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Budget committee hears FAFSA rollout problems as Commission for Higher Education seeks coaches funding
Summary
State Budget Committee members pressed the Commission for Higher Education on FAFSA rollout problems and the sustainability of a proposed College Success Program that would fund 32 college success coaches; CHE said federal changes delayed FAFSA opening and that institutions plan deadline extensions and case‑by‑case appeals.
The State Budget Committee on Aug. 22 heard from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education about efforts to boost college completion and help low‑income students navigate a troubled FAFSA rollout.
Dr. Michelle Ashcraft, representing the Commission for Higher Education, described efforts to deploy a $2.5 million College Success Program that would provide 32 full‑time success coaches and centralized training to support Twenty‑First Century Scholars, Frank O’Bannon grant recipients and other low‑income, first‑generation and minority students.
The program comes as lawmakers and college officials continue to wrestle with problems from a reworked federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid. “The federal government released a new FAFSA last year, which has not been a smooth transition,” Dr. Ashcraft said, and she confirmed the federal FAFSA opening was delayed from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1. She said CHE planned to extend institutional deadlines and to offer an appeal process to grant extensions on a case‑by‑case basis.
Senator Chris Garten said he personally worked on the FAFSA multiple times and urged timely extensions, stressing that Indiana veterans and low‑income students cannot claim benefits without completing the form. “We need to ensure the FAFSA can be filled out by all who need to do so,” Senator Garten said.
Representative Gregory Porter and Representative Bob Cherry also told CHE staff they had constituents experiencing submission problems. Representative Ed DeLaney asked what role InvestED played; Dr. Ashcraft said InvestED supports outreach and that CHE has previously funded success coaches for one year and expects institutions to assume ongoing costs if the program continues beyond initial state support.
Why it matters: Success coaches are designed to increase on‑time completion and narrow equity gaps; delayed FAFSA access can block students from claiming tuition supports and inhibit enrollment decisions. CHE said it is preparing for increased demand after automatic enrollment in the 21st Century Scholars program.
The Commission did not present a final policy decision on permanent funding sources for the coaches; Dr. Ashcraft said colleges would need to sustain the program beyond one year of state funding. The committee did not vote on the College Success Program at the meeting; the agenda was adopted for later consideration of projects.
