By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education is among the federal offices closed in observance of the Memorial Day federal holiday