The Clearinghouse recently identified a discrepancy that caused the “Move To” field NOT to be transmitted to National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). The “Move To” field is an optional field within each student record that should be populated whenever a school wants to request that NSLDS move a student from the current location and “Add/Update” that student to another location to comply with student location reporting requirements.
Where to Find the “Move To” field
Depending on which file format you use to report enrollment, here’s where you can find the “Move To” field:
- Flat file: Beginning at space 666
- Excel: Column AU
- EDI: In the fourth position of the ENT|05 statement
The Clearinghouse implemented a system update on September 7, 2017, to address the discrepancy and ensure the “Move To” field is being sent appropriately. As a result of our September 7th system update, the “Move To” field is now populated with the “Move To” information you enter in your submission file.
After the enhancement was installed, we identified a number of cases where the school/branch the student is currently attending (effectively no change) is reflected in the “Move To” field instead of the school/branch to which the student should be moved. This can result in either an NSLDS error 52 or both an NSLDS error 51 and 52 being applied to the student’s record.
NSLDS Guide Error Codes (November 2016)
| NSLDS Error Code | Field Name | Error Message |
| 51 | Move to OPEID | Invalid Move To location |
| 52 | OPEID Move To Location | Not authorized to submit enrollment data for school, branch or move to location. Can only use the Move To function between locations that share the same Enrollment Administrator as indicated in the Enrollment Reporting Profile. |
What Causes NSLDS Error 52 and How to Resolve It
If the branches where the student is currently located and where the student is being moved to share the same administrator, NSLDS moves the student to the roster identified in the “Move To” field and no error is applied to the record. However, if the branches do NOT share an administrator, an NSLDS error 52 is created. The branch administrator is part of your school’s Enrollment Reporting Profile, which was established by NSLDS, and is not something the Clearinghouse can change. If the administrator in your profile needs to be updated, please call NSLDS at 1.800.999.8219.
What Causes the NSLDS Error 51/52 Combination and How the Clearinghouse Is Resolving It
Student records can receive an NSLDS error 51/52 combination if they are being reported under what the Clearinghouse refers to as an “unofficial branch,” which is not an official branch assigned by the Department of Education (ED). “Unofficial branches” are created by the Clearinghouse at your request whenever you need to separate your students to accommodate special scenarios. Examples of when you may request the Clearinghouse create an “unofficial branch” include accommodating different schedules, schools (law, medical, dental, etc.), and/or status calculations. “Unofficial branches” are internal and visible to your school and the Clearinghouse only. External reporting via the Clearinghouse website or to lenders, servicers and guarantors always reflect branch 00.
Unfortunately, the “unofficial branches” under which students are being reported (e.g., 82, 83, or 84) are being included in the “Move To” field and, subsequently, are being transmitted exactly as reported to NSLDS. Because NSLDS does not recognize “unofficial branches,” student records that contain them receive both an NSLDS error 51 AND 52.
Our research into these errors revealed that schools using EDI format mentioned above have been most impacted. The Clearinghouse is working on a programmatic fix to eliminate any value in this if not specifically reported in an ENT|05 statement.
What to Do if You See a Sudden Spike in Error Codes NSLDS 51 and/or 52
If you find a sudden spike in NSLDS error codes 51 and/or 52, please contact service@studentclearinghouse.org (please put “Attn: SSCR NSLDS Errors 51 & 52” in the subject line). One of our Data Excellence & Customer Care team members will assist you in resolving these discrepancies. This may require that you send your next scheduled file early or that the Clearinghouse rerun your last files.
We apologize for any inconvenience you may experience due to this issue and look forward to helping resolve this for you in a timely manner.
Resources
- Errors 22 and 38 webinar: Oct. 11, 1 PM, ET
- Errors 30, 32, 69, 77, 78 and 79 webinar: Oct. 12, 2 PM, ET
- Clearinghouse Academy: Learning resources and events
- Compliance Central: Updates, tips and resources to help you stay in compliance