[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6530256,"mediaKeyId","3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3","parentId",3679424,"title","FAAC approves minutes, nominates vice chair; proposed 2025 FAAC members to be forwarded to THECB board","audioSeconds",13215,"startMs",1092000,"endMs",14307000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3&start=1092&end=14307","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3/thumbnail_1092000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6530256/Texas/FAAC-approves-minutes-nominates-vice-chair-proposed-2025-FAAC-members-to-be-forwarded-to-THECB-board","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530256-ca849d231210ea50930ef584eb7862f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068159&Signature=GswKoyBHREb9PadhShKWOXqwnWo8dJHDUhE5U7dxB7JRfqnKgF9tGmZpt6VA-vs3aZ8g8aJY~dp1qbwgBNwhIveLoRnc0SAHl68RzuA23MeRl2ju3k3LmUd2I0bWOF6vYO~YLw2Y1~7WX4J33IFleOk7vuJqUqTEUSrDdjFQ51fQIO5LUHLIYF5QiA6PbRzTH1wTxeGRH5ArhuVKgawOQROpODE4KPpavCc8dtz8oInH9jxQAwN~EB-zEtShgjLrJC6hgYPxHuBAh88ZrdrGzdw4OoPwiYj40gNxGCaOfg-XTIK~r5GwAXXcfZbK5ONrMk~nKl74IRfOM52smO-wcw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)","date","2025-06-05T18:37:52Z","article","The Financial Aid Advisory Committee took several formal actions during the June 11 meeting.

Approval of minutes
The committee moved and seconded approval of previously distributed minutes. A motion to approve the minutes was offered and seconded; the chair recorded the motion as approved by the committee.

Vice‑chair nomination and approval
Cecilia Jones, outgoing chair, opened nominations for the vacant vice‑chair slot created as she transitions to past chair and Scott Lipinski prepares to become chair. Tanya Richardson Dean self‑nominated. Shannon Crossland moved to elect Tanya Richardson Dean as vice chair; the motion was seconded by Dee Ingram and approved by the committee.

Proposed new FAAC members
Committee staff announced proposed new FAAC members whose nominations will be presented to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in July 2025 for final approval. Proposed members and institutions listed by staff were Megan Begnan (Lamar University), William Bowen (University of Texas Medical Branch), Kelly Steelman (Amarillo College), Lisa Martin (Baylor University) and Dr. Angelica Harrow (Education Service Center Region 19). Staff said the terms would begin September 2025 and run through June 2028; the committee did not vote on final appointments because final approval rests with the coordinating board in July.

Why it matters
The vice‑chair appointment determines who will serve as vice chair, then chair, then past chair across the committee’s three‑year rotation; committee members noted the vice‑chair role includes presenting the FAAC annual report in Austin in January.

Provenance
- Motion to approve the minutes (discussion and voice approval) occurred during the meeting’s early business.
- Vice‑chair nomination and approval occurred near the meeting’s close and was recorded on the public roll call.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Financial Aid Advisory Committee (FAAC) 05JUN2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its June meeting the advisory committee approved minutes, accepted a self‑nomination and approved Tanya Richardson Dean as vice chair; staff will forward proposed new committee members to the Coordinating Board for July 2025 approval.","taxTitle","Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), Departments and Agencies, Executive, Texas","taxId",17243,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6530261,"Nonprofit and Trio programs describe barriers to federal aid for incarcerated learners and recommend policy fixes",2128,9116000,11244000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3&start=9116&end=11244","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3/thumbnail_9116000.jpg","/articles/6530261/Texas/Nonprofit-and-Trio-programs-describe-barriers-to-federal-aid-for-incarcerated-learners-and-recommend-policy-fixes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530261-a9aa1765217615c0543ed4c1a63b24bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068159&Signature=UqpU7O-BXxB6bnDpqYfX9V2rmM60mg~EFQzon5tsOlapENoKIM~HuXe52joYP6CsBE~kNJBGe9VgkPQu40rYHiXsbjuGLnWWFVCYiWvixKQLAVN0OQlx~PGBRJXE-lep5zbhnetFC6a6Ojdr9T6p4vmvYInSLR~zz8UqpgdK3XQ82Bl-VcGzE4k5ubeHBYwXTq5E4NpTLwSlcomVTw9w-m490ygsD0QYRcN4ez6G3ZprceA4oNQMd8zcO1QLDp~sCeksEKyx-1Uvg0Cuumqk5GOT-nMoPrej0Rp5NPi2~UbmCvCa-Hnlq0DCW40WHlRhQPComER~C4Gt0KZqhdHyBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hannah Sutton, program director of the Educational Opportunity Center at Opportunity Resource Services (ORS), and Andrea Jackson, a college access coordinator, presented to the committee about efforts to help incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students access higher education and federal student aid.

