U.S. Department of Education Requires Higher Education Institutions to Post CARES Act Funding Information on Websites

Sunday, May 10, 2020

On May 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued an electronic announcement directing institutions receiving funds under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), as established by Section 18004 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to post information regarding such funds to institutional websites. These website disclosures are being mandated by ED pursuant to Section 18004(e) of the CARES Act and Section 4(c) of the Certification and Agreement for the emergency student grants portion of an institution’s HEERF allocation.

Within 30 days after the date when an institution received its HEERF allocation for emergency student grants, the institution must provide the following information on its primary website in an easily accessible format and location, and must update the information every 45 days thereafter:

 

1. Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology, Inc has signed and returned to ED the Certification and Agreement and the assurance that the institution will use no less than 50 percent of the funds received under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.

2. The total amount of funds that the institution will receive is $38,868.00, from ED pursuant to the institution’s Certification and Agreement for Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students.

3. The total amount of Emergency Financial Aid Grants distributed to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act as of the date of receipt will be $38,868.00, once funds are received.

4. The estimated total number of students at the institution eligible to participate in programs under Section 484 in Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and thus eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, is 21.

5. The total number of students who have received an Emergency Financial Aid Grant under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act, is currently 0 as we await funding.

6. The method(s) used by the institution to determine which students receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive under Section 18004(a)(1) of the CARES Act. Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology will use a formula based on remaining hours in the program to distribute the funds. Each student is eligible and will be paid a portion based on where they fall in the number of hours remaining in the Cosmetology Class.

7. Any instructions, directions or guidance provided by the institution to students concerning the Emergency Financial Aid Grants. Each student will be held accountable for the spending of such funds as intended by the Department of Education. These funds are primarily for ensuring you can and will participate in Distance Education. Each student will sign a letter of intent and understanding when the check is issued. If the choose not to participate and receive funds, they may decline.

Actual Document Students had to sign to get the funds:

CARES Higher Education Relief School Policy

 

The money assigned to Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology will be distributed evenly based on head count. This head count will be based on ALL enrolled Students on the date the money is received into our Operations Account.

 

ALL money will be distributed by checks written to each student. Each student wishing to receive funds will be required to sign a statement of intent. Then student will be required to cash or deposit their own checks. Each student will be responsible for how they spend these funds and for proof as to how these funds were spent.

Once ASNT&C issues the check, we no longer hold responsibility for such funds. Below is the Statement of Intent each Student will be required to sign.

Electronic Signatures will be accepted for this notice and this Statement of Intent.

 

 

Statement of Intent: I am a Student of Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology, I fully understand that these funds I am receiving are to be used to cover expenses associated with Distance Education, such expenses may be for example: Laptops, WI-FI access for my term of School, Online learning classes and or software, Daycare so I may properly attend my classes, Housing and Food after I have covered all needed Distance Education Expenses are met.  I further assert, by cashing or depositing the check for these funds, I will be held responsible for keeping all receipts and proof of how this money was spent.

 

_________________________________________           _______________________________________

Name Printed                                                                                    Signature/Date

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The electronic announcement also indicates that ED will provide further instructions for direct institutional reporting to ED, including a “30-day Fund Report” regarding individual Emergency Financial Aid Grant recipients and amounts. In preparing this 30-day Fund Report, institutions must use data suppression and other methodologies to comply with — and to protect the personally identifiable information contained in student education records under — the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99). For example, ED states that it does not expect institutions to report information about groups of 10 or fewer students. Similarly, if the total number of eligible students, the total of number of students who received emergency grants, or the difference between the two numbers is less than 10, then the institution should not display the number of students or the amount of emergency grants to students on publicly available website(s) controlled by the institution.