Washington Report

President Signs Economic Stimulus Bill With Student Aid Increases
President Obama has signed into law a $789 billion compromise economic stimulus package that includes increases in federal student financial aid programs. Read more.

Operations Bulletin

Webinar to Highlight Current Issues in the FFELP
America’s Student Loan Providers will host the second in a series of webinars for financial aid administrators regarding the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Scheduled for Feb. 26 from 1-2 p.m. Eastern time, the webinar will include an update on government programs to ensure uninterrupted access to federal student loans, as well as initiatives in the student loan community to help students and families manage repayment of student loans. Further details, including registration information, will be forthcoming from ASLP.

Debt-Management Perspectives

Nine Key Steps for Reviewing and Appealing Cohort Default Rate Information
With the recent release of 2007 draft cohort default rates, USA Funds suggests that schools compare their own records against the information from the U.S. Department of Education. Schools are advised to review the data and, if appropriate, submit an incorrect data challenge by taking nine key steps. Learn more.

USA Funds Update

USA Funds Awards $400,000 to National Scholarship Groups
USA Funds^® has awarded $400,000 in contributions to four national scholarship organizations that promote access to higher education for minority students. Read more.

Program Promotes Financial Literacy
When an extension educator for the University of Hawaii at Manoa learned that only about 10 percent of the upperclassmen she polled had previous formal financial literacy training, she and others on campus turned to USA Funds Life Skills^® for help. Read more.