The Iowa Department of Education has received $276,000 in federal funding to further its and partner organizations’ efforts to help more students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

Using $276,000 in FAFSA Student Support Strategy funds from the U.S. Department of Education, the Bureau of Iowa College Aid has expanded its Summer Transition Associate program and supported collaborations with nonprofits and college and career transition counselors to encourage FAFSA completion, according to a news release.

“We are grateful for this federal investment to expand the Department’s critical work supporting students and families across Iowa in completing the FAFSA and overcoming the challenges they faced throughout this application cycle,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow in the release. “Alongside schools, postsecondary institutions, and community partners, we will continue to champion students pursuing their unique pathways to postsecondary success.”

Iowa College Aid doubled its summer transition associate staff to 21 associates, some of whom are bilingual. High school counselors make up the staff and work in communities across Iowa in the summer to help students and families with the “college-going process,” according to the release, and the program has been expanded through the funding to focus more on FAFSA completion.

According to the Educational Credit Management Corporation , which administers the FAFSA Student Support Strategy grants funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the Iowa College Access Network also received funding.

Both families and universities have experienced issues and delays with the new FAFSA , which launched months later than usual in December 2023. Students dealt with glitches and sometimes struggled to understand complicated language and changes to the form, and institutions received inaccurate data that some are still waiting to be fixed.

As of Aug. 2, just under 47% of Iowa students in the class of 2024 had completed the FAFSA, according to the National College Attainment Network , a more than 10% decrease from last year.

“We were proud to provide additional summer support to Iowa’s Class of 2024 with the critical step of completing their FAFSA and continuing their postsecondary pursuits,” said Iowa College Aid Bureau Chief David Ford in the release. “The 2024-25 FAFSA cycle has been a challenge for many, and this assistance will support local efforts and completion opportunities across Iowa.”

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