Sutton said ORS serves thousands annually through TRIO‑funded Educational Opportunity Centers and Upward Bound programs and that a growing portion of their work involves reentry and prison‑education pathways. She cited national research showing postsecondary access reduces recidivism and increases employment prospects, and said fewer than 2% of the roughly 130,000 people confined in Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities were enrolled in postsecondary programs despite a much larger eligible population.

Barriers described
Presenters described several recurring barriers for incarcerated learners: limited or no access to technology and broadband; difficulty obtaining or verifying identity documents (birth certificates, state IDs, Social Security cards); challenges ordering official transcripts or GED records; complications around student‑loan default and lack of a single, reliable point of contact at the federal level; and the practical problems of completing the full (new) FAFSA when the FSA ID is not fully verified.

Specific operational problems noted
- Paper FAFSA processing is slow and hard to track; the presenters said a recent Department of Education pilot illustrated difficulties with address matching and error reporting on paper files.
- The standard FSA account recovery process did not accept TDCJ IDs initially; the Department has since established an account‑recovery pathway for incarcerated individuals but access depends on bringing copies of prison IDs to in‑person sessions.
- Transcript requests can carry fees the student cannot pay; ORS sometimes pays fees to retrieve official documentation.

Partnerships and recommendations
ORS described existing partnerships with Dallas College, Windham School District, FMC Carswell and the Sanders Estes unit and urged policy changes to expand community college service areas, enable Windham to coordinate higher education programming more broadly inside TDCJ, and improve data collection about prison education outcomes. Sutton and Jackson asked committee members to support TRIO and Educational Opportunity Center funding — noting the federal TRIO programs were proposed for elimination in a draft FY26 federal budget — and to encourage institutions to expand prison‑education programs and coordinate with community partners.

Committee members and staff asked about volunteer pathways, the account‑recovery process for FSA IDs, and whether local colleges could expand second‑chance Pell programming; the presenters said volunteers are welcome and that ORS works directly to facilitate FSA‑ID creation and loan rehabilitation when possible.","Opportunity Resource Services and TRIO representatives told the committee that incarcerated learners face barriers to federal student aid including digital access, ID recovery, transcript costs and loan default; they urged expanded prison education partnerships, better account‑recovery processes and protection for TRIO funding.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6530266,"Coordinating board and TASFA subcommittee outline 2627 online/paper updates, bilingual option paused",269,7392000,7661000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3&start=7392&end=7661","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3/thumbnail_7392000.jpg","/articles/6530266/Texas/Coordinating-board-and-TASFA-subcommittee-outline-2627-onlinepaper-updates-bilingual-option-paused","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530266-bcdaa67a82c66cdc4747a76fb405126e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068159&Signature=BpUfBGU0gXhs49NBPtVmF9T7c9hj~kvZDkl-zlHjKBc11PFeVo-gtO2gO6F-SEf0Q3WefjWedW3633Dqbq-d~XTfLJsYnTEDr5X7VCwAtXr2ZiVi7DC3RlHC6zTAbVVkEqUs6RmEZ6B4oNQdEedbZz3FcFybYmrdEcHlvBTuCwWxscBD~6ZI1D3uHRzqMwMLUasesUKuAYDuF09ss9M8vlfoyTi57-L8FrhCzAmpXXQzS00owmpuieHae6dptohazgizHkECfXUPEUv8xzgcfSkHQtsoiFA5bBt~1~P~KfZcgyW5Ujjj~Xvo2zoXbmZoFB7HU1RnrWKndtzear08bQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heather Fountain, representing the TASFA (2627) subcommittee, briefed the Financial Aid Advisory Committee on updates to the 2026–27 online TASFA and the paper TASFA form.

Fountain said efforts to build a bilingual toggle for the online 2627 application were put on hold, but several product and policy changes are moving forward to align the TASFA with FAFSA language and improve user experience. Specific updates include aligning dependency and parent higher‑education questions with FAFSA, updating homelessness language to mirror FAFSA, preventing selection of future birthdates, clearer aid‑year messaging inside the application, and batch‑file enhancements to include the application ID at the end of CSV/text outputs for easier institutional reconciliation.

Timeline and testing
Fountain told the committee that testing for the 2627 online application is expected in late summer or early fall, with an anticipated launch October 1 if testing and review proceed on schedule. The printed 2627 paper form (English and Spanish) is under review and expected to be released for public review this summer.

