The Higher Education Coordinating Commission, the Oregon Department of Education, and participating partners are pleased to announce the recent launch of the FAFSA/ORSAA Challenge, a statewide initiative aimed to help students in Oregon’s high school Class of 2020 to afford and achieve their college and career goals.
The FAFSA/ORSAA Challenge goal is to increase the statewide rate of students completing the primary forms required for federal, state, and institutional financial aid — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) — by five percentage points during the upcoming year. All Oregon public high schools are encouraged to join this statewide challenge, and high school seniors are encouraged to seek the support of their schools in completing these important financial aid applications.
The FAFSA and ORSAA are used to help students qualify for numerous forms of public and private financial aid for college; if students do not apply, they may miss out on thousands of dollars in federal, state, and private aid for which they may be eligible. Timely completion of financial aid forms is a challenge for many students and families, particularly first-generation students. Schools that participate in the Challenge receive free resources to help their seniors, including: posters in English and Spanish, monthly newsletters with training resources and tips, and data on completion rates to help schools set targets and monitor their efforts.
“Financial aid can change the arc of a student’s education, career and life,” said Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill. “We’re excited to partner with other organizations to support this challenge and help ensure students gain equitable access to financial aid.”
While state initiatives in recent years have improved the number of financial aid applicants, Oregon’s rate of completion remains low in national comparisons. Oregon’s Class of 2019 had a combined FAFSA/ORSAA completion rate of 59 percent, and Oregon education partners have set a goal to increase this rate to 64 percent statewide by June 2020. Since Oregon partners began inviting high schools to join the FAFSA/ORSAA Challenge in August, over 120 high schools have registered and additional schools are signing up each week.
