Category: Federal Government Actions

Rep. Wild Voices Concerns Over Delayed FAFSA Rollout, Asks USDE for Answers (February 18, 2024)

US Representative Susan Wild form Pennsylvania, a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, along with 70 of her colleagues, voiced her concerns on the delayed rollout of this yearā€™s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In their letter, the members of Congress also requested the US Department of Education (USDE) provide answers to questions raised by families and students across the nation and clarity on the timeline.

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ā€œFor many students in our community and across the country, the FAFSA is the first step to make higher education more affordable and accessible,ā€ said Congresswoman Susan Wild. ā€œIā€™ve heard from families and colleges in the Lehigh Valley about the strain FAFSA delays have already had on them, and Iā€™m deeply concerned that additional delays will negatively impact those most in need of aid. Iā€™m urging the USDE to do everything it can to support our students and institutions of higher education.ā€

In their letter, the lawmakers write, ā€œWe write today to ask for more clarity on how the USDE plans to communicate any further delays in FAFSA processing, and how the USDE intends to minimize the potential impact on students and families so they can make the most informed decision possible about their futures, including through providing prompt, clear timelines.ā€

Approximately 17 million students fill out the FAFSA each year. As a result of the FAFSA Simplification Act, which was signed into law in 2021, the USDE streamlined the application process and updated formulas used to assess studentsā€™ financial need. The USDE estimates that these updates will allow 1.5 million more students from low-income backgrounds to be eligible for the maximum Pell Grant award.

Read the full letter here.

USDE to Ease 2024 FAFSA Verification Requirements (February 14, 2024)

On February 13, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) announced that it will reduce 2024 verification requirements for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to get applications to high school students as soon as possible.

Citing the problematic release of the updated FAFSA form, the temporary changes in procedure are intended to make it easier for colleges to process student records and issue financial aid offers during what has become a much tighter timeline.

Thus, the USDE will require colleges to verify fewer FAFSA applications and has also averred that the majority of income data is obtained from the IRS and does not require verification.

USDE has also stated that it will provide deadline flexibility for colleges that need to re-certify their eligibility for receiving federal financial aid.

Source: K-12 Dive.

PDE Seeks Sponsors For Summer Meals Programs (February 2, 2024)

On January 31, 2024, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced that it is encouraging organizations across the state to help provide nutritious meals to children in low-income areas during the summer months through PDEā€™s Summer Food Service Program. New sponsors must apply by May 1, 2024.

Last summer, more than 200 organizations provided nutritious meals to children at approximately 1,750 locations throughout the state. However, to reach more children and narrow the hunger gap that summer may bring, more organizations and meal sites are needed throughout the state, especially in rural areas.

Participating organizations are reimbursed for meals served to children who live in areas in which at least 50 percent of the children qualify for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. 

Participating organizations must be year-round, not-for-profit entities, which include schools, local, municipal or county governments, libraries, churches, fire and police stations, residential summer camps, and national youth sports programs. Organizations approved to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program are responsible for managing the meal service sites that provide the meals to children. Beginning this summer, organizations serving rural areas may be approved to provide non-congregate meals, such as grab and go meals or delivered meals, to children in qualifying areas.

Most participating organizations may be reimbursed for up to two meals a day: lunch or dinner, and breakfast or a snack. Those serving primarily migrant children may be reimbursed for up to three meals a day. Camps may serve up to three meals a day, but they are reimbursed only for meals served to children eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program. 

The Summer Food Service Program, which began in 1976, is a federally funded child nutrition program designed to reach those who are age 18 or younger in economically disadvantaged areas. People over 18 who are mentally or physically handicapped and participate in public or nonprofit private programs established for the disabled are also able to receive free meals at the Summer Food Service Program sites. 

For more information on becoming a participating organization or a meal site for the summer Food Service Program, view the website atĀ www.education.pa.gov/sfspĀ or call 800.331.0129.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDAā€™s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

USDE: Postsecondary Schools to Receive FAFSA Applicant Info in March (January 31, 2024)

On Tuesday, January 30, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) released new data that shows more than 3.1 million Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSAĀ®) forms have been successfully submitted since the 2024-25 redesigned application went live on December 30, 2023. The new data comes a little more than three weeks after the USDE announced more than one million FAFSA forms had been submitted and the formā€™s 24/7 accessibility.

The announcement also affirmed that colleges, universities, and other participating postseconday institutions will not receive information from students who completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) until the first half of March. The delay shortens the amount of time postsecondary schools have to make financial aid offers. The process is already three months behind schedule.

The delay was to provide the USDE time to develop a new, simplified form. To view the USDE press release, click here.

USDE Provides Valuable Info to Help Schools Ensure Disabled Students Receive AT (January 28, 2024)

Schools are responsible for ensuring students, families, and educators know how assistive technology works. In fact, studentsā€™ IEP teams should consider how it will be integrated with other therapies and interventions. If teams determine that a student needs assistive technology services, those supports must be stated in their IEP so teachers and related service providers can comply.

So, to that end, the US Department of Education (USDE) has sent a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) to schools nationwide, The DCL clarifies that assistive technology is not the same as accessible technology. Accessible technology can be used to help many different users or have built-in features for individualized supports. Assistive technology is selected to help a student perform a specific task.

The DCL provides examples of AT devices for children with a variety of disabilities and also links to the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP), which provides guidance and resources from the Office of Educational Technology (OET) and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). That guidance is to support children with disabilities who need assistive technology (AT) devices and services for meaningful access and engagement in education.

To view the DCL, click here.
To access the USDE press release with links to guidance and resources, click here.
To access resources from the USDEā€™s IDEA website, click here.