"The U.S. Department of Education on Monday announced several steps it would take to help colleges process the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, more efficiently amid continuing delays in the federal-aid system that are causing anxiety nationwide," The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. 

... "Justin Draeger, president and chief executive of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, said in a statement that the organization applauded 'these initial measures from the department to significantly lower student-verification requirements and temporarily pause program reviews, which are critical first steps in ensuring financial-aid offices — already stretched perilously thin — will have the bandwidth necessary to focus on students.'"

"'To make this work,' the statement continued, 'higher-education stakeholders require a sustained effort, which includes additional administrative relief and the department meeting its FAFSA-processing timelines going forward. Schools have been told to expect test records by the end of this week, and processed FAFSA information in the first half of March, which will be vital to provide students and families with need-based financial-aid information this spring. Students and families cannot afford any additional delays.'"

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: 2/13/2024