NEW YORK – As New York high school students make plans for their higher education, The Education Trust–New York is supporting those efforts with the launch of the 2024 New York FASFA Completion Challenge.
The New York FAFSA Completion Project is a statewide campaign to encourage public high schools to increase the proportion of eligible students from low-income backgrounds who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for federal and state college financial aid programs. Based on successful efforts in other states, the FAFSA Completion Challenge is designed to positively recognize high schools across New York’s OSC Economic Regions.
FASFA Completion Challenge awards will be issued in two rounds, the first based on data available as of April 5, 2024, and the second based on data available as of May 3, 2024. Awards will be issued in the following categories:
- Greatest year-to-year improvement in FAFSA completion rate for high schools with at least 100 students enrolled in grade 12.
- Greatest year-to-year improvement in FAFSA completion rate for high schools with fewer than 100 students enrolled in grade 12.
Each award will consist of $750 granted to the winning high school for the purpose of awarding a scholarship to one of its students.
- A total of 12 awards will be made, including one award within each of the OSC Economic Regions of New York State. Additional eligibility criteria are:
- All public high schools (district-run and charter schools) are eligible to participate.
- The school must enroll a minimum of 50% of students who are classified as “economically disadvantaged” in 2023-24, according to Preliminary BEDS day enrollment data published by the New York State Education Department.
- The school must have a minimum of 20 students enrolled in grade 12 in 2023-24, according to Preliminary BEDS day enrollment data published by the New York State Education Department.
- The school’s estimated FAFSA completion rate in 2023-24 must be no less than the average for similar schools, as defined in the data note.
- If a school declines to participate, the next highest-ranked school will be selected.
- In the case of a tie, the school with the higher(est) share of low-income students will be selected.
“FAFSA completion is a critical equity issue that improves college enrollment, particularly for students from low-income backgrounds. We hope the FAFSA Challenge will help schools improve completion rates and ensure all students can access an affordable higher education,” said Jeff Smink, interim executive director of The Education Trust–New York. “Our Financial Aid for College: High School Toolkit is an evidence-based resource for high schools across New York to help all students complete financial aid applications.”
To further support students, Ed Trust–NY released The Financial Aid for College: High School Toolkit. It highlights 6 evidence-based strategies schools can use to help students with financial aid application completion, tips for tracking progress, an updated FAQ section, and materials in English and Spanish that can be used to communicate with students and families.
Completing the FAFSA matters for college attainment, according to the National College Access Network, 90% of high school seniors who complete the FAFSA go to college immediately after graduation — compared to just 55% of seniors who do not complete the FAFSA. Additionally, the New York State graduating high school senior class of 2023 left $226 million in Federal Pell Grants on the table due to FAFSA incompletion and the Challenge and Toolkit are designed to ensure that students are taking advantage of these important grants.
For questions about the 2024 New York FAFSA Completion Challenge or The Financial Aid for College: High School Toolkit, please contact: [email protected]
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About The Education Trust–New York:
The Education Trust–New York works to eliminate the gaps in equity and opportunity that hold back too many students from reaching their full potential, especially those who are from low-income backgrounds or students of color, in order to enable all students in New York State to achieve at high levels — from early childhood through college. Learn more at EdTrustNY.org.