Kelly Mae Ross, Author at Form Your Future

#FAFSABrightSpots: Hawaii P-20 Acted Fast to Support Seniors in FAFSA Completions During COVID-19

Posted on August 23, 2020September 23, 2020 by Kelly Mae Ross

By Lesli Yogi, Communications and Engagement Specialist, Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education

When the COVID pandemic hit, our organization immediately realized that our graduating high school class of 2020 needed immediate intervention to ensure they would succeed in making the transition from high school to college or career. This meant taking action and moving quickly from in-person to virtual support and strategies.

As it is widely known, data show that seniors who complete the FAFSA, especially economically disadvantaged students, are more likely to enroll in postsecondary education. With students not being in schools and having limited or no access to their college counselors for one-on-one support, we needed to develop solutions that could assist our students even while they were at home.

We provided technical expertise and support for students and families through an email hotline, FAFSA@Hawaii.edu, which was supported by local financial aid specialists. We promoted this support through a statewide media campaign to encourage FAFSA completion, including a television PSA, radio, and a digital campaign. We also created a comprehensive list of financial aid online resources that could serve as an information portal for educators and families.

We collaborated with our local chamber of commerce to offer a webinar to families on how to pay for college during COVID-19. This webinar provided valuable guidance and insight on how college can be affordable even during this crisis. By partnering with our community, we were able to help spread the word and reach a much broader audience.

We will continue to offer FAFSA webinars for new and continuing college students throughout the summer to make sure they know it’s not too late to submit their FAFSA.

Finally, Hawaii P-20, in partnership with the University of Hawaii, and several philanthropic partners (Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Strada Education Network, the Stupski Foundation, and the Clarence T.C. Ching Foundation) launched a comprehensive new summer on-ramp initiative called “Next Steps to Your Future,” designed specifically to support Hawaii‘s class of 2020 public high school seniors. The “Next Steps to Your Future” initiative consists of two parts: summer advising and free summer classes at the University of Hawaii Community Colleges.

The summer advising initiative, led by Hawaii P-20, is currently engaging and guiding over 1,700 seniors in transitioning to their post-high school plans for careers and connecting them to postsecondary education, training and/or employment.

Every student is connected with an experienced University of Hawaii adviser who is providing free personalized support and information to guide them in their next steps whether they plan to enroll in college or had to delay their college plans. Support consists of specialized text messages with reminders on completing college applications and the FAFSA and providing access to relevant resources and opportunities to receive one-on-one support from a dedicated adviser over the eight weeks of summer.

Students also had the opportunity to enroll in free online University of Hawaii Community College Summer Exploration classes to explore career options and discover the education and training needed to reach their goals. More than 1,500 recent graduates have enrolled in over 129 classes this summer at one of the University of Hawaii Community Colleges. Participating students are earning between one and six college credits in these classes.

Finally, to help financially support our Next Steps students with their fall college enrollment, they will be eligible to apply for the Stronger Together Hawaii Scholarship, a $2 million dollar scholarship funded by Hawaii Community Foundation and First Hawaiian Bank Foundation.
These combined efforts with our generous partners over the past few months have yielded positive results in Hawaii’s FAFSA completion numbers. According to NCAN’s #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker, Hawaii is currently ranked first in having the lowest percent change in FAFSA completions year over year. Our current statewide FAFSA completion rate is 58.5%.

While we still have much work to do, supporting our graduates to take charge of their futures has been at the core of our focus. It’s critical that we continue to support our young people in planning for our shared future and how they will each contribute to taking care of their families, their communities and these islands that are our home.

Hawaii P-20 strengthens the education pipeline from early childhood through postsecondary education and training with data-informed decision making, advocacy, policy coordination, and shared action. Our work is focused on high expectations and equitable access, so all students can thrive in school, career and life.

