June 26, 2024

Duckworth, Durbin Send Illinois School Counselors Letter Urging Them to Support Students Completing the FAFSA

 

[CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today sent a letter to Illinois school counselors to urge them to assist students and their families in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  After Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act, the U.S. Department of Education rolled out a new FAFSA form in January 2024.  However, students, families and counselors have experienced challenges with the new form.  Along with encouraging school counselors to assist students, Durbin and Duckworth’s letter includes additional resources for students as they navigate college and student aid applications.

“We write to urge you to continue assisting students in submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this summer and provide additional resources for FAFSA completion,” the lawmakers began.  “The FAFSA Simplification Act, enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L. 117-103), made significant changes to the federal student aid process.  The rollout of the new form did not come without challenges.  However, your diligent work to help Illinois students, regardless of their background, placed Illinois fourth in the nation for FAFSA completions.  Despite Illinois high school seniors’ FAFSA completion rate of 53.2 percent, the completion rate is still 13.7 percent lower than last year.”

The lawmakers then highlighted additional resources for students and asked school counselors to ensure students know them.

“The FAFSA has the potential to unlock thousands of federal dollars to support students’ postsecondary education.  Therefore, we write to share resources from the U.S. Department of Education, Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), and national organizations working to assist with FAFSA improving completion rates,” the lawmakers wrote.  The letter included resources from the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Illinois Student Assistance Commission, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the National College Attainment Network.

The Senators concluded their letter by urging school counselors to continue working with students throughout the summer to ensure that graduated seniors attend the higher education programs they intend to.

“Every year, an estimated 10 to 40 percent of high school seniors that intend to go to college do not arrive on college campuses in the fall following high school graduation.  This trend, known as ‘summer melt,’ disproportionately impacts first-generation college students and students from low-income backgrounds.  It can be attributed, in part, to students no longer having access to advising services from their high school after graduation,” the lawmakers’ letter continued.

“We appreciate your tireless work to prepare students for their postsecondary education and career.  This summer, we urge you to work with students and their families to prevent ‘summer melt’ and ensure students arrive on college campuses this fall.  Together, we can make sure students do not leave federal financial aid dollars on the table and instead, turn them into possibilities,” the Senators concluded their letter.

Duckworth and Durbin have long advocated for college to be more accessible and affordable for students, including improving FAFSA. In February, Duckworth and Durbin joined colleagues in sending another letter to ED, calling on U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to swiftly address the operational issues with the new FAFSA.  In March, Duckworth and Durbin sent a third letter to ED, urging Secretary Cardona to correct the FAFSA form error that is preventing students from mixed status families from completing the form.

A copy of the letter is available here.