the community college during the regular school year.
The University of Maryland's language center also awarded Startalk grants to the community college and to the teaching council, which will work with Choate Rosemary Hall, a private school in Connecticut, said Ms. Abbott, a former foreign-language coordinator for Fairfax County Public Schools.
Being fluent in a language doesn't necessarily mean a person can teach it, she added.
"I couldn't teach a class in English," said Ms. Abbott, who taught Latin and Spanish.
[/quote]
</p>
<pre><code>http://www.washtimes.com/metro/20070412-104210-9316r.htm
</code></pre>
<p>Here is a link for related critical language and Dept. of State scholarship info:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sras.org/news2.phtml?m=576%5B/url%5D">http://www.sras.org/news2.phtml?m=576</a></p>
<p>""Math, Science and foreign language skills are the new currency in our global economy."</p>
<p>...which is why math education, science education, and language education on the K-12 level should also be part of this program, so that our now non-globally ready students will become globally ready.</p>
<p>We've had several threads in the last 12 months alone discussing the sometimes desperate situation with regard to math & science teaching, and the LACK OF INCENTIVES for students in math & science to apply that to teaching. The particular emphasis on teaching these fields should be not only added to the AC grant; that should be the highest level of award. Since these thousands of math/science majors I see entering & exiting colleges are apparently not interested in living in a country where their fellow citizens are also math/science fluent, then only money will "talk."</p>
<p>Four things have to happen in this regard, though:
(1) There have to be combined math/science + education undergraduate programs in all states. (Many NE colleges offer varieties of core + education training degrees; all states should have this, and it should include any core teaching area.) </p>
<p>(2) Students in those programs would receive the highest level of AC grant.</p>
<p>(3) Graduates of those programs would receive an additional federal stipend (as it's in the nation's interest) on top of a teaching salary, for the first 5 continuous years in which they are publicly employed teaching math & science in the K-12 level.</p>
<p>(4) Math/science (particularly math) pedagogy has to be re-examined & overhauled, to include foreign methodology (speaking of global).</p>
<p>Regarding language, it's not just important to know Arabic & various Chinese languages. It's also important to be able to teach <em>English</em> to the immigrants from various lands now living here & struggling in school, and affecting our native speakers in schools. (Forget their learning higher level math & science, btw.) The Federal Government has yet to recognize, or to give 2 figs, that this is a crisis. The same particulars above should apply to ESL, EFL, and ELL teachers on the k-12 level.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Received our e-mail today (7-1). The notification says that based on SAR, D could be eligible. Will be filling out forms shortly.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>EJR, before spending much time on more forms, you may want to check if there is a BENEFIT for a student who attends a school that meets 100% of need. While I have not studied the details of this program, it does not appear that it will change anything for students who are not gapped, as the only difference might be a reduction of the school grants. Many schools will not change the minimum summer earning expectations, so that leaves only a possible reduction in loans. </p>
<p>Better check with the financial aid office on how they plan to address this new grant.</p>
<p>The ACG is not supposed to reduce university grants, but it can reduce loans, so this is an improvement....you have to pay back the loans later, you never pay back the grant and if you stay in a qualifying major, you can bump from $1500 the first two years to $4k the last two years! Some schools will also increase your COA by adding computers and summer school and other real & justifiable costs, so you would then have "room" for the ACG.</p>
<p>There ought not to be many forms, it is the FAFSA which plugs you in for eligibility, but do follow up with finaid if you think you are eligible, it is new, they are new at administering the grant, you may have to point out how you qualify- for instance, your number of units might not match the first time, until they subtract out APs, etc.</p>
<p>Somemom, is there something in the ACG documentation that would preclude it to work in a manner similar to the Pell and SEOG Grants? Why would schools be prohibited to reduce their grants by the amount of the ACG since that is what they do with the Pell and SEOG, at least at private schools? </p>
<p>I very seriously doubt that this program would work like an OUTSIDE scholarship that is earned after the financial aid packages are determined. I fear that this money will be disbursed to the schools 'on behalf' of the students. I also fear that the increase of the COA will not be permitted as the ACG is a federal grant. </p>
<p>I hope to be very mistaken. :D</p>
<p>NB See post 4 and 6 in this thread:</p>
<p>
[quote]
Post 4:
