Dive Temporary:
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West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency final week over ongoing problems with the Free Utility for Federal Pupil Assist, quickly suspending a requirement for highschool college students to finish the shape with the intention to qualify for the state’s greatest faculty monetary support packages.
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The transfer comes because the U.S. Division of Training has confronted a tumultuous rollout to replace the FAFSA. Due to the difficulties with the brand new kind, West Virginia’s highschool FAFSA completion price is down nearly 40%, in keeping with an announcement from the governor’s workplace.
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A number of different states require highschool college students to finish the FAFSA with the intention to graduate. Amongst them is Illinois, the place legislators are contemplating a invoice to raise the requirement for the 2023-24 faculty yr.
Dive Perception:
The problems with the Training Division’s revamped FAFSA are persevering with to create pressure for households and states alike.
“I don’t imagine another state within the nation has gone this far, however I merely can’t and won’t stand by as cash sits on the desk that may very well be serving to our college students proceed their schooling,” Justice stated in an announcement final week.
Whereas Justice stated the state has ramped up outreach efforts, corresponding to holding over 200 FAFSA workshops statewide, he stated “there’s solely a lot outreach you are able to do when college students can’t full the shape as a result of points solely the federal authorities can management.”
Presently, eight states — Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire and Texas — require FAFSA completion as a highschool commencement prerequisite, in keeping with the Nationwide School Attainment Community. Seven different states are set to implement related necessities over the following 4 years. West Virginia has not instituted such a coverage, however requires completion for state monetary support packages.
In March, Louisiana — the primary state to implement a FAFSA commencement coverage — determined to repeal its requirement as of the 2024-25 faculty yr. That change got here after Louisiana Superintendent of Training Cade Brumley instructed state faculty board members that the coverage was unfair to college students, WWNO reported.
“They need to not have to attend on their guardian to finish a FAFSA or an opt-out kind for FAFSA with the intention to graduate,” Brumley stated.
Analysis has discovered that these insurance policies can assist states elevate their FAFSA completion charges. As an illustration, in Louisiana, Alabama and Texas, the variety of FAFSA completions elevated by about 25% after the brand new necessities have been applied, Greater Ed Dive reported.
To ease the newest FAFSA challenges on the federal degree, the Training Division lately introduced a $50 million effort to help households amid the brand new kind’s botched rollout. The funding will go to organizations already working with faculties and districts to enhance faculty entry and enrollment.
