NASFAA has long been interested in ways to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the overall application process more efficient and simple for students and families. Specifically, the impetus for NASFAA’s FAFSA Working Group (FWG) was the recent focus on the number of questions on the FAFSA. NASFAA’s FWG set to work on developing a model that would simplify the process while still ensuring program integrity and accurate targeting of federal funds.
By eliminating irrelevant and unnecessary questions, including those not related to student aid (such as the selective service and drug-related questions) and fully utilizing technology and existing federal and state systems, we could eliminate a number of the current questions, making the processes much easier for our neediest students.
This solution assumes the use of prior-prior year income data (PPY) as the base year and an expansion of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to include all line items of the 1040 and W2 information.
To begin, all applicants would provide basic personal identifiers and demographic information, and would answer questions necessary to determine the applicant’s dependency status.
After these initial questions, applicants would be steered down one of three paths based on their responses to screening questions:
This report fully outlines the proposed model and underlying assumptions.
Publication Date: 7/15/2015
ED Provides Webinar Updates on 2024-25 ISIR Delivery and Transmission Support
Today's News for March 19, 2024
FAFSA Simplification Web Center
Today's News for March 18, 2024
ED Updates College Presidents on FAFSA Rollout, Urges Schools to Extend Decision Dates
Technical Proficiency: FAFSA Simplification
ED Details Updated Technical Fix and Outstanding Issues for FAFSA Contributors Without SSNs
ED Details ISIR Delivery Rollout, Updated Issue Alerts, and New FAFSA Functionality
Today's News for March 13, 2024
Off the Cuff - Episode 290 Transcript
Let's Talk: FAFSA Simplification Series Topics
Today's News for March 5, 2024
Biden Signs Short-Term Spending Plan, Reversing ED's Update to the SAI Formula
Today's News for March 4, 2024
Department of Education Details ISIR Processing Approach in New Announcement
Today's News for February 28, 2024
Today's News for February 27, 2024
ED Announces Update to SAI Formula, Release of 100 Additional Test ISIRs
NASFAA Submits Comments on ED Process for FSA ID Without SSN
Off the Cuff - Episode 288 Transcript
Deep Dive Into the Student Aid Index (SAI): Deep Dive Into the Student Aid Index
Today's News for February 21, 2024
Deep Dive Into the SAI Webinar
ED Announces Resolution for FAFSA Contributors Without SSNs Coming in ‘First Half’ of March
Today's News for February 20, 2024
ED Releases Additional Batch of Test ISIRs and Testing Tools
Off the Cuff - Episode 287 Transcript
Consumer Testing the New FAFSA: Findings from student and parent focus groups
NASFAA Statement on Department of Education’s FAFSA-Related Burden Relief Efforts
Democrats Seek More Clarity From ED About Next Steps in the Delayed FAFSA Rollout
ED Announces Verification Relief and Additional Flexibilities to Ease FAFSA-Related Burden
Today's News for February 13, 2024
Today's News for February 12, 2024
Foxx Calls for Cardona to Resign, While Republicans Ramp Up Oversight Efforts on ED
Today's News for February 8, 2024
NASFAA Seeks Emergency Corps of Consultants to Help Severely Under-Resourced Schools
Today's News for February 6, 2024
Senate GOP Launches Website for Reporting FAFSA Issues
Student Aid Index Modeling Tool
Today's News for February 2, 2024
Today's News for February 1, 2024
Letter on FAFSA Rollout and Delays
Today's News for January 31, 2024