May 09, 2024
While FAFSA Turmoil Continues, Department Commits $50 Million to Increase Application Rates
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona faced aggressive questioning about the Department’s handling of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) rollout, campus protests, Title IX, and more this week when he testified before the House Education & the Workforce Committee.
The hearing was lengthy, with Democrats giving Cardona time to defend and explain his agency’s actions and Republicans attempting to draw strong commitments to address their concerns about nearly every major action the Department has taken in the last several years. However, the discussion became much more bipartisan when it turned to the FAFSA rollout. The Secretary apologized for the delays and technical issues and reaffirmed his commitment to refining their internal processes, noting that there would be time for “...accountability and also restructuring,” to prevent this year’s issues from happening again.
The conversation about FAFSA in the hearing was preceded by a bipartisan, bicameral group of leaders on the Appropriations and Education Committees sending a letter to Education Secretary Cardona ahead of the hearing this week, expressing their concerns about the Department’s ability to begin the next FAFSA cycle on time starting on October 1. In addition to the well-known issues that have plagued this year’s rollout, the Department still has not released next year’s draft FAFSA form, putting the typical schedule behind by about two months. When pressed by legislators to commit to an on-time release date, Cardona replied that it is his expectation that the form will be ready.
Amidst this scrutiny, the Department this week announced a new $50 million initiative to help increase FAFSA completion rates by providing financial assistance for organizations that help students and contributors complete their forms, FAFSA completion clinics held by schools and their districts, and communication support for outreach to parents and students. Interested parties, which may include colleges, should submit their planned activities and needs to the Department via its dedicated submission portal, which will available soon.
The hearing was lengthy, with Democrats giving Cardona time to defend and explain his agency’s actions and Republicans attempting to draw strong commitments to address their concerns about nearly every major action the Department has taken in the last several years. However, the discussion became much more bipartisan when it turned to the FAFSA rollout. The Secretary apologized for the delays and technical issues and reaffirmed his commitment to refining their internal processes, noting that there would be time for “...accountability and also restructuring,” to prevent this year’s issues from happening again.
The conversation about FAFSA in the hearing was preceded by a bipartisan, bicameral group of leaders on the Appropriations and Education Committees sending a letter to Education Secretary Cardona ahead of the hearing this week, expressing their concerns about the Department’s ability to begin the next FAFSA cycle on time starting on October 1. In addition to the well-known issues that have plagued this year’s rollout, the Department still has not released next year’s draft FAFSA form, putting the typical schedule behind by about two months. When pressed by legislators to commit to an on-time release date, Cardona replied that it is his expectation that the form will be ready.
Amidst this scrutiny, the Department this week announced a new $50 million initiative to help increase FAFSA completion rates by providing financial assistance for organizations that help students and contributors complete their forms, FAFSA completion clinics held by schools and their districts, and communication support for outreach to parents and students. Interested parties, which may include colleges, should submit their planned activities and needs to the Department via its dedicated submission portal, which will available soon.
For more information, please contact:
Justin Monk