Twitter: @hawaiip20
Website: www.p20hawaii.org

#FAFSABrightSpots: LOSFA Embraces the Opportunity to Provide Virtual FAFSA Completion Assistance

Posted on August 5, 2020September 23, 2020 by Kelly Mae Ross

By Dr. Sujuan Boutté, Executive Director, Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance

The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) strives to be Louisiana’s first choice for college access. LOSFA’s three-part program allows students to continue their education beyond high school by promoting, preparing for, and providing equity of college access to the students of Louisiana.

We promote college access through college browses, integrated business and industry visits, and postsecondary campus visits, among other initiatives. A browse session is typically held at a college fair or expo. At a browse session, students and/or parents can speak to a LOSFA representative and ask questions related to financial aid, college access information, and Louisiana’s merit-based aid, the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) awards.

We prepare students for college success by providing academic tutoring support services, ACT/SAT standardized test preparation activities, comprehensive mentoring, college/career counseling and advising, and dual enrollment support.

We provide college financial aid and related support services by administering TOPS, Louisiana’s need-based scholarship (GO Grant), LOSFA’s Go Youth ChalleNGe Grant, START Saving Plan, START K12 Saving Plan, and additional financial aid opportunities.

Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, LOSFA staff implemented a holistic approach to student support and connected the importance of academic persistence to college scholarships, initiating conversations to explain the financial aid process and student loan debt. This approach included:

One-On-One Engagement – LOSFA provided line-by-line and face-to-face assistance to students and their families in order to complete their respective portions of the FAFSA application.

Event Registration – High school professionals coordinated with LOSFA to host multiple events at their schools to ensure a full range of opportunities for students and families to understand the financial aid process.

Communication – LOSFA used text messaging, postcard invitations, PSAs, videos, email, phone calls, and social media campaigns to spread the word about the FAFSA, financial aid opportunities, FAFSA completion events and initiatives, and other resources to provide college readiness support.

LOSFA’s FAFSA Lab – LOSFA utilized an on-site FAFSA lab for families who needed additional assistance with completing their FAFSA outside of school or home.

The pandemic presented unforeseen challenges, and the LOSFA team worked quickly and creatively to meet the needs of students and their families. LOSFA launched several initiatives to provide virtual FAFSA completion assistance:

FAFSA Now campaign – When the office transitioned to working remotely, during Phase 1 of Louisiana’s re-entry strategy, LOSFA implemented its FAFSA Now campaign to support students with FAFSA completion. The campaign began April 9,, and ended on July 1, the priority deadline for TOPS, Louisiana’s merit-based scholarship. The campaign targets high school seniors in the class of 2020 to remind and encourage them to complete the FAFSA or address any errors on their FAFSA.

To spread the word to their prospective students, postsecondary partners have recorded video messages on the importance of FAFSA completion. LOSFA has also used videography and graphic designs, shared via social media and Signal Vine text messaging, to remind high school seniors and current college students to renew their FAFSA. Instructions to register for virtual office hours, text messaging assistance, and email support by LOSFA outreach staff have also been promoted across the state, so students and their families know the agency remains committed to meeting the needs of students, even during these difficult times.

Virtual Office Hours – Students, parents, and families may register for Zoom appointments to obtain one-on-one assistance or join group sessions for FAFSA completion support.

Geaux FAFSA Email Support – LOSFA widely publicizes our email address (GeauxFAFSA@la.gov) to families and students who have questions about the FAFSA. We regularly check and respond to all messages.

During the past several months, we have committed additional staff time and capacity to remain available to students. Outreach staff who provide virtual assistance have customer service experience and sufficient knowledge about the FAFSA to deliver exceptional support, while helping students and families complete the FAFSA. We have also invested in internet access, Wi-Fi devices, the Zoom virtual platform, laptops, and web cams. FAFSA verification is conducted by postsecondary institutions while LOSFA generates and monitors FAFSA error reports and subsequently follows up with students to correct errors in processing. And we use NCAN’s #FormYourFuture FAFSA Tracker data to confirm FAFSA completion.