it took until nearly the 2nd quarter for the ACG to appear on my son's financial aid offer. & in the end it the school simply reduced the amount of need based scholarships/grants by the amount of the ACG. His loan amount, work study amount, etc stayed the same. He does go to a school that meets 100% of need. I was told last year that it took schools awhile to figure out who was eligible for the ACG and that was what delayed ACG appearing on the finaid paperwork. Though I was surprised that it didn't reduce what my son has to pay, but instead reduced grants/scholarships. I'm not sure if it matters but he's at a school where I believe everyone would meet the "rigorous program" criteria. Good luck.</p>
<p>Post 6:
the ACG is federal money but my son's school subtracted it from the institutional money. It might be handled differently depending on schools, depending on whether they meet 100% of need or not(but also keep in mind I'm talking about last year and he received his finaid award in December & I don't think anyone knew about the ACG until January). I would think that if a school does not meet 100% of need they would subtract the ACG from unmet need. if 100% of need is met then they would subtract ACG from institutional grants/scholarships. That's just my guess. I think its worth a call to the schools that did not list ACG on the award. Are the Pell Grants all the financial aid awards you've received? Just wondering if maybe some schools just added to the Pell Grant and didn't show the ACG separately. </p>
<p>Also as I write this I think "subtract" is probably the wrong word to use..it might be better to say "reduce the amount of institutional aid" rather than subtract. Maybe its too early in the morning. I guess what I really want to say is that if the school has already met 100% of need ACG is not going to make a difference in the finaid award. The amount due from parents will probably be unchanged by the ACG. If the school does not meet 100% of need then being elligible for the ACG should be beneficial.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Pretty clear how the ACG works at Stanford:</p>
<p>See Page 6 of downloadable handbook available at <a href="http://www.stanford.edu/dept/finaid/pdf/08FAOhdbook.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.stanford.edu/dept/finaid/pdf/08FAOhdbook.pdf</a></p>
<p>Federal and State Grants</p>
<p>In addition to outside scholarships, you may be eligible
to receive need-based funding from government agencies.
The federal government provides Federal Pell Grants,
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG),
Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG) and National
SMART Grants. California, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Vermont, and other states provide grant funding to college-
bound state residents based on financial need. </p>
<p>You are expected to apply for all funds for which you may be
eligible. If you are eligible for government grants but fail
to apply for or accept such funds, we are not obligated to
cover the resulting shortfall with institutional funds. By
filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA), you are automatically considered for the federal
grants.
California residents who have been out of high school for
less than two years must apply for Cal Grant consideration.
This includes current Stanford freshmen, unless they
already have been awarded a Cal Grant. To apply for a
Cal Grant, file the FAFSA and have your grade point
average from your high school sent to the California
Student Aid Commission (CSAC). Grade point average
verification forms are available in high school counseling
offices and in our Financial Aid Office. The deadline for
completing the FAFSA and mailing the grade point average
form is March 2, 2007. Students who apply for a Cal
Grant but are denied should submit their letter of rejection
from the California Student Aid Commission to us; in
some cases, we can appeal this decision.</p>
<p>Federal grants, Cal grants and other state grants are considered
to be direct resources meeting your financial need.
These grants do not reduce the self-help expectation in
your aid award or your family contribution.</p>
<p>Kiddos received the ACG this year. OOS public and the private both used them the same way. The ACG was treated as an outside scholarship. It did NOT reduce the institutions' grant/scholarship/merit award. Lowered the FWS since neither student had loans. OOS public and private both would have used it toward loans first and then if none went to work study. Since child at the private had additional outside scholarships that had already reduced his workstudy to zero and had additional monies in addition, the ACG was combined with the remaining funds to be applied to a laptop purchased from the student store.</p>
<p>So even though the two schools are on opposite sides of the country, OOS public vs. ivy, they both applied the ACG in the same manner.</p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>might be confusing for some who don't have work study, The ACG money was recieved by school and awarded later in the year for both students. So FA office reduced FWS amount in package and cut a check for the ACG amount rather than having the student work for the money. Hope that explains it better.</p>