The Alabama State Board of Education voted 6-3 on Feb. 11 to announce its intent to adopt an amendment to the Alabama Administrative Code that would require graduating seniors either to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or to submit a signed opt-out form.

The board’s announcement opens a 45-day public comment period before the board may vote on final adoption at a later meeting. Superintendent Eric Mackey told the board the rule permits waivers and local exceptions: principals may notify superintendents, who can waive the requirement for individual students, and a parent, guardian or a student of majority age may sign an opt-out note.

Supporters at the meeting and during the public-comment period said FAFSA completion increases access to college and career programs and unlocks federal dollars for students who otherwise would not apply. “Completing the FAFSA to access free aid like the Pell grant is one of the most efficient and effective ways to direct aid to students who need it,” undergraduate Kayla Pouncey said during public comment. Tim McCartney, chairman of the Alabama Workforce Council, told the board that “Alabama’s high school seniors are currently leaving over $47,000,000 per year on the table in unclaimed federal student aid.”

Board members who spoke in favor said local counselors and career coaches already assist students with FAFSA and that the policy would institutionalize those efforts statewide. “The policy is written so that any family may choose not to complete the FAFSA,” McCartney said, adding that families would not be forced to provide information if they opted out.

Opponents warned that making FAFSA completion a mandate could create privacy and administrative burdens. Board member Stephanie Bell said she was “opposed to mandate,” and voiced concerns about parents having to provide Social Security numbers, tax returns and other financial documents for students who may not intend to pursue postsecondary education. Jackie Ziegler noted concerns for “migratory students and … the homeless” and said some families want to remain “under the radar.”

Tracy West, a board member, said she had received “an enormous amount of feedback” and asked Superintendent Mackey to clarify the process. Mackey explained the board was only announcing its intent to adopt the rule and that final action could not occur until after the public-comment period and at a subsequent meeting: “the board would not could not vote on anything final until the April meeting.”

The roll-call vote, conducted after board discussion, was: Yes — Tanya Chestnut, Kay Ivey (governor), Cynthia McCarty, Belinda McRae, Yvette Richardson, Tracy West (6); No — Stephanie Bell, Wayne Reynolds, Jackie Ziegler (3). The motion to announce the intent to adopt the rule was made by Yvette Richardson and seconded by Cynthia McCarty.

Next steps: the rule will be published for a 45-day public comment period and may be revised before the board considers final adoption at a later meeting.