"The Education Department’s soft launch of a revamped FAFSA has prompted some notable criticism," POLITICO reports.

... "The Education Department debuted a 'soft-launch' version of its revamped Free Application for Federal Student Aid over the holiday weekend, but reports of website glitches and limited availability prompted a rebuke from at least one policy leader."

"'Even by soft-launch standards, this weekend’s rollout was challenging,' NASFAA President Justin Draeger said in a statement on Tuesday. 'And students, families, and financial aid administrators who have been waiting for this release for months are understandably frustrated.'"

"'Frustration will likely continue,' Draeger added, 'Because even if students fill out the FAFSA today, we still don’t have an exact date of when schools will receive FAFSA applicant data, so financial aid administrators can begin building and communicating financial aid package[s].'"

... "'We know the Department of Education is working to bring the FAFSA online 24/7, but until that happens, and until we know more details about when schools will begin receiving finalized applicant data, schools cannot provide realistic timelines about when students and families will receive financial aid offers,' Draeger said."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 1/3/2024