In our increasingly technology-driven society, we have maximized the opportunity to transition to 100% remote service provision. We advise practitioners transitioning from in-person to virtual FAFSA support to leverage technologies to engage through video conferencing sessions, e-mail campaigns, social media, text messaging, and phone. Though we have and will continue to face many challenges, we encourage fellow college attainment professionals to embrace the opportunity, adapting to meet the needs of students and their families.

#FAFSABrightSpots: Indiana Creates a Virtual FAFSA Frenzy

Posted on July 31, 2020September 23, 2020 by Kelly Mae Ross

By Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education

It is often said “necessity is the mother of invention.” Truly, the whole world has been learning this firsthand throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education – Indiana’s coordinating body for higher education – has adapted to new circumstances in order to reach students and families, particularly the most vulnerable among us. By shifting our critical outreach efforts online and utilizing social media to connect with students and families, the Commission has continued to administer the state’s financial aid programs, which require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file.

Under “normal” circumstances, the Commission’s outreach and communications team actively works with schools and families to increase college access and readiness through one-on-one events, as well as by email, text and phone calls, and through postcards and social media campaigns to communicate about the FAFSA and other important college resources.

These outreach events were planned to start in March (leading up to Indiana’s original April 15 FAFSA deadline), just as COVID-19 struck and initiated the closure of schools, colleges, and workplaces.

Moving our entire FAFSA outreach efforts to a virtual setting became the goal. That included transitioning the dates and times from in-person events to Facebook Live events – what we’ve dubbed FAFSA Frenzy events – through the Learn More Indiana Facebook page and all of our social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook).

All tools on the table

Considerations for how to make the most impact through virtual events included which online platform to use, what time of day to attempt the events, and how best to share information and connect with students and families.

The Commission’s Facebook pages have a strong following of school counselors, administrators, educators, community partners, and public policy leaders. Promoting and hosting the events through Facebook ensured the Commission would be able to reach its target audience. Other considerations included time constraints (there were none with Facebook Live) and video permanence (Facebook Live videos remain on the page after the broadcast ends).

With the overarching message “Call us or chat us – we’re here to help,” the Commission presented tips and resources for students and families, along with answers to frequently asked questions.

The Commission featured several guests on the first broadcast during a Saturday afternoon, including a representative from financial aid guidance partner INvestEd Indiana, as well as a Spanish-language segment. Combined, staff members and community partners received nearly 100 phone calls, plus texts and emails. The video of the event is available on the Facebook page and has more than 1,600 views to date and reached over 3,000 people.

After a successful first event in early April, a second live event was held the evening before the state’s FAFSA deadline. Again, with one segment dedicated to support for Spanish speakers, the Commission’s staff also welcomed Purdue University’s executive director of financial aid. This event generated more than 100 calls, as well as texts and emails, and the video has more than 1,200 views.

Successful outcomes and future plans

Aside from social media analytics bearing out success, the Commission registered a 4% uptick in FAFSAs filed immediately after the Frenzy events. Of course, we don’t attribute all of that increase to the virtual events. However, the ability to quickly transition our outreach events to virtual offerings meant we were able to reach additional Hoosiers in the midst of a global pandemic.

The Commission also extended the state’s FAFSA filling deadline on a first-come, first-served basis as funding remained available. The extension allowed more than 6,000 additional students to be eligible and considered for financial aid.

Our outreach staff will be glad to get back to in-person events when it is safe to do so, but the success of these events prove the value of virtual offerings, which will become a regular feature of our outreach efforts.

Additionally, and because of the relative success of the FAFSA Frenzy events, the Commission hosted virtual enrollment opportunities in June for the 21st Century Scholars program, which provides tuition for up to four years for income-eligible students.

We will continue to develop these virtual events throughout the summer, fall and beyond. The Commission is counting the lessons we’ve learned along the way as opportunities to deliver important information to students and families about the FAFSA and college financing options during a time when this outreach is more important than ever.

Teresa Lubbers is the Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education. Created in 1971, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education plans, coordinates, and defines Indiana’s postsecondary education system to align higher learning with the needs of students and the state. The Commission also administers Indiana’s financial aid programs, including the 21st Century Scholars early college promise scholarship, which celebrates 30 years in 2020. Learn more about the Commission’s Reaching Higher in a State of Change strategic plan here.

