Pubdate: Wed, 06 Jul 2005
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education, The (US)
Copyright: 2005 by The Chronicle of Higher Education
Contact:  http://chronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/84
Author: Jamie Schuman
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hea.htm (Higher Education Act)

EDUCATION DEPT. CORRECTS ERROR ON WEB SITE ABOUT AID POLICY FOR 
STUDENTS WITH DRUG CONVICTIONS

The U.S. Department of Education has removed from its Web site 
incorrect information about the eligibility for federal aid of 
students with drug convictions, despite saying last week that it 
could not fix the error until late July.

The corrected page, on the part of the department's Web site with 
information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or 
Fafsa, now instructs students to complete a "drug-conviction 
worksheet" to learn if drug convictions affect their eligibility. 
Previously, the page incorrectly stated that students "must not have 
any drug convictions" to receive aid (The Chronicle, July 1).

Education Department officials said last week that the error would 
not be fixed until July 24, the day the contractor that maintains the 
Fafsa Web site was next scheduled to upload changes.

On Tuesday, however, Marianna O'Brien, of the Federal Student Aid 
communications department, said that the change had been uploaded 
last Friday. She said the contractor could fix the mistake ahead of 
schedule because updates to content are less complex than other types 
of changes to the site.
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MAP posted-by: Beth