Democratic lawmakers request information about FAFSA rollout from Department of Education

On Monday, Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Bobby Scott and 106 Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter to Secretary of Education requesting additional information about how the Department of Education will support colleges and families as they implement the 24-25 FAFSA.

Specifically, the letter requests that the Department of Education address the following issues:

1. On what date in March does the Department intend to send finalized information to relevant stakeholders? When will the Department disperse its test data to institutions of higher education so that they can test their infrastructure and best prepare to create financial aid packages for students? How and when will the Department communicate with relevant stakeholders if this intended plan changes?
2. How is the Department communicating with relevant stakeholders, such as students, families, and college financial aid professionals, in a timely and culturally responsive manner about the ongoing FAFSA delay and ongoing issues for some students, including students from mixed status families, in submitting the form? How often will any supportive materials be updated to reflect the most up to date information, and how can stakeholders access this information?
3. In light of the repeated delays in institutions receiving relevant aid information, as well as ongoing issues for some students in submitting the form, will the Department consider reducing the rate of students selected for additional verification to ensure students do not face further barriers to receiving the aid they are due?
4. How is the Department working to ensure all under resourced high schools and colleges that need assistance in FAFSA processing are aware of and have access to the resources offered by the Department to assist them?
5. Is the Department working with state aid agencies and other relevant stakeholders to ensure timely processing and delivery of other forms of financial aid such as scholarship or state aid for students?
6. Will the Department ask states, and colleges and universities to relax any admissions or scholarship deadlines to ensure students have ample time to apply for additional aid and make informed decisions about their futures?
7. Are any of the implementation challenges caused by the lack of resources? Detail whether there are specific requests that Congress can respond to in order to help address related issues moving forward.

Access the full letter here:

Scott, Sanders, et al Sign On Letter to ED re FAFSA Delays