LESSON OUTLINE



INTRODUCTION

In this lesson we will cover guidelines and protocols to help committees manage and process needs-based scholarships.


As per normal, you will be required to take a short quiz at the end of this lesson. Please ensure that you pay attention to the content and complete the learning assessment provided.



NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

By way of reminder, and as mentioned in lesson one, there are two key reasons why scholarships are provided. The first reason is to provide financial support for struggling families, and the second reason is to recognize and reward students for excellence.


This lesson will focus on scholarships provided to assist with financial support. To make it simple, we will refer to these scholarships as needs-based scholarships. Scholarships aimed at rewarding students for excellence will be referred to as merit-based scholarships and will be discussed in lesson 4.



SCHOALRSHIP FUND ALLOCATION

Scholarship policy dictates that Needs-Based Scholarships should account for 60% (or more) of the total allocation of scholarship funds. The remaining 40% of funds are allocated to Merit-Based Scholarships (30%) and Scholarship Reserves (10%).


As committees use this 60% budget allowance to process needs-based scholarship applications, they will need to do so with wisdom and prayerful consideration. Each application should be discussed in a way that allows the spirit to influence, guide, and inspire. Personal opinions should be measured and reflective, putting the education of the student and the needs of the family first and foremost.



NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIP GUIDELINES

According to S&I school policy, Needs-based scholarships can only be allocated to students who are members of the Church. Policy also dictates that scholarships are provided to student’s based on the financial needs of their family. The key decision should be based on the financial needs of the family rather than any other criteria. Student grades for example are not to be used as criteria for assessing candidates. 


While privacy is important for all scholarship candidates, strict confidentiality is of the utmost importance with needs-based scholarship candidates.



THE NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION (NBSA) FORM

A standard application form for Needs-Based Scholarships has been created by the area (in various languages) to assist with collecting information for potential candidates.


The Needs-Based Scholarship Application Form (NBSA Form) is usually bundled with other enrolment documents such as the Student Information Form and Bishop Endorsement Form. These documents should be distributed to students during the Student Enrolment period.


Ideally, a copy of the form should be sent to each student or family no later than the 1st of October. Students and parents should be informed that they can request a copy of the form directly from the school office at any time.


All NBSA forms are due back to the school office no later than the 30th of November, but parents and students should be encouraged to submit these forms as early as possible.



ACCESSING THE NBSA FORM

The NBSA Form is provided in two key formats:


Word Document Templates

Word Document Templates are provided in various languages to give schools the flexibility needed to print and adjust forms for local purposes.


The Word Document templates can be viewed and downloaded from online folders in various languages. Please click the following link to view the various language packs: Enrolment Packs


After selecting the desired language folder, view or download the file that contains the words: Needs-Based Scholarship Application Form


For tips on using and downloading the word document templates correctly, please review the instructions found in the following links:


Digital Templates

An electronic copy of the NBSA Form is also available and can be printed directly from PowerSchool. The advantage of the electronic form is that it can be printed with a student’s basic information pre-populated into the form. This version of the form is often distributed to returning students. 


For tips on using and downloading the digital templates in PowerSchool, please review the instructions found in the following links:


The links provided above outline general instructions for using the digital enrolment packs in PowerSchool. The NBSA form is just one form included in the digital enrolment pack. Please keep this in mind as you are viewing the instructions. Full details about using and printing enrolment packs can be found here:



MANAGING AND REVIEWING CANDIDATE APPLICATIONS

As forms are distributed and collected back to the school office, committees should work with office staff to properly manage applications for individual candidates.


This process can be managed manually with a well-organized filing system and process, but school staff and committee members can also utilize PowerSchool to track and manage student applications electronically. The PowerSchool tracking system is the recommended method for managing NBSA candidates.


The suggested workflow for managing candidates with PowerSchool is as follows:


1. Distribute Application Forms

Distribute NBSA Forms to all families that require them no later than 1st of October.


2. Collect Application Forms

Collect NBSA Forms back to the school office no later than the 30th of November. Encourage students and families to return these forms well before the 30th of November deadline.


3. Batch Process Applications

As NBSA Forms are received back to the school office, meet as a committee to process forms in appropriately sized “batches”. Rather than tackle hundreds of applications at once, it would be wise for example, to process 10-20 applications per week.


