After another frustrating delay with the Education Department’s rollout of changes to the college financial aid system, officials are trying to help colleges adapt.
The agency said on Monday it will soon deploy dozens of experts to under-resourced institutions. It also plans to distribute a $50 million donation to educational nonprofits, in an attempt to soften the blow from recent challenges with the launch of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, a form that millions of families use each year to get help paying for college.
In particular, the support is coming in hopes that high school seniors and transfer students across the country have a reasonable amount of time to compare their financial aid offers from different schools before they make their final decisions.
On a call with reporters Monday, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said that while he understands recent delays with the form have been frustrating for colleges and universities, they’ve aggravated him too. He continued to suggest families are reporting that the now-simplified form has been easier to fill out this year than ever before.
He laid part of the blame on Washington gridlock.
Learn more: Best personal loans
“We’ve been asked to deliver more with less,” he said, “as Congress continues to flat-fund federal student aid despite the transformational work we’re doing.”
What is the Department of Education planning to do?
◾ The plan is to deploy at least 50 federal…
