With financial aid playing a crucial role in college access, the Talent Strong Florida Summit is bringing together experts from the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) and Florida College Access Network (FCAN) to equip educators, school administrators, and community leaders with critical tools to boost FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) completion rates.
The session, “FAFSA Resources: FCAN and FDOE-OSFA FAFSA Completion Tools, Defining and their Effective Utilization,” will provide an in-depth walkthrough of two vital resources aimed at increasing student participation in financial aid opportunities.
- FCAN’s FAFSA Completion Dashboard: Attendees will explore FCAN’s online dashboard, which provides real-time data tracking and insights to help schools and districts monitor FAFSA completion rates and identify students who may need additional support.
- OSFA’s Data Sharing Agreement: Participants will also receive a guided tour of OSFA’s Data Sharing Agreement, a tool designed to help institutions track student-level FAFSA submissions and provide targeted outreach to improve completion rates.
By leveraging these tools effectively, educators can ensure that more Florida students access the financial aid they need to pursue postsecondary education, reducing barriers and creating pathways to economic opportunity.
“FAFSA completion is inextricably linked to postsecondary enrollment – it indicates a desire to pursue a degree or credential after high school and is one of the first steps to answering the all-important question of cost,” said Dane Shelton, FCAN’s research analyst. “FCAN’s FAFSA dashboard provides weekly updates from the state level down to individual schools, allowing both educators and postsecondary professionals to evaluate the efficacy of their local efforts, celebrating wins and discovering opportunities for improvement from gaps.”
Pedro R. Hernandez serves as the Director of Outreach Services for the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA), echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the power of data-driven strategies in bridging the gap between students and available financial resources. “Our goal is to ensure that every student who wants to pursue higher education has the opportunity to do so. These tools provide the roadmap to make that happen.”
The session is set to be a must-attend event for anyone working to improve college access and student success across Florida.
For more information about the Talent Strong Florida Summit, visit www.fcansummit.org.
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