A change to the FAFSA included in a new higher education bill will eliminate as many as 22 questions for students filling out the lengthy, 108-question student aid form.
This FAFSA simplification was included in the FUTURE Act, a bipartisan bill President Donald Trump signed into law Thursday that also provides permanent funding for historically black colleges and universities and other minority serving institutions.
And now that the bill has become law, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., can take a break to ice his shoulder, which is surely sore from repeatedly holding up the Free Application for Student Aid as a symbol of the need for change. Alexander, the chairman of the Senate education committee, has been one of the most visible champions of FAFSA simplification. But lawmakers in both parties, including Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala., called for an update because they viewed the cumbersome process of completing the document as a barrier for students hoping to enroll in鈥攁nd complete鈥攃ollege. It鈥檚 a relatively small, wonky change that will nonetheless make a big difference, they鈥檝e argued.
What will change in the FAFSA? The FUTURE Act (full name: Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education Act) eliminates the need for student aid applicants to provide the same information twice to two separate federal agencies. The bill allows the U.S. Department of Education and the Internal Revenue Service to share information already included on a family鈥檚 or individual鈥檚 tax returns. Instead of filling in all of that data, applicants can just make one click on the online form to permit information sharing. It will also streamline the process millions of applicants use to verify that they don鈥檛 file tax returns.
Those changes could be a big deal for students themselves and for K-12 schools that are interested in helping them chart a post-college path. They will also reduce burdens for college and universities that help students complete the FAFSA annually to renew aid, Alexander said in a statement.
鈥淟ast week, the president of Lane College 鈥攐ne of six HBCUs in Tennessee鈥攖old me that he has three staff members who spend a significant amount of time helping the 40 percent of Lane College students who are currently selected for verification each year,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his legislation would greatly reduce that burden on his students and their families and allow the staff to spend their time counseling students about academics or jobs, instead of helping them fill out a form.鈥�
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos also praised the change.
鈥淭he FUTURE Act will have a lasting impact on students and their families,鈥� she said in a statement.
And now, a walk down memory lane ...
Of course, many applicants fill out the FAFSA online, or . But displaying the lengthy paper form during public appearances has become one of Alexander鈥檚 trademarks in recent years. Unfortunately, Politics K-12 doesn鈥檛 have a big budget to buy the rights to popular songs. But we recommend you listen to while looking through the following collection of photos featuring Alexander and the FAFSA.
A big moment: This photo from Sen. Alexander鈥檚 Twitter account shows him holding up the FAFSA in the Oval Office today after President Trump signed the bill. He鈥檚 joined by Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the ranking member on the House education committee; Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.; Trump鈥檚 daughter and aide, Ivanka Trump; and DeVos.
On the go: In this photo from the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Flickr account, Alexander holds up the FAFSA while touring a Knoxville, Tenn., high school with DeVos in 2018.
With Ivanka Trump:
No, this isn鈥檛 a CVS receipt.
The is too long.
That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 working with and to cut the number of questions in the FAFSA application from 108 to no more than 25.
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
In his office:
The is too long and too complicated.
That鈥檚 why I introduced the FAFSA Simplification Act - to give Tennessee students a better, simpler way to apply for financial aid.
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
On the Senate floor:
I鈥檝e said it before, and I鈥檒l say it again: The is too long and too complicated., , and all agree.
Read their op-ed in the :
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
In Memphis:
鈥淕ovt forms shouldn鈥檛 get in the way of Memphians going to college."Explains proposal to reduce to 2 questions
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
While talking with high school students:
Alexander talks , his plan to shorten the to 2 questions, w/ West High junior & seniors
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
With a local TV reporter:
. says 鈥渂iggest barrier to is ridiculously completes 蹿辞谤尘鈥�
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
In GIF format:
The is too long and too complicated.
That鈥檚 why and I just introduced the FAFSA Simplification Act - to give students a better, simpler way to apply for financial aid.
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
And once more for old times鈥� sake: Alexander help up the form in this video he shared today to share the news that the FUTURE Act is now law.
With 鈥榮 signature, the is now law--giving and the 20 million students who fill out the each year a very good Christmas present.
鈥� Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander)
Photo: Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., shows the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, during an interview with the Associated Press in 2014. --AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta