ISAC Pilot Program to Cut Paperwork, Manpower in High School Scholar Selection Process

Green government initiative “makes sense environmentally and financially"

SPRINGFIELD, IL –   A “green government” pilot program to reduce the paper and manpower involved in selecting the state’s high school scholars was announced today by Andrew Davis, Executive Director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

For decades, Illinois high schools have used snail mail to recommend students from their schools to ISAC for recognition as Illinois State Scholars, Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholars or Merit Recognition Scholars.  This year, 72,279 student scholar records were manually copied on 9,036 sheets of paper by more than 700 high schools, snail-mailed to ISAC at a cost of at least $1,500 and then hand-processed by ISAC staff.  This system requires reams of paper and countless hours of staff time by both high school guidance counselors and ISAC personnel.

Under the pilot unveiled today by Davis as part of ISAC’s broader Environmental Sustainability Plan, twenty high schools will be invited to transmit all of their student scholars’ data to ISAC – at no cost to the schools - using the Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange system.  Illinois is the first state in the Midwest and among the first in the nation to enable such data transmission. 

Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, Illinois, is the first school to sign up as a pilot participant.

“What better way to observe Earth Day than with a new initiative to save both trees and tax dollars?  This makes perfect sense environmentally and financially,” Davis said.  “We’re taking the first step in retiring the old ‘horse-and-buggy’ system of sending high school scholar records.”

The goal, Davis added, is for all Illinois high schools to transmit student scholar data electronically within three years.  The scholarship programs affected by the pilot program include:

• The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship, a federally-funded program administered by ISAC which provides scholarships of up to $1,500 for a maximum of four years to academically exceptional high school graduates.  In 2007, ISAC issued $1.54 million to 1,037 students;
• The Illinois State Scholar program, administered by ISAC since 1959.  These high school students are chosen according to class rank and test scores.  While there is currently no cash award for State Scholars, students are encouraged to cite the award on applications for college admissions and financial aid.  This year, ISAC recognized 18,178 Illinois State Scholars, and
• The Merit Recognition Scholarship program, a one-time $1,000 scholarship to the top five percent of Illinois high school graduates, pending available funding from the Illinois General Assembly.  Typically, there are about 5,000 students chosen as Merit Recognition Scholars, but there has been no funding for MRS since FY2005.

The high school scholar data will be transmitted via the Illinois Electronic Transcript Exchange operated as a public service by ISAC and available through the Illinois Mentor function of collegezone.com.

“These high school scholars are tech-savvy kids who grew up in an on-demand world.  It’s ironic that their records are being transmitted in such an antiquated manner,” Davis said.  “This pilot program will increase security of student records, expedite processing, and free up high school guidance counselors and ISAC staff to better serve students.”

Designed to enable high schools to send transcripts with a click of the mouse, the ETE is offered to all Illinois students, high schools and colleges at no cost.  As of March 1, 2008, 35 colleges and universities had joined 73 Illinois high schools in signing on to the electronic transcript exchange system.  The system allows students greater access to track the progress of their college applications, as well as greater privacy.

Davis encouraged students and their families to contact their high school guidance office to find out if their school participates in the ETE system yet.

Tomorrow, Davis will observe Earth Day by unveiling a comprehensive Environmental Sustainability Strategy for the 444-person agency. Davis will outline a range of long-term goals to:

• Increase paper recycling while decreasing the amount of paper used by 10 percent by employing such methods as electronic transmission of high school scholar records and transcripts, requiring use of double-side printing and eliminating fax cover sheets;
• Expand procurement of environmentally preferable products and services, purchase solar calculators for staff and convert to green cleaning supplies;
• Reduce fuel consumption by considering proximity to public transportation when scheduling meetings, as well as using videoconferencing, flextime and secure bike parking;
• Gradually replace its aging motor pool fleet with hybrids and other high-efficiency vehicles;
• Decrease energy and water consumption by using such methods as installing sleep timers on all computers and occupancy sensors in conference rooms, and planting drought-resistant vegetation at its Deerfield facility, and
• Increase employee awareness of recycling, include sustainability practices in new employee orientation, and set up an “ISAC Goes Green” intranet website for employees.

“Beginning today - Earth Day 2008 - I am changing the way I work and move through my day in a way that is more sensitive to our planet’s sustainability,” Davis vowed.  “The people we serve directly - the high school and college students of today - stand to lose the most in years to come if we fail to act creatively and decisively.  Electronic transmission of student scholar records and our long-range Environmental Sustainability Strategy are substantive steps in the green direction.”

Created in 1957, ISAC is the state’s central provider of college aid.  The agency oversees the successful Monetary Award Program (MAP), as well as the Illinois Veteran Grant program and service-related programs to encourage more students to pursue careers in teaching or nursing.  Last year, ISAC issued 185,000 grants totaling $448 million and guaranteed $1.2 billion in student loans.  Its 529 prepaid tuition program - College Illinois! - has allowed Illinois families to prepay more than $1 billion in tuition and fees.

About ISAC
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission is the State’s centralized provider of financial assistance aimed at helping students and families access postsecondary education and/or training. Each year, the Commission awards an estimated $400 million in scholarship and grant aid to nearly 185,000 qualified students, and also provides an additional $740 million to borrowers through its student loan programs. The agency offers credit-based alternative loans, a 529 prepaid tuition program known as College Illinois!, and a broad array of outreach and informational services to ensure that families have access to the information they need to pay for a college education. More information is available by calling toll-free 800.899.ISAC (4722) or visiting the agency’s Web site at www.collegezone.com.