ApplyTexas and counselor suite
The subcommittee also asked the coordinating board to filter ApplyTexas counselor‑suite data so that counselor views return only current 2627 applicants (not previous academic years). Fixture changes were described to the board's internal admin portal to improve troubleshooting and to reduce callbacks from institutions.

Why it matters
The committee emphasized that better alignment between TASFA and FAFSA language and improved batch outputs will reduce verification errors and make it easier for institutions and high‑school counselors to help students who lack Social Security numbers. Fountain encouraged committee members to participate in testing when it is released.","The FAAC heard plans for 2026–27 TASFA (2627) changes: a bilingual online flow was paused, but several alignment and usability changes are being made and testing is expected late summer/early fall.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6530270,"Region 1's Rooted Alliance raises FAFSA completion with campus-based advisers, college visits and incentives",697,3053000,3750000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3&start=3053&end=3750","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3/thumbnail_3053000.jpg","/articles/6530270/Texas/Region-1s-Rooted-Alliance-raises-FAFSA-completion-with-campus-based-advisers-college-visits-and-incentives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530270-98bb8175945ce0874a484b2eca21807b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068159&Signature=VJkUF22x99xLKQiBZa699bdp8JgLwJTQG15epL9-f~WC6YxuckQl6d4BP4xA9TPXAEdvfK5INT~D-nNkjza2ZW7n2Y7FWWy4psHXBqKTd3c91Vv3UiDS5Unx7KniPOnJJ5ycObOMhvw7kmyUZt9te4FloUi9NGHSHHOS-SariGFMlabAVUEK8GI5DSsxRKUKF8JOhbD~Y8n4udZ8pNYPuVvXPbrfY~jSZ6MKSBOhF~dn7psED-rxE~ug5x9LBhxl6QRg1m~UTMwtw3e7wRHWBwfZ1y9ATUvu3sP~vADAxOGuk54eqiM~QAjNYaC5FIC~JtXJPCYQXvxODt~udliWkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jennifer Avelar, director of college and career success at Region 1 Education Service Center, told the Financial Aid Advisory Committee that her office’s Rooted Alliance grant places college and career advisers at rural school districts to increase FAFSA completion and postsecondary enrollment.

Avelar described a combination of strategies used by advisers: early college and career tours to create student “buy‑in,” one‑on‑one advising with seniors and parents, bilingual outreach materials, flexible scheduling for working families, and modest incentives tied to FAFSA events (for example, yearbook or prom‑ticket incentives paid through grant funds). “One of my biggest mottos in life is to help people. Honestly, I just wanna be there for them,” Avelar said.

Measured results cited to the committee included rates of FAFSA completion at participating campuses: Monte Alto High School reported 100% FAFSA completion; Port Isabel High School reported 99%; Edcouch‑Elsa and one other partner reported 96%–98% completion. Avelar credited hands‑on support (including creating FSA IDs, calling federal help numbers with families when needed, helping mail TASFA paper forms) and district leadership buy‑in for the results.

Program details and challenges
Region 1 advisers take students on college tours, host FAFSA/TASFA nights with direct assistance, run bilingual outreach and use WhatsApp groups for rapid parent communication. Advisers also partner with local colleges — for example South Texas College — to coordinate application completion, class registration and FAFSA follow‑through.

Avelar acknowledged hurdles with mixed‑status families who lack Social Security numbers and with parents who fear sharing information. She said advisers call the federal FSA help number during appointments and sometimes must wait for verification numbers to proceed. “That was a big barrier,” Avelar said, noting advisers sometimes sat on hold for parents to complete the identity verification process.

School leaders’ perspective and follow‑up
High‑school participants commended the adviser model. Sandra Moore (Palo Alto High School, Amarillo ISD) said she plans to replicate Region 1 incentives and outreach strategies in her district. Erica Ramos (PSJA ISD) described a district‑level model that adds postgraduation “college transitional specialists” to support students after high school and keep documentation accessible for reentry into higher education.

