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Teaneck board approves HESAA data-sharing agreement to verify FAFSA under new state law
Summary
The board approved a data-sharing agreement with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) to allow the district to check whether students filed the FAFSA or a New Jersey alternative application, implementing P.L.2023,c.295’s graduation-related requirement for the classes of 2025–2027.
The Teaneck Board of Education voted on Oct. 9 to enter a data-use and security agreement with the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) to verify students’ FAFSA or New Jersey Alternative Application submission status.
Under P.L.2023,c.295 a student in the graduating classes of 2025, 2026 or 2027 must either complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), submit a New Jersey alternative financial aid application, or be exempted from the requirement. The agreement approved by the board authorizes HESAA to disclose limited FAFSA filing-status information through the New Jersey Financial Aid Management System (NJFAMS) so the district can track submission status and assist families in completing required forms.
HESAA will share limited fields only (student first/last name, date of birth, ZIP code, FAFSA submission date, processing date, verification flag and a FAFSA completion status indicator). The agreement prohibits sharing Social Security Numbers, financial details or full ISIR records and requires district safeguards, access restrictions to authorized personnel and immediate reporting of any data-security incidents. The district will use the information to encourage completion where appropriate and to comply with the state’s graduation requirement implementation plan.
The board packet includes the full Data Use & Security Agreement and references reporting and audit provisions. The minutes list the HESAA agreement as an approved agenda item and reference the policy context in the board resolution.
