Evaluation of the William D. Ford
Federal Direct Loan Program

Case Study Component

The annual Case Study Summary Reports are part of the evaluation of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Institutional case studies have been included as one element of this evaluation. Case studies provide the opportunity to describe in detail the diversity of approaches used by schools in planning for and implementing the Direct Loan Program. The results of the case studies are used to inform the development and refinement of questions and response categories in another element of the study: full-scale surveys of institutions and borrowers conducted as part of the evaluation. In addition, case studies allow for the early identification of best practices and of recurring problems in implementing the Direct Loan Program. This may assist other institutions by suggesting ways in which they can benefit from the experiences of those who entered the Direct Loan Program earlier.

Annual data collection will also provide opportunities for early feedback to ED and institutions to be used in program improvement.

The objectives of these case studies are to:

1. Describe the schools' implementation and administration processes for the Direct Loan Program, including:
   • Determining whether the Direct Loan Program is simpler or more complex to administer at the institutional level than the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP);

   • Identifying the most difficult and common problems experienced by institutions in administering the Direct Loan Program; and

   • Identifying and highlighting the exemplary practices at institutions.

2. Describe the schools' workload under the Direct Loan Program as compared to the FFEL Program; and

3. Assess the schools' satisfaction with the timeliness and quality of the services and support provided by ED.

Findings from the case studies are not assumed to be representative of all schools.

Materials available from the Case Study component of the evaluation include annual reports and a Matrix which describes in summary form each year's case study activities and their chief characteristics.

Case Study Summary Report - Year Four of the Direct Loan Program 1996-97

Case Study Summary Report: Year - Three of the Direct Loan Program 1995-96

Case Study Summary Report - Year Two of the Direct Loan Program 1994-95

Case Study Summary Report - Year One of the Direct Loan Program 1993-94

-###-

Return to Direct Loan Evaluation Page
Return to Financial Aid Evaluation Page