Embedded Files
As your term of service comes to a close, there are a few things that you need to make sure you've completed before you move on to whatever comes next for you. (See the Life After AmeriCorps section next for more information on what comes next.)
See the Tabs below for a breakdown of what you need to have completed before that last day of your term so that you can successfully complete service and receive all of the associated benefits.
COmpleting Hours for Your Term
COmpleting Hours for Your Term
If you're approaching your expected exit date and you do not have your required hours, don't panic! Many sites will be able to host members beyond the expected exit date or will be able to direct you to last minute events that can help beef up your service totals. If this sounds like your circumstance, definitely reach out to both your Supervisor and the EA Team to both notify them and to make a plan.
An important thing to note if you are continuing service beyond your exit date, is that you will not receive any additional Living Allowance payments. The Allowance is treated as a set value, divided equally among the pay periods you signed up to serve in. It's by Federal Mandate that these values not be changed, reduced, or extended and that the member can only receive the amount that they were originally allotted.
Successfully finishing your service hours despite this means that you will receive the Education Award, hourly credit for the WV In-state Tuition Waiver, and that you'll successfully complete your term of AmeriCorps service!
End of Year Evaluation
End of Year Evaluation
How'd I do?
How'd I do?
All AmeriCorps Members must complete an End of Year Evaluation with their Supervisor before their last scheduled day of service. This is an opportunity for you to get an idea of how you best served your Site and also how you might be able to improve yourself in the future, whether you serve again at the same site, a different site, or just to improve your experience in any aspect of life.
Evaluations must be signed by both the Member and their Supervisor, and submitted to Education Alliance at AmeriCorps@educationalliance.org
You can find a template of the Evaluation document here.
Exit Survey
Exit Survey
About a month prior to the end of your service, the EA team will unlock the Exit Survey form in MyAmeriCorps for you to complete before your final day of service. This form is a federal requirement for ALL members to complete, regardless of whether you exit early or on time, and will be available in your account through my.americorps.gov.
The EA Team does not have access to your full log in details, but if you've lost username or email you used they can provide them. Please contact us at americorps@educationalliance.org if you are having difficulty logging in at Exit Time, and someone will do their best to assist you.
Data and Timesheets
Data and Timesheets
As part of finally exiting your Year of Service you also need to make sure you've sent in your last Data submissions, AND your last timesheet for approval with your supervisor.
For Mentors Only: Data Collection #2
For Mentors Only: Data Collection #2
Submitting your last Data is a little different than submitting data throughout the year. While you still need to record your normal monthly data (for example, the number of Mentoring Sessions) but you'll also need to record the student's final grades and statistics. Just like you did under Data Collection #1 at the start of the year to record how your students WERE when you found them, Data Collection #2 shows us how you've made them better.
Data Collection #2 can be found at the farthest right section of your data sheet, beyond the mentoring session and the totals. See the picture below for an example of what to look for. Record the final grades that student received, either GPA or Benchmarks in Math and Literacy, and any other data that pertains to their selection to the program like Tardies, Absences, and Disciplinary Incidents.
It's important that this data be the FINAL data, and some members don't serve until the last days of school, especially if they have to exit early as outlined above. If this is the case for you, make a plan with your Supervisor so that they can make sure this data is reported to us when it's made available, even if that is after your specific Exit Date.
Timesheet submissions: Yes, even if you're "done".
Timesheet submissions: Yes, even if you're "done".
Something that's easy to miss is that AmeriCorps positions are for both a target number of hours (e.g. 675) AND until a specific date (e.g. 05/31). This means that even if you've been exceptionally dedicated to your service and gone above and beyond your target number of hours, you still have to serve until your expected end date.
You can only exit successfully earlier than your expected date if you are specifically allowed by your Site Supervisor, and you have received permission from the EA Team. Even then, you will not receive your Living Allowance payments beyond the pay period that you last submitted approved hours for. Therefore, it's in your best interest to continue service through your expected exit date, even if your hours and duties become vastly reduced.
As a general rule of thumb, the EA team cannot issue payment for a pay period unless there is AT LEAST one hour of service on an approved time sheet, and that includes whether you have served your required hours or not.
If you haven't finished your required hours before your exit date, you should come up with a plan with your Supervisor to continue your service beyond it until you meet that requirement. If this happens, ALSO continue to submit your timesheets regularly so that your hours of service will count, even if you cannot receive anymore pay.
Exiting Before your term is Complete
Exiting Before your term is Complete
Sometimes you need to leave before you've completed your term of service. This can be for a variety of reasons: Most good, some acceptable, and a few not so good. Whatever your reason for an early exit, you will not receive any Living Allowance payments for service beyond your last day of approved service, and you are still required to complete the Exit Survey in your MyAmeriCorps account and sign an End of Year Evaluation provided by your Site Supervisor (Detailed later on this page.)
Compelling Personal Circumstances: the "acceptable" kind of leaving
Compelling Personal Circumstances: the "acceptable" kind of leaving
Below are a few reasons that AmeriCorps considers a valid reason, and for which you could still receive an Education Award pro-rated for the number of hours you've served to that point:
If you were receiving public/state benefits when you STARTED service and are leaving service because you found gainful employment and can no longer meet your commitment, you may be entitled to a pro-rated Education Award. This is commonly known as the "Welfare-to-work" Exit;
If you or a close family member experiences a medical emergency, or receives an unexpected diagnosis, that requires you to give up on your commitment to service, you may be entitled to a pro-rated Education Award under a Compelling Personal Circumstances exit.
If you are called to fulfill a Military Service obligation you may be entitled to a pro-rated Education Award under the Compelling Personal Circumstances exit.
Finally, some circumstances beyond your control may qualify you for pro-rated Education Award exits including but not limited to:
Natural Disaster,
Relocation of spouse,
and premature closing of the program.
Exiting for Cause: Something's gone wrong
Exiting for Cause: Something's gone wrong
An Exit for Cause is what happens when you leave your term of service because you've violated the terms of your member contract, climbed the steps of the progressive discipline procedure and show no sign of improvement, violation of the prohibited activities or otherwise flaunted the bounds of common decency or the law during your service with AmeriCorps. Please see the Terms and Conditions page of this site to learn more about the Alliance's policies and what could lead to an Exit for Cause.
If you are Exited for Cause, you will NOT receive any further Living Allowance Payments beyond your last approved date of service and you will NOT receive an Education Award in any amount. Depending on the nature of your transgressions, you may also be barred from EVER serving in ANY AmeriCorps position and/or face criminal charges pursuant to applicable State and Local laws.
Exit Without Cause: Sometimes you just gotta hit the bricks
Exit Without Cause: Sometimes you just gotta hit the bricks
Finally, sometimes you need to leave your position for none of these things. Maybe an opportunity to go back to school arises, or you have to get a job but DON'T qualify for the Welfare-to-Work exit outlined above. Maybe the service just isn't what you thought it was. In most cases, the Alliance will help you work around whatever obstacles you may be experiencing to your service (so don't hesitate to reach out!). However, we understand that sometimes it simply can't be helped.
In an Exit Without Cause, you will not receive any Education Award payment, and you will not receive any Living Allowance payments beyond your final day of service. However, this exit will not prevent you from serving in AmeriCorps again at another time, or in any way be considered a "black mark" on your record with the Education Alliance.
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