Senate committee advances bill to expand direct college admissions program statewide

St. Paul — The Senate Education Policy Committee recommended sending Senate File 1474 to the higher‑education committee after hearing bipartisan testimony that the state’s Direct Admissions program expands college access and increases FAFSA completion.

Sen. Heather Gustafson presented the bill, which would expand the Direct Admissions program to all Minnesota high schools by 2029. Under Direct Admissions, participating colleges and universities use a student’s junior‑year GPA to provide an automatic acceptance letter for a set of Minnesota institutions; participating high schools then help students complete applications and financial aid forms. “Direct Admissions makes postsecondary education more accessible and helps keep homegrown talent in Minnesota,” Gustafson said.

Supporters included Matt Shaver (MetAllies), Casey Metcalfe (Students United / Minnesota State students), student witnesses who credited the program with reducing application anxiety and enabling fee‑free applications, and representatives from North Star Prosperity. Students described how an automatic acceptance letter allowed them to focus on selecting the right campus and navigating financial aid instead of worrying whether they would be admitted.

Aaron Salasek, coordinator of the Direct Admissions program at the Office of Higher Education, told the committee the principal barriers to faster adoption are high‑school staffing capacity and technology integration with student information systems; he estimated implementation requires roughly 40–80 hours of setup for a new school and described work with SIS vendors to streamline the process. Supporters and the Office of Higher Education said many colleges already participate and that the program’s outcomes — higher FAFSA completion and enrollment — have held across demographic groups in pilot schools.

Sen. Abler agreed to move the bill to the Senate higher‑education committee; the committee approved the motion by voice vote and the motion carried. Sponsors said the bill would reduce uncertainty for students, increase college‑going culture, and help retain Minnesota students for in‑state postsecondary programs.

The bill sets a 2029 target for statewide rollout; supporters told the committee that target was chosen to allow the Office of Higher Education and schools time to scale technology and staffing support, though some lawmakers urged an accelerated timeline.