FAFSA Support for District Leaders
May 22, 2024
AASA has gathered a compilation of resources from the U.S. Department of Education (USED), the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), and other K-12 Higher Education partners to aid district and school leaders in guiding their students and families through the new FAFSA process.
Spotlight Resources:
New! Mitigating the Summer Melt: Guidance for Districts
Every year, an estimated 10-40% of high school seniors intending to go to college don’t arrive on campus the following fall. This phenomenon, “summer melt,” disproportionately impacts first-generation college students and students from low-income backgrounds. To help mitigate summer melt, check out this new recommendations guide prepared in partnership with AASA and the National College Attainment Network (NCAN).
New! FAFSA Student Support Strategy
The goal of the FAFSA Student Support Strategy from the U.S. Department of Education is to increase the number of students who complete a 2024-25 FAFSA and enroll in college, particularly first-time students. ECMC Group will support these activities by providing funds to organizations with experience in providing these or similar services.
Ready-Made Letter to Staff
Download this message to share with your staff that includes direct links to resources.
Webinars
Virtual Briefings with USED and AASA | Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | Sign Up
FAFSA Walkthrough and Trainings | From NCAN | Watch Recordings
FAFSA Bootcamp | From USED | Webinar Recording
FAFSA "How To" Videos
From USED | Watch Videos
Better FAFSA Toolkits
From USED:
For Parents and Families - PDF
For Educators and Counselors - PDF
Host a FAFSA Completion Event
Leveraging strategies from previous academic years for FAFSA completion may not entirely bridge the current nationwide gaps. FAFSA completion events are a critical part of serving many students and families simultaneously and the guides below from USED offers many suggestions in various formats.
How To Host a FAFSA Completion Event Guide | Best Practices Guide
FSA ID Creation Guide
An important change to the FAFSA process this cycle is that FSA ID creation is not immediate. NCAN recommends trying to ensure students and contributors have FSA IDs before they show up for a FAFSA completion event. Otherwise, they may need to come to a subsequent event after creating their ID at the first one.
FAFSA Fast Flash Update from USED | May 2024
FAFSA Resources from USED | May 2024
Additional Resources for FAFSA Completion | May 2024
Guest Post from NCAN: FAFSA Submissions Are Down 40+%; How to Find Your Schools’ Data | March 2024
Guest Post from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN): Class of 2024 Faces FAFSA Hurdles; How Do We Help Them Leap Over? | February 2024
Offered in both English and Spanish, these marketing and communication tools from the U.S. Department of Education can help you spread the word to your graduating students and families.
View the Graduation Package Toolkit
NCAN has a toolkit that includes awareness materials that are “plug and play” and communicate various key messages related to the FAFSA.
Stay Updated on FAFSA Support from AASA
Submit this form to receive regular updates from AASA on this critical issue.
Using ESSER Funds
Did you know that you can use ESSER funds to bolster your FAFSA supports? Consider shifting some remaining ESSER funds (or other resources) to prepare for more all-hands-on-deck support for the critical period after FAFSA applications are submitted.
Additional Resources from the National College Attainment Network
Visit the Better FAFSA Toolkit from NCAN, which includes ongoing training opportunities and timely updates.
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