Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
California officials warn FAFSA rollout setbacks and privacy concerns have depressed aid applications, especially for mixed‑status families
Summary
State student aid officials told the Assembly Budget Subcommittee that delayed FAFSA launches, technical problems and family privacy worries have reduced FAFSA and California Dream Act (CADAA) application rates this year, leaving the Student Aid Commission and segments scrambling to boost outreach ahead of extended deadlines.
Chair Assemblymember Alex Alvarez convened the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 hearing on financial aid with an opening focus on application rates for FAFSA and the California Dream Act application (CADAA).
California Student Aid Commission Deputy Director Jake Bremner told the committee the 2024 Better FAFSA rollout had ‘‘technical issues that prevented thousands of students from applying for aid,’’ and that the later FAFSA launch this cycle—delayed from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1—left students about 60 fewer days to apply. Bremner said, as of Feb. 24, high‑school senior submissions for the 2025–26 cycle lagged prior years by roughly 21 percent for FAFSAs and 27 percent for CADAA when compared on a ‘‘days remaining’’ basis, prompting CSAC to request and the executive director to approve a 30‑day extension of the state priority aid deadline from March 3 to April 2.
Bremner said the data show mixed‑status families—households…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
