Understanding Your Composite Score: 3 Key Drivers
August 22, 2024
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has been calculating an institution’s Composite Score as part of its annual assessment of Financial Responsibility. However, new Financial...
McClintock Minute
Featured Insights
Sign Up For Our Newsletter 
Why is ED Requiring Fiscal Year to Match Tax Year?
May 29, 2024
The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Dear Colleague Letter issued May 16, 2024 (Implementation of Regulations Related to Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, Certification Procedures, and...
Recent Articles
Explaining 2024-2025 Pell Grant Changes
August 27, 2024
One of the final pieces of the FAFSA Simplification Act has arrived, and with it, changes to Pell Grant processes beginning in the 2024/25 academic year. As the new award year unfolds, it’s crucial that your financial aid office is prepared to implement new compliance processes and updated calculations. McClintock’s...
Understanding Your Composite Score: 3 Key Drivers
August 22, 2024
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has been calculating an institution’s Composite Score as part of its annual assessment of Financial Responsibility. However, new Financial Triggers can cause ED to require a school to recalculate its Composite Score making it more important than ever to really understand how it is...
Understanding Gainful Employment Reporting Requirements
July 19, 2024
Understanding Gainful Employment Reporting Requirements: An Overview Gainful Employment (GE) reporting requirements have been a focal point of compliance challenges for postsecondary institutions since their introduction by the Department of Education (ED) in 2010. This is especially the case for those offering vocational and career-oriented programs. This article will delve into...
Resolution Required? Exploring Hidden Comment Codes
June 20, 2024
Navigating the financial aid process can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to decoding the myriad of ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record) Comment Codes that accompany the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These codes, which are essential for processing financial aid, often contain critical information that requires further...
Why is ED Requiring Fiscal Year to Match Tax Year?
May 29, 2024
The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Dear Colleague Letter issued May 16, 2024 (Implementation of Regulations Related to Financial Responsibility, Administrative Capability, Certification Procedures, and Ability to Benefit (ATB) | Knowledge Center), reinforces the proposed requirement by ED to align postsecondary institutions’ fiscal year end (FYE) with the institution’s tax...
In the realm of financial aid, change is a constant. The 2024/25 ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record) has brought about a notable adjustment — the removal of the housing question, specifically concerning living arrangements. This alteration, stemming from the FAFSA Simplification Act, prompts educational institutions to reconsider their approaches to...
Understanding the Department of Education Composite Score for Proprietary Institutions
April 26, 2024
Institutions of higher education, whether traditional universities or proprietary trade schools, are well familiar with U.S. Department of Education (ED) oversight. Annual filings and notification triggers are par for the course. For precisely this reason, it’s critical that we understand how the department assesses your finances so that you can prepare...
In October 2023, the Department announced an amendment to § 668.23(a) to require that audit reports are timely submitted, by the earlier of 30 days after the completion of the report or six months after the end of the institution’s fiscal year. Furthermore, when the regulations go into effect on July...