Growth is exciting. Whether it’s moving campuses, opening new programs, or expanding facilities, signing a new lease often feels like progress. But for institutions that participate in Title IV funding, that lease could come with an unexpected cost: a lower Composite Score Ratio (CSR). Thanks to changes in lease accounting under...
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) uses an institution’s Composite Score as a key component in its annual assessment of Financial Responsibility. However, with the introduction of new Financial Responsibility Triggers, ED may now require schools to recalculate their Composite Score more frequently. As a result, it’s more important than...
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...
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...
Introduction Financial Responsibility, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, is a condition of eligibility for a school participating in FSA programs, requiring that schools submit an audited financial statement to ED each year. Recently, the conditions for meeting these important requirements changed in ways that may add complexity to...
In response to the financial crisis in 2008, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) took action for revisiting the methodology for recognizing credit losses as the existing approach to estimating credit losses was determining whether such losses met the threshold of being “probable”, regardless of whether or not they were...
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) published the change in ownership (CIO) rule in the fourth quarter of 2022. The rule goes into effect July 1, 2023, and impacts every step of this process. It includes new notifications that are required before any CIO, an updated approval process, and requirements...