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Ajo Unified board celebrates 74% FAFSA completion, approves IGA and grant support for college access
Summary
The Ajo Unified District board praised a 74% FAFSA completion rate at Ajo High School, accepted recognition and funding, and unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Arizona Board of Regents' "50 by Fall" project to boost FAFSA outreach; the district also reported a $50,000 grant for CTE programs.
The Ajo Unified District superintendent told the governing board on Jan. 6 that Ajo High School’s FAFSA completion rate has reached 74%, surpassing the district’s 50% target and earning recognition and funding for the school.
The superintendent said Ajo High School will receive a formal letter and certificate, and the administration will notify the school about forthcoming funds tied to the milestone. “These high expectations by the school’s administration and the high school teachers were critical in setting up our students for future success,” the superintendent said.
In the same report, the superintendent announced that the district has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Puma J10 Foundation to support architectural drafting and construction career and technical education (CTE) programs. He credited a proposal submitted by district staff members Miss Aragon, Miss Cotay and Mr. Romo for securing the funding.
Separately, the board voted unanimously, 4–0, to approve an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Arizona Board of Regents and the "50 by Fall" project. According to the IGA text read into the record, the program aims to help participating schools reach a 50% FAFSA completion rate by Dec. 31, 2025 and to pursue a 75% completion rate by the end of the 2025–26 academic year. The superintendent said the district’s current completion rate is 74% and noted the IGA includes virtual support, toolkits, trainings and an incentive payment, which the superintendent described as $1,500 to support FAFSA engagement efforts.
Board legal counsel, Mr. Alford, reviewed the attached IGA and the administration recommended approval. The board approved the IGA without discussion, and the motion carried 4–0.
The board did not identify a timeline for spending the incentive payment beyond the administration’s representations about virtual support and student outreach. The superintendent said the district will work to support the remaining students who have not completed FAFSA.
