Missouri could require high school students to fill out a free application for federal student aid, known as the FAFSA, before graduating. The FAFSA is used to consider eligibility for federal grants, federal loans, and state grants. The Missouri Senate Education Committee is considering the requirement proposed by State Senator Karla Eslinger.
The National College Attainment Network says Missouri high school graduates leftover 71-million-dollars in Pell grants on the table in 2021 because they did not complete an application for federal student aid. Scott Kimble, with the Missouri Association of School Administrators, supports the plan. During a Missouri Senate Education Committee about her bill, there were discussions about how the FAFSA has been difficult and intrusive to fill out in the past, but the form is becoming more user-friendly.
There are FAFSA events to help students and their families fill out the application.