#FAFSABrightSpots: Alabama Possible Leverages Partnerships to Support FAFSA Completion

Posted on July 23, 2020September 23, 2020 by Kelly Mae Ross

By Manisha Mishra, Program Director, Alabama Possible

Change, as we all know, is the only thing that is constant. At the beginning of March, we were planning to close out the 2019-20 Cash for College Campaign, focused on Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion. Then with just a few days’ notice, we began working remotely – with no end in sight.

There was no time to hit the pause button; the team had to continue connecting educators, students, and families to FAFSA resources while also figuring out how to work effectively from home. We reached out to our partners, collected ideas and strategic plans, and had thought-provoking conversations that helped us anchor our work in Alabama’s students’ and families’ needs.

Prior to school closures in mid-March, Alabama’s Class of 2020 had 1.96% more FAFSA completions than the Class of 2019. To understand FAFSA completion trends during COVID-19, Alabama Possible conducted a detailed analysis in addition to its regular weekly data reports.

With schools closed, students faced challenges such as decreased access to high school counselors, career coaches, an internet connection, and other college-going resources. Mirroring national trends, FAFSA completion decreased statewide. As of May 29, Alabama was 1.75% behind last year’s completion rate. We published the full analysis on our blog and shared it with state policymakers and education leaders.

To address challenges faced by educators and students while schools remain closed, we used several initiatives to boost FAFSA completion and support a college-going culture:

1. Cash for College Week

In order to equip counselors/educators with tools to help students complete their FAFSA, Alabama Possible hosted Cash for College Week in collaboration with the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE), and Alabama Community College System (ACCS). During this weeklong initiative, we took the following steps to connect students and families with financial aid to pay for education after high school:

Created a landing page on Alabama Possible’s website with financial aid resources.
Promoted a step-by-step guide to FAFSA completion.
Provided virtual training to counselors/educators on how to access financial aid resources, including data tracking tools.
Created and shared a document with updated financial aid and admissions deadlines for two-year and four-year institutions in partnership with ACHE.
Sent emails and direct mailers to students/families promoting FAFSA completion.
Promoted FAFSA completion activities on television, in print media, and on social media.

2. Cash for College Help Desk

To address declines in FAFSA completions, we launched the Cash for College Help Desk to complement the work of school counselors, career coaches, and college admissions and financial aid counselors. Answering questions about attending and paying for college, the Cash for College Help Desk provides an added layer of support to schools, students, and families.

The free Cash for College Help Desk is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reached by texting or calling 334-316-6155, sending a Facebook message to @cashforcollegeal, or emailing cashforcollege@alabamapossible.org. Messages received after hours are returned the next business day.

3. College and Career Decision Week

Alabama Possible, in partnership with the ALSDE, hosted College and Career Decision Week to support our high school graduates and celebrate their decision to seek valuable postsecondary credentials, including professional/technical credentials and academic degrees, or to pursue careers in skilled trades. Educators shared tips on unique ways to celebrate their students’ accomplishments virtually. Pictures and videos were shared on social media using the hashtags: #ALGOES2COLLEGE, #ReachHigher, #CollegeSigningDay, and #BetterMakeRoom.

4. Webinars

Alabama Possible hosted several webinars to assist counselors/educators in helping students and their families navigate the FAFSA process. These webinars can be found on Alabama Possible’s YouTube Channel.

Since 2016, Alabama Possible’s Cash for College Campaign has worked to increase the number of Alabama students who pursue and complete a postsecondary education by increasing completion of the FAFSA. In partnership with the ALSDE, ACHE, and ACCS, Alabama Possible also provides support for the Alabama College Campaign, which combines Alabama College Application Week, Cash for College, and College Signing Day.

Schools in Alabama can monitor their FAFSA completion progress using our Cash for College Dashboard. This data visualization tool displays each school’s completion rate for the current year and prior year, allowing schools to track their year-over-year improvement. The dashboard also allows schools to make comparisons across districts, counties, and school sizes.