4. Record Committee Decisions on Paper

Each individual application should be thoroughly assessed by the committee one-by-one. The secretary should use the “Scholarship Committee Review” section at the end of each individual paper form to carefully record any notes, decisions, dates, and amounts decided by the committee.


5. Record Committee Decisions Electronically

During, or after the meeting, the secretary should transfer any notes from the individual paper forms to the appropriate electronic tracking form in PowerSchool.


6. Track and Refine the Candidate List

As committee decisions are finalized on paper and then transferred to the PowerSchool tracking form, committees will then have access to an SQL Report titled: Needs-Based Scholarship Tracking. This report electronically tracks the full list of candidates, the decisions made, and the amounts allocated. This report can be used to further refine the candidate list as needed.




USING POWERSCHOOL TO TRACK APPLICATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

As mentioned earlier, candidate information for needs-based scholarships can be easily tracked and managed in PowerSchool.

Let’s say a student has been approved for a needs-based scholarship during a committee meeting. After the secretary has made a record of the committee decision on the paper form, the secretary should then transfer those details to the electronic version of the form in PowerSchool.


Note: The electronic form provided, matches the format of the paper forms, and should be a relatively simple task for the committee secretary to complete.


For the secretary, this process is as simple as navigating to the student, opening the form, and then selecting “approved” from the application status drop-down. Once “approved” has been selected, the secretary is then able to fill out electronic fields for dates, amounts, and other notes relating to the approved candidate.


If a student application is declined, this can also be recorded and tracked electronically in PowerSchool. The electronic information about approved and declined students can then be displayed in SQL summary reports for tracking and management purposes.



USING POWERSCHOOL TO TRACK APPLICATIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS

A handy SQL report titled: Needs-Based Scholarship Tracking has been created in PowerSchool to help committees track and summarize the needs-based scholarship data for all students in a single report.


If committees opt to use the electronic tracking resources, and secretaries keep this information up to date, the SQL report provided will highlight all approved candidates and the amounts that have been allocated. The report also tracks the candidates that were declined, as well as any notes, dates, or comments associated with each candidate.


This report empowers committees to be more efficient, transparent, and accountable.


For instructions on using and tracking scholarship data (and general enrolment data) in PowerSchool, please review the instructions found in the following links:



FINALIZING APPLICATIONS

After receiving and reviewing application forms; consulting together; and recording decisions; the committee is now ready to make their final adjustments and decisions about the list of needs-based scholarship candidates.


If using the Needs-Based Scholarship Tracking report in PowerSchool, committees can review the list of candidates as many times as needed to further refine the recipient list and the amounts awarded. Committees also have the flexibility to retract previous decisions if they find out new information about an applicant. Perhaps for example, an applicant is moving overseas and no longer needs a scholarship. The tracking report can assist committees with cancelling that student’s application and potentially reallocating those funds to another student in need.


Similarly, if more information surfaces about a previously declined student, the committee can use the tracking report to quickly update their decision and re-allocate funds if needed.


The Chair should ensure that each committee member’s opinion and insight is heard throughout the entire application process. Everyone should be satisfied with the final candidate lists and the amounts awarded. The Chair will need to break any deadlocks where committee members have struggled to make a final decision.


Once the final decisions have been made, the committee should update all relevant documentation to ensure that the final candidate lists, and amounts awarded, are 100% accurate and complete. Once lists have been finalized, the “ball” can be passed to finance (via the committee treasurer) to apply approved scholarship awards to student accounts.


That takes us to the end of the learning content for lesson three. Before you continue to lesson four, please take a moment to assess your learning by using the link provided in the next section of this page. 



LEARNING ASSESSMENT

Please take a moment to assess your understanding of this lesson by completing the quiz provided at the following link:

Learning Assessment: Needs-Based Scholarships



LESSON SUMMARY

In this lesson we:

  • Reviewed the definition and purpose of needs-based scholarships
  • Reviewed the purpose of the NBSA form
  • Reviewed the workflow for managing and reviewing candidate applications
  • Reviewed the process for entering and tracking candidates in PowerSchool
  • Assessed our learning


In lesson four we will talk about Merit-Based Scholarships in Pacific Church Schools.