FAFSA Implementation Continues to Be the Focus of Both Department of Education Updates and Congressional Review
Overview
Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education sent out a communiqué to the leadership of all institutions of higher education providing an update on the status of 2025-2026 Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) implementation. The latest update comes just days before the U.S. House of Representative’s Committee on Education & the Workforce’s subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development will hold a hearing focused on a recent Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report critical of the Department’s FAFSA transition process and progress. Below for your convenience is a copy of an email distributed by the Department and information on Wednesday’s House hearing entitled “GAO Uncovers Biden-Harris FAFSA Failures.”
Department of Education FAFSA Update
In its latest update on the process and progress related to FAFSA implementation the Department included a letter from Secretary of Education Cardona and a new white paper that builds upon previous Department information regarding the rollout process as the Department begins to beta test the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The Department will begin the beta test in October, and continues to forecast full access for students and their families and institutions by December. The content of the email stated,
“We are grateful for your collaboration supporting students and families to complete the FAFSA and access higher education. Today, the Department sent a letter and white paper to leadership at all institutions of higher education updating them on the progress that has been made with the help of our partners and detailing improvements underway for the 2025–26 FAFSA cycle. This included a cover letter from the Secretary (www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/education-policy/secretarys-cover-letter-focus-improving-fafsa-experience) along with the white paper A Focus on Improving the FAFSA® Experience: Updates, actions, and a path forward for the 2025–26 cycle (www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2024-09/AFocusonImprovingtheFAFSAExperience.pdf). (www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2024-09/AFocusonImprovingtheFAFSAExperience.pdf)
Many of you shared your FAFSA experiences and valuable suggestions in listening sessions with the Department and through the Request for Information (RFI). We hope you see many of your keen recommendations in the update. We continue to work to improve the FAFSA for the 2025-26 cycle and incorporate stakeholder feedback through the fall.
The Department is committed to learning from challenges with the launch of the 2024–25 FAFSA form, increasing transparency, and making key improvements to the experience for students, families, and colleges in the coming year.”
Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Hearing
Tomorrow House higher education subcommittee chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) will lead a hearing focused upon the GAO report. As noted in a press release, Chairman Owens stated,
“Even though the Education Department has refused to cooperate with the investigation, congressional watchdog GAO has uncovered new and troubling information about the Biden-Harris FAFSA fiasco. Instead of being honest and transparent, the Department decided to cover up systemic issues and poor communication before, during, and after the launch. Missed deadlines, false promises, and students left in limbo – and now the Biden-Harris administration is on track to repeat its mistakes given the 2025-2026 FAFSA is already delayed until at least December. This hearing is about accountability and ensuring students and schools don’t have to go through this again.”
The hearing, which begins at 10:15 AM ET tomorrow, can be viewed here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5faLpjvfaLg) – along with the Chairman Owens’ opening statement and the testimony from the two GAO witness – Ms. Melissa Emrey-Arras, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues and Marisol Cruz Cain, Director, Information Technology and Cybersecurity Team.
HEWD Subcommittee hearing “GAO Uncovers Biden-Harris FAFSA Failures” (mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/WhctKLbMwJGstgtdPSDvqTWBBBrVZWBQnBWdqTBKRjLmHDWvqHsfbQTMWkPcZkZpWRPfLpL?projector=1)