Alabama Possible is a statewide nonprofit organization that removes barriers to prosperity in Alabama through education, collaboration, and advocacy. We influence public policy to ensure every high school graduate in our state can pursue a technical or academic credential after high school. Our programs connect Alabama’s educational leaders, students, and families with the resources necessary to cultivate a college-going culture and equitable educational attainment.

#FAFSABrightSpots: MCAN Spearheads Collective FAFSA Completion Efforts in Michigan

Posted on July 7, 2020July 22, 2020 by Kelly Mae Ross

By Jamie Jacobs, Deputy Director, Michigan College Access Network

For the past five years, Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) has organized the “College Cash Campaign,” which is designed to increase FAFSA completions among high school seniors. The campaign is a part of a larger strategy called College Bound Michigan (CBMI), which also includes Michigan College Month and College Decision Day. Together, these three efforts facilitate college application completion, FAFSA completion, and final college selection.

In 2019-20, more than 400 high schools participated in CBMI, which was the highest since we launched these efforts with College Application Week back in 2011. College Cash Campaign runs annually from Nov. 1 to March 1. March 1 is Michigan’s FAFSA deadline.

To participate in the College Cash Campaign schools agreed to the following:

Setting a bold FAFSA completion goal.
Selecting a FAFSA champion.
Systematically tracking student-level FAFSA completion data.

Governor’s FAFSA Challenge

In December 2019, the College Cash Campaign received a major boost from Michigan’s Governor, Gretchen Whitmer. When she had learned that $100 million in federal Pell Grants went unclaimed by Michigan high school graduates, she sought to put more free money in the hands of students in the spirit of making college more affordable. Thus, the Governor’s FAFSA Challenge was launched! That challenge was to every high school in Michigan to increase their FAFSA completion rates from the year before, aiming for a 75% completion rate in 2020.

The FAFSA completion rate in Michigan for the 2018-19 year was 56%. The governor teamed up with the lieutenant governor to record a FAFSA challenge video that was viewed more than 1,700 times via MCAN’s Facebook page. Because of the Governor’s interest, MCAN was able to partner with multiple organizations to show a collective effort: Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Department of Treasury, Student Scholarships and Grants, Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, Michigan Association of College Admission Counseling and the Detroit Regional Chamber. Leveraging these connections raised the visibility of the College Cash Campaign.

We also established several milestone goals along the way:

High schools achieving at least a 65% completion rate received a framed tribute from the governor.
High schools achieving at least a 75% completion rate would receive an award presented at a future school board meeting.

Part of the Governor’s FAFSA Challenge included that three top high schools would be named and would receive a $10,000 cash prize. Ten regional winners would also be selected from across Michigan and would be eligible for a visit to the Capitol and a photo opportunity with Gov. Whitmer.

In early April, MCAN announced the 13 winners of the challenge. Thirty-six high participating schools were recognized as having at least a 75% FAFSA completion rate as of March 1, 2020.

Data Access, Tracking, and Sharing

Another major accomplishment was the establishment of a data-sharing partnership with the Michigan Department of Treasury’s Student Scholarships and Grants division, which allowed MCAN to publicly display aggregate FAFSA completion data by high school. These data empowered high schools to have a new level of specificity in their data available at the lift of a finger and encouraged many more schools to process the necessary paperwork to access student-level data to target their interventions and support.

Response During a Pandemic

Once the pandemic forced the closure of K-12 in Michigan, we quickly pivoted to ensure FAFSA completion rates could remain a priority. This pivoting include the following new efforts:

Virtual College Advising. MCAN’s 56 college advisers immediately moved their postsecondary attainment work to a virtual setting and were laser-focused on FAFSA completion rates. They communicated with their students via text, email, social media, and virtual video calls.
College Advising Hotline. In early May, MCAN launched a free, statewide college advising hotline for all students in grades 9-12. In promoting the hotline, we made sure to communicate that help with the FAFSA was available on the hotline. We believe this was the first of its kind in the country.
Paid Advertisements in Social Media. In an effort to keep FAFSA completion rates going up, MCAN invested in several paid advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. These advertisements promoted the FAFSA, the Department of Treasury- SSG Call Center, and the hotline.

