"Democrats on the Committee on Education and the Workforce recently introduced new legislation that would simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
On Thursday, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester D-Del., introduced the Simple FAFSA Act of 2017 that will amend the Higher Education Act, removing barriers for students seeking financial aid by simplifying the FAFSA application process. Legislative changes include requiring the FAFSA to be filed only one time, providing the FAFSA in multiple languages and creating a standardized financial aid award letter.
The bill is co-led by Ranking Member Robert 'Bobby' Scott, D-Va., Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif., Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif., and Delegate Gregorio Sablan, I-Northern Mariana Islands." ...
https://www.higheredjobs.com/articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=1463&utm_source=11_29_2017&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=InsiderUpdate
Replies to: Members of Congress Introduce Legislation to Simplify FAFSA Form
I find this not so hard to believe, but wonder how many of these students have flunked out, because their high schools simply passed every them without doing any of the work, then when they get to college they find out it is hard.
I am generally very liberal when it comes to improving access to education I am not so sure that I believe this (filing FAFSA just once, prior to freshman year) will fix the problem, because the causes of the problem are not addressed. That being said, it would be nice to pre-emptively use other government data (means tested welfare, etc.) to automatically verify continuing eligibility for Pell grants, to save the hassle of re-filing every year.
I am very much in favor of increasing the Income Protection Allowance - the "work penalty" is a serious hurdle to overcome for many students, especially where transportation expenses are high. Try to work at a local supermarket, to afford gas, insurance, and used car payment, to get between work and class, and suddenly their FA is reduced. Having to make one unexpected car repair can means they will have to take a semester off.
Almost all the information pre-populated so I just had to make sure my email was still the same, phone numbers, number of kids in college (change it), etc.
I think one reason for the 10% failure to reapply is that many Pell recipients get a lot of help with the forms in high school. The first one now gets filed in October senior year. The next year, there is no one nudging them to get things done and turned in. When I was in Florida, there were news stories about the Obamas coming down to do 'filing parties' to make sure every single kid had filed.
If you watch The Middle, Sue Heck forgot to file for financial aid for sophomore year. The show made a big deal of all the posters in the dorms, the email reminders, etc. and Sue just walking right by them because she was having so much fun in college.
* Making it easier to continue college...
* ... especially for poor and lower-middle-income people ...
* ... including currently-Pell-grant-ineligible DREAMers ...
* ... and currently-Pell-grant-ineligible students with drug-related convictions ...
* ... on government Pell grants, subsidized student loans, and work-study subsidies.
You and I are parents. I have always done the FA paperwork for my kids. Both kids are very bright and probably could handle the forms and steps (after asking me for my financial info), but I wonder about kids whose parents can't help them due to language barriers, unfamiliarity with forms, etc.
Applying one time is crazy. Certainly gaming the system would become prevalent. Faking separations is much easier if only have to do it one time, etc.
I don't agree with the sentiment that the GOP doesn't want low income students to go to college. That's crazy.
But it really is the student's responsibility. Yes, I did all my kids' paperwork, I dealt with the FA office, I deal with the taxes. It's my contribution to their education (and it takes a lot of hours to do it all but only a few minutes for the FAFSA). They could do it themselves, or ask for help. The hard part for a student is getting the parents' information. If the govt really wants to make it easier, don't require the parents' information.
Another thing that makes it hard is the fact that it is now done in Oct while the kids are away at school, and then the taxes come up in the spring, when they are away at school. My life would be easier if these documents were due is, say, June.
But waiting will not insure they are around either. One came home yesterday (and she still needs the FAFSA for next year) and the other is coming home at 9:30 tonight, going to the new Star Wars movie at midnight, then they are going to Nepal at noon tomorrow. Not much time when they get back.
'I know a kid who had to drop out of college because his parents were so dysfunctional, they didn't get the FAFSA form in after his freshman year. It happens.'
<<<
I understand that there are students who are hurt by the annual req’t when they have dysfunctional parents. However, rules shouldn’t accommodate “bad cases”.
If this were to pass, there would be so much game-playing. A SAHParent would delay getting employed until right after filing FAFSA during october of child’s senior year....which would meant that the family could be a two income family the entire time the student is in college, but that was never captured.
We already see a bunch of parents trying financial gymnastics with the 4 year filing req’t. Imagine the spectacular moves they’d attempt if they only had to file the first year.