[Wsssc] DOE: FAFSA Updated communication from NASFAA and a bipartisan group of Senators

[Lauren Hibbs]

This communication is provided on behalf of Grant Rodeheaver, SBCTC Deputy Director of IT Division.


Federal Financial Aid Simplification Update
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The FAFSA simplification has been anything but. Numerous federal FAFSA code release delays have meant unavoidable delays for Oracle to complete the coding work its many PeopleSoft clients need.

As soon as the SBCTC ctcLink support teams receive the federal code (Oracle's current target date Jan. 31, 2024), they will work hard to implement, test, and vet the code in ctcLink to be ready within 30 days of receiving the new code.

According to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), financial aid administrators across the country will face barriers to get award letters out in a timely manner, regardless of their systems.

Given the repeatedly missed deadlines by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the generally rushed nature of the rollout, colleges should be prepared for timeline shifts and workarounds for possible bugs.

NASFAA requests the ED reduce administrative burden on financial aid administrators.

NASFAA<https://www.nasfaa.org/ed_regulatory_or_process_issues> sent a letter Dec. 12, 2023, requesting the U.S. Department of Education (ED) reduce administrative burden on financial aid administrators during this final implementation phase of the FAFSA Simplification Act. While financial aid administrators have been preparing for more than two years for the massive changes to the federal student aid application system, student eligibility requirements, eligibility formula, and more, the delayed release of the FAFSA this year from early October to late December imposes a compressed time frame during which they can help applicants navigate the process and make financial aid offers. Read the letter: NASFAA Asks ED for Burden Relief Due to Delayed FAFSA Rollout<https://www.nasfaa.org/uploads/documents/NASFAA_Letter_Requesting_Burden_Relief_Late_FAFSA_1.pdf>

Bipartisan senators warn ED that vulnerable student populations could be negatively impacted by the delayed rollout of 2024-25 FAFSA

A bipartisan group of 37 senators (including Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chair of the appropriations committee) is warning<https://www.kaine.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fafsa_letter.pdf> the Department of Education (ED) that vulnerable student populations could be negatively impacted by the delayed rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA and is calling on the department to work with the higher education community to ensure the form successfully provides more students with federal student aid. "Further, the Department's latest announcement also revealed that processing delays will take place in the first few months of 2024, meaning that schools will not be able to generate financial aid offers for their students in a timely fashion," the lawmakers wrote. Read more: Bipartisan Group of Senators Urges ED to Provide Clear FAFSA Guidance, Verification Relief<https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/32330/Bipartisan_Group_of_Senators_Urges_ED_to_Provide_Clear_FAFSA_Guidance>

Thanks,
-Grant

[Compass]Grant Rodeheaver
Deputy Executive Director / CIO, IT Division
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
grodeheaver at sbctc.edu<mailto:grodeheaver at sbctc.edu> * o: 360-704-3939
sbctc.edu<https://www.sbctc.edu/> * Twitter: @SBCTCWashington<https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington> * Facebook: @WASBCTC<https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/>



[Compass]
Lauren Hibbs, Ed.D
Director, Student Services
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
lhibbs at sbctc.edu* o: 360-704-4334 *
sbctc.edu<https://www.sbctc.edu/> * Twitter: @SBCTCWashington<https://twitter.com/SBCTCWashington> * Facebook: @WASBCTC<https://www.facebook.com/wasbctc/>

SBCTC Vision:

"Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in service to our diverse communities."



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