As of June 3, Michigan’s FAFSA completion rate is 51.1%, slightly above the FAFSA completion rate at this same time last year.

We still have much work to do to reach the goal of 75%. But we are hopeful that 2019-20 demonstrated that with a bold challenge by a governor, an increase in high schools’ participation in the College Cash Campaign, new partnerships, and creative solutions during an international health crisis, we can move the needle and demonstrate that we are changing a culture and behaviors in support of making a postsecondary education both accessible and affordable.

#FAFSABrightSpots: EducationQuest Foundation Virtually Supports FAFSA Completion

Posted on June 20, 2020July 22, 2020 by Kelly Mae Ross

By Tricia Dunn, Director of Media Relations, EducationQuest Foundation

For over 34 years, EducationQuest Foundation has provided free college planning services to Nebraska students and families including one-on-one help with FAFSA completion. During 2019, our staff helped with the completion of 9,470 FAFSAs via in-office appointments, virtual appointments, and FAFSA-filing sessions at high schools and agencies across the state.

In mid-March, EducationQuest sent staff home due to COVID-19, but didn’t miss a beat in the continuation of free services – especially since those in the College Planning and Outreach Services departments already had experience with virtual FAFSA filing.

Remote FAFSA Technology

“For the past few years, we have used RescueAssist technology to provide remote FAFSA help to families who don’t live near one of our locations,” said Joan Jurek, director of EducationQuest’s college planning office in Omaha. “This was a real advantage when we started working from home.”

Despite the experience with remote assistance, staff had to overcome some issues including supporting families who do not own a computer or laptop, which is required for RescueAssist.

“In those cases, we help clients over the phone,” Joan said. “This isn’t ideal, but most of us have the FAFSA memorized, so we can follow along pretty easily as we guide them through the information to input.”

Joan said remote and phone assistance can take as much as an hour and a half per appointment, which is longer than the average 45-minute in-person appointments. For those making the transition to remote FAFSA assistance, Joan advises “extensive knowledge of the FAFSA form, along with lots of time and patience.”

Confirming FAFSA Submission

Joan explained that, unless a student actually submits the FAFSA during the remote appointment, it’s not possible to follow up and confirm that the student completed the FAFSA process. Nebraska does, however, have a FAFSA Completion Initiative in which high schools can access FAFSA submission and completion status updates on their students and provide help to those who need it.

“We heavily promote the FAFSA Completion Initiative to our high school counselors and encourage them to refer to us any students who need help finishing the process – especially verification,” Joan said.

Reaching Out to Students

When COVID-19 hit and staff started working from home, EducationQuest used several different mediums to spread the word that free help with college planning and FAFSA completion was still available. These included:

Creation of a COVID-19 webpage that directs students to free college planning resources along with updates and resources from Nebraska colleges.
Weekly Countdown2College emails to Nebraska high school seniors and juniors.
Communication to high school counselors and agency representatives.
Installation of a live chat feature on the EducationQuest website.
Memes and ads that are pushed via social media.
A news release that was sent statewide.

Despite all these efforts, Joan acknowledged that FAFSA completion numbers are not where EducationQuest would like them to be.

“Nebraska is at about a 53% completion rate right now for the 2020-21 FAFSA, which is down slightly from a year ago,” she said. “There’s no doubt that part of this reflects students who put their college plans on hold due to COVID-19.”

Prior to the pandemic, EducationQuest had started working with the Nebraska Department of Education and other key stakeholders on the process of implementing FAFSA completion as a high school graduation requirement for eligible seniors. This effort is temporarily on hold, although a few Nebraska high schools have agreed to pilot mandatory FAFSA completion this fall.

“EducationQuest is continually looking for new ways to spread the word about the importance of the FAFSA and the assistance we can provide,” said Joan.