Board discusses making FAFSA completion the default for seniors; work session continues to February vote

Board members and department staff spent the State Board of Education's work session discussing a proposal that would make completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) the default action for high‑school seniors in Alabama, while preserving an opt‑out process for students or families who decline.

Gov. Kay Ivey opened the item in the work session and said the FAFSA proposal aligns with the state's SuccessPlus goal to increase postsecondary credential attainment. State Superintendent Eric Mackey and Sean Stevens, director of instructional support services, answered board questions and described implementation steps the department envisions. Mackey said the federal FAFSA form has been simplified by recent federal changes and noted that local counselors will have the primary responsibility to assist students with completion and recordkeeping.

Stevens said the FAFSA will shrink in the coming federal cycle (he cited a reduction from more than 100 questions to 36 under federal changes) and that family tax data will be imported directly from tax returns for future cycles. He emphasized that no school or department staff would see sensitive tax or Social Security information because access is controlled by the student's FAFSA ID and password.

Board members pressed the department on privacy protections, exemptions, and the opt‑out process. Several members — including State Board member Stephanie Bell — expressed strong reservations about requiring FAFSA completion as a condition of graduation, pointing to limited empirical evidence from other states and parental privacy concerns. Bell and others cited Louisiana, Texas and Illinois as jurisdictions that have recently enacted similar policies and noted those efforts remain new and partially untested.

Supporters of the proposal said the policy is a "door opener" for postsecondary aid and training and noted early data cited from Louisiana showing an increase in FAFSA completion after that state's requirement. Board members pressed for explicit language ensuring that students can opt out and that superintendents would retain authority to waive the requirement in special circumstances (for example, homelessness, foster care or pandemic disruptions).

No formal vote was held; the board indicated it will vote on the proposal at its February meeting after additional work and clarifications. Department staff and board members discussed professional development for counselors and possible micro‑credentialing of staff who assist students with FAFSA completion.

The transcript shows active engagement from the board and department staff; the department said it will continue refining the proposal, emphasize opt‑out and waiver procedures, and expand professional development for counselors ahead of the February meeting.