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Washington FAFSA campaign nears statewide goal but racial and FERPA gaps persist, advisers say
Summary
Advisory board members reported 43,436 FAFSA/WASFA completions (50% of seniors) and said Washington is at roughly 94% of a 46,000-completion goal; presenters urged targeted outreach to close persistent gaps for FERPA-eligible and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students.
At a May advisory meeting led by WASAC, officials reported the statewide FAFSA/WASFA completion rate for the class of 2026 stood at about 50% — 43,436 completions as of May 11 — putting the campaign roughly 94% of the way to its 46,000-completion target.
Natalie Alvarado of WASAC, who walked the board through the four campaign goals, said the campaign must sustain roughly 1,000 new FAFSA submissions per week to reach the target more quickly; since March the weekly average has been about 698. "Momentum is continuing, but sustaining or increasing that pace will require intentional outreach," she said.
Why it matters: the board framed the remaining work as both quantitative and equity-driven. While 201 high schools have met the campaign’s school-level goal of a 6% increase for FERPA-eligible students — surpassing the 150-school target — completion gaps remain. Alvarado said FERPA-eligible completion rose from 27% in January to 45% by May 11, while non-FERPA completion rose from 33% to 52%, leaving a current gap near seven percentage points.
Alvarado also presented the campaign’s equity score, which improved from 2.85 in January to 2.01 as of May 11, but she urged continued focus on disparities: "Asian students are at about 62% completion while Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students are about 30% — that gap is still too large." Board members emphasized that closing those disparities will require targeted, culturally aware outreach and persistent one-on-one support.
Isaac Kwachi, deputy executive director for the Washington State Achievement Council, told the board the governor’s office and the executive council support the campaign and its local partners. Meeting presenters repeatedly credited school-based advisors, culturally tailored language support and community partnerships for recent gains. The board closed by scheduling its next advisory meeting for June 2 and asking members to share recommendations and survey responses.
The next steps identified by the board included sustaining weekly outreach cadence, expanding targeted services for FERPA-eligible students, and continuing to collect data on which district practices are driving the largest gains.
