In an effort to combat the troubling decline in FAFSA submissions, Governor Katie Hobbs has unveiled a new $500,000 initiative aimed at making college more affordable for Arizona students. The funding, drawn from federal Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) dollars, aims to boost statewide resources, ramp up the number of FAFSA completion events, and support initiatives across Arizona, especially during the pivotal summer months. This comes on the heels of delays and data issues with the new FAFSA form, which has led to a decrease in completion rates from the previous year, with Arizona dropping to 49th in the nation.
Gov. Hobbs, herself a beneficiary of financial aid, stressed the importance of these resources for higher education. "As someone who participated in a work-study program and was awarded scholarships to help me get through college, I cannot overestimate how important it is to take advantage of all the resources available to attain a higher education," Hobbs publicly stated, according to an announcement from her office. She further urged all Arizona families with graduating seniors to promptly submit their FAFSA.
Earlier this month, Gov. Hobbs proclaimed April "Finish Line to the FAFSA" month and sent a call to arms to school leaders and community partners to join forces in assisting students with the FAFSA process. "I’m very grateful for the work that Arizona’s school counselors, principles, partners, colleges, and universities are doing to increase FAFSA submissions," Hobbs added, acknowledging the collaborative efforts of the educational community.
The Arizona Board of Regents is spearheading the statewide FAFSA coalition with the newly allocated funds. They are set to implement a comprehensive range of resources: a calendar of events, virtual appointments, a FAFSA hotline, text support with Ask Benji, a communications toolkit, and FAFSA pro tips. Additionally, tools like Arizona College Connect are to be further developed to provide high school educators with real-time data on FAFSA completion. Details on these offerings can be found at the CollegeReadyAZ website, a repository for FAFSA assistance.
