The following is a **revised** list of commonly asked questions
regarding the 2004-2005 ISIR Analysis Tool Requirements for QA Schools.
Please note that FSA will provide guidance applicable to any school
using the Tool by September 2004.

1.  From what population does a QA school draw its sample?

> **Answer**: Draw your sample from the pool of students who are
> eligible for need-based aid at your institution. That is, students who
> have an EFC lower than your school's total cost of attendance. For
> further sampling guidance please reference your [Session 12
> Guide](http://ifap.ed.gov/qadocs/Sampling/SamplingGuide0405.pdf) on
> Sampling and the web based Sampling Worksheet provided to you at
> [http://www.edoceon.com](http://www.edoceon.com/).

2.  Can a QA school supplement its sample of all students who are
    eligible for need-based aid by adding additional records from a
    sub-population (e.g., Pell Eligible) or other population (e.g.,
    students not eligible for need-based aid)?

> **Answer:** Yes, but schools will have to identify which records are
> part of their required sample and which records are part of a
> supplemental group. Develop a user-defined field to flag records in
> the supplemental group.
>
> Schools are reminded that the online version of the Tool will only be
> able to analyze 500 records at a time. If schools want to analyze
> records from their required and their supplemental samples at the same
> time they will be limited to supplemental sample sizes of
> approximately 150 (350 required records + 150 supplemental records =
> 500 limit).

3.  Do QA schools need to certify the ISIR Analysis Sample?\
    **Answer:** NO. In the past, we did require the sample to be
    certified. This step has been eliminated for 2004-2005.

4.  I know QA schools need to do Federal Verification for the ISIR
    Analysis Sample, but do I need to get additional information like in
    the past (W-2's, Number in College verifications?)\
    **Answer:** No. However, like any other participating Title IV
    institution, you can do so if you choose.**\
    **

5.  As a QA school, do I complete both the ISIR Analysis Sample and
    institutional verification for 2004-2005?\
    **Answer: YES\
    **

6.  What is a valid ISIR?\
    **Answer:** An ISIR with an official EFC.

7.  In order to use the ISIR Analysis Tool in 2004-2005, I will need to
    indicate that I will be using the tool in the Participation
    Management System. How do

> I access the Participation Management System?\
> **Answer:** You will need to access the web site to enroll your
> school. You will then indicate that you will use the ISIR Analysis
> Tool at the web address: <http://www.fsawebenroll.ed.gov/>.**\
> **

8.  What do I need in order to create or obtain a flat SSN File to
    upload the right ISIR's into the online version of the Tool?\
    **Answer:** A flat ASCII file that contains the original SSN and the
    original first two letters of the last name from valid 2004-05
    ISIR's your institution has received**.** Common names for ASCII
    files include text, text only, DOS, and DOS text. You have the
    option of specifying the initial and/or paid on transaction numbers
    in the SSN file. The original SSN must be written in columns 1-9,
    the first two letters of the last name in columns 10-11, initial
    transaction number (if included) in columns 12-13, and paid on
    transaction number (if included) in columns 14-15. **The record
    length must be 15 columns wide, whether you choose to specify
    transaction numbers or not.** If you choose not to include
    transaction numbers, simply leave these fields blank. Your systems
    staff can create this file for you, or you can create it in any word
    processing program as long as you save the file as a "text file."
    You can find additional guidance on writing a flat ASCII file at
    <http://www.ifap.ed.gov/qamodule/guidance.html>. Click on the file
    entitled "Instructions for Writing an ASCII File" located under the
    ISIR Analysis Tool heading.

9.  How will I access the ISIR's?\
    **Answer**: 1) You need to be enrolled for both FAA Access to CPS
    online and the ISIR Analysis Tool specifically in order to access
    the ISIR Analysis Tool website. 2) You will need to prepare a Flat
    ASCII file that provides the original SSN, original first two
    letters of the last name and transaction number(s) you want for the
    students in your sample. 3) There is a data request function within
    ISIR Analysis Tool web application to upload the flat SSN file. Once
    the file is uploaded, the ISIR records will be extracted from the
    ISIR data mart and uploaded into your ISIR Analysis Tool Database.
    Additional details and demonstrations will be provided in writing
    and in subsequent training opportunities.

10. How does a QA school indicate which ISIR records in the sample would
    have been subjected to institutional verification?\
    **Answer**: There will be a pre-defined field in the user-defined
    data to use for identifying cases that meet your institutional
    verification criteria.

11. Will there be additional training to assist schools with how to use
    the analysis component of the tool?

> **Answer:** Phase 1 of the ISIR Analysis Tool, will be available to
> schools by June 30, 2004. This phase will allow you to bring in your
> sample of initial and paid-on ISIR records into the tool database as
> well as validate your records. The QA Team will provide training to QA
> schools via Webex in July or August.
>
> Phase 2 of the ISIR Analysis Tool -- the report and analysis
> component, is scheduled to be released in October 2004. The QA Team is
> planning to offer training, at a QA pre-conference workshop at the
> Orlando and Las Vegas EAC's, in addition to sessions during the EAC's.
> We are exploring options for make-up sessions, possibly via Webex,
> after the EAC's.

12. Are QA schools required to conduct a sample in 2005-2006?\
    **Answer**: NO. However, we do expect QA Program schools to extract
    500 records that met their institutional criteria from 2005-2006 and
    analyze these records.

13. Whom do I call if I have additional technical questions? **\
    Answer:** Please contact CPSSAIG Technical Support at 800/330-5947,
    or by email at <CPSSAIG@pearson.com>. For QA Program-related
    questions, QA schools should contact their Regional Representative:
    Michael Cagle, 206-615-2586, Holly Langer-Evans, 617-565-6192, or
    Francine Reeves, 404-562-6289. Or you can send an email to:
    <qualityassurance@ed.gov>