By james art 
Baton Rouge – In 2018, Louisiana became the first country to require students to complete the free federal student assistance application before graduating.
Now is the first state that has removed this requirement. FAFSA is a form implemented by current and future college students, allowing them to qualify for federal student loans, training programs and low -income students for PELL.
By eliminating this requirement, Louisiana risks leaving millions of dollars potential financial assistance and leaving Pell gratuitous, especially from low -income students.
Following the application of the term, Louisiana has consistently managed the nation in the percentage of FAFSA completion. However, with its cancellation, the state is already behind. According to FAFSA Tracker at the National College, Louisiana’s FAFSA graduation rate has dropped by over 15% compared to the year-largest decline in all 50 states.
Last week, the Non -Profit brain tube The Century Group released a report offering guidance for politicians in countries looking at such policies.
The report, published in 2020, found that Louisiana’s FAFSA requirement helped to end the difference in the degree of completion between high and low -income school districts. Since then, a dozen other states, including Alabama, California, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire and Texas, have implemented compulsory FAFSA policies, even when Louisiana eliminates its own.
Peter Granville, author of the report and researcher, focuses on the government’s efforts to improve college’s accessibility, said Louisiana was once regarded as a national model for his FAFSA policy. He now warns that low-income students in the state will be most affected by his cancellation.
“Louisiana not only did something smart for her own inhabitants, but a national movement began, which was useful for students everywhere,” Granville said.
Why was it eliminated?
The policy was officially eliminated at the Louisiana Elementary and Secondary Education Council meeting in March 2024.
“(Students) do not have to wait for their parent to complete the FAFSA or FAFSA refusal form to graduate,” said Education Chief Cade Bumpy before members of the State School Council at the meeting.
Bromeli also claims that families should not be forced to share their financial information with the federal government. Granville, however, said that FAFSA is paying tax data that have already been reported to IRS, information families are obliged to disclose when taxing.
“And when the graduation requirement was active, the student could satisfy him by applying for Tops, which was not sent to the federal government,” Granville explained.
While board members unanimously voted to cancel policy, Board member Conrad Appel expressed concerns about his long -term consequences.
“We have a country full of very poor people. I think we need to be very careful to find the right mechanism to help these people be able to get the finances they need to go to college and other opportunities after the average time, “Apel said.
Caroline Romer, CEO of the Louisiana Public Charter Association, also said there were concerns about the cancellation.
“I worry when there is nothing in the place (this), we will return to the days when we were again at the bottom of the list,” Rumer said.
Granville said that if he had been at this meeting, he would try to explain how simple the application process was to apply or refuse.
“I would show them the refusal form. The refusal form that students and families fill is very simple. I often say that the cancellation form is no more complicated than a permit to go on a trip, “Granville argues.
“I would remind the members of the board that it is more recently about creating conversations than to force someone to do a specific thing. I think the power of this type of policy is to connect students with trained professionals such as their college advisers, maybe for the first time. “
Main impact
When the FAFSA requirement was first met in 2018, the percentage of Louisiana’s completion increased to nearly 80%, which made the state a national leader in the FAFSA submission for several years.
After the school year 2022-2023, the mandatory policy contributed to more than 30% increase in grants for financial assistance for students in Louisiana. In fact, after the policy came into force in 2018, Louisiana saw 1.453 more students for the first time than expected, and an additional 7,075 students qualify for Pell grants.
In the same year, the recipients of Pell’s grant in Louisiana increased by 3.3%, while the national average decreased by 3.4% – an advantage of 6.7 percentage points for the country.
Pell Grants, which can provide up to $ 7,000 a year, are not limited to four years of universities. They can also be used in professional and public colleges, expanding the opportunities of students who pursue different educational paths.
“In the same way that the success of politics was a success for students. Its cancellation will have a negative impact on the long -term students in the state, “Granville said.
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