Avelar made her contact information available to committee members and encouraged campus/district or institution partnerships with local advisers to increase college matriculation and reduce summer melt.","Region 1 education service center described a Rooted Alliance grant that places college and career advisers in rural high schools to drive college applications and FAFSA/TASFA completion; presenters reported completion rates above 90% at several partner campuses.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6530275,"Texas Legislature adds $328 million for student financial aid; new deadlines and program changes detailed",184,2244000,2428000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3&start=2244&end=2428","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3679424-0e11d247c99c0c4f444f3997c2e7e8a3/thumbnail_2244000.jpg","/articles/6530275/Texas/Texas-Legislature-adds-328-million-for-student-financial-aid-new-deadlines-and-program-changes-detailed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6530275-7be4be47226b249650914b9c7a95e2d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771068159&Signature=a189bZo8Sa7D7YRa2EMd1J2v-E8qn8-hWTl1vYphtjVoTscOiwO2boBooHKVI-~CP48v5X9O8c3T4RdvYyaFp6xX7YhaWSj9gBk8pY5S6zz4F9ucRUGMens23ldOquSliCizVbTeUfx71TGe-tkZ~uiEYlf48PquzpDnNVTd8GFMlBIbvxfQwp5LNj4pXKZZAI13-fiBX-01bfIm4yW7BWi~2bhSfN3x6WQeEe7IPUEAZoLXdDmMDcag5yT4A9deyuS1cQfFMcw0h7Hlsgdimuvf40-KoltLeUhkvOTISBaU33k07o2D7IeiXX8fvQ~nxBc5BGFqOo5VyN3-ZhByUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Texas Legislature added $328,000,000 in additional funding for state financial-aid programs, a 22% increase over the previous biennium, John Wyatt, senior director for government relations at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, told the Financial Aid Advisory Committee on June 11, 2025.

Wyatt said the budget changes will make aid “more predictable, portable, and accessible” by guaranteeing funding pathways for certain students and by changing program rules. “The legislature added $328,000,000 in additional funding, across our state's financial aid programs, and that represents a 22% increase,” Wyatt said. He said the appropriation aims to guarantee aid for high school graduates who finish in the top 25% of their class and to make transfers from two‑year to four‑year institutions more portable for TEOG recipients.

Why it matters: committee members said the changes could affect campus award policies and student advising. Wyatt said the budget will fund roughly 68% of eligible students in TEOG, Texas Grant and TEG programs, expanding access compared with current capacity.

Key legislative changes described to the committee
- Texas Grant/TEOG/TEG funding increase: the additional $328 million was described as intended to raise the share of eligible students served to about 68%.
- Top-quartile guarantee: the budget provides a path to guarantee financial aid for students graduating in the top 25% of their high school class; Wyatt said the legislature structured the budget to provide that predictability.
- Portability for TEOG transfers: the budget treats students who receive a TEOG at a two‑year college and later transfer to a four‑year institution as Texas Grant renewal students (if they meet other eligibility requirements), to reduce interruption in support.

Statutory and program changes described by Wyatt
- HB 300 (Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program/TASP): sets a September 30 deadline for legislative nominations and directs the coordinating board to designate a staff scholarship coordinator for the program; the bill also updates eligibility for Texas State Guard members. Wyatt said changes will take effect in the 2025–26 academic year.
- FAST program changes: bills clarified high‑school enrollment definitions and eligibility windows (the committee heard references to HB 120 and SB 1786 as clarifying enrollment and disadvantaged status rules for FAST). The changes also specify that certain districts may participate beginning 2025–26.
- Eligibility expansion bills: HB 3041 (nontraditional secondary education students) was described as making graduates of non‑accredited private schools and homeschools eligible for Texas Grant and top‑10% scholarship programs beginning fall 2026.
- SB 2995 (financial aid displacement advisory): requires the coordinating board to develop an advisory institutions must use to notify students when private scholarships or other awards reduce institutional need‑based aid. Wyatt said the bill is prescriptive about language institutions must include.
- Other items: the committee heard that HB 1105 creates a tuition and fee exemption for certain paramedics; HB 1211 raises the maximum enrollment age for students formerly in DFPS conservatorship from 25 to 27; and HB 5646 requires in‑state tuition for students who are cadets or enrolled in ROTC, effective fall 2025.

Committee reaction and next steps
Committee members asked how quickly the new program or rule changes will be implemented and how they will affect awarding timelines and system processes. Wyatt cautioned that the governor has a 20‑day veto window following sine die and that the coordinating board will publish operational guidance and rule changes as staff translate statute into program rules. The board staff will follow up with detailed implementation guidance and training for institutions and district partners as statutory language and the General Appropriations Act are finalized.

What the board will do next: staff said they will analyze bill language and publish guidance and training for institutions on timelines, eligibility and required student notifications.","A coordinating board official told the Financial Aid Advisory Committee that the 2025 legislative session increased state financial-aid funding by $328 million and enacted multiple bills affecting program eligibility, portability and disclosures.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

FAAC approves minutes, nominates vice chair; proposed 2025 FAAC members to be forwarded to THECB board

Nonprofit and Trio programs describe barriers to federal aid for incarcerated learners and recommend policy fixes

Coordinating board and TASFA subcommittee outline 2627 online/paper updates, bilingual option paused

Region 1's Rooted Alliance raises FAFSA completion with campus-based advisers, college visits and incentives

Texas Legislature adds $328 million for student financial aid; new deadlines and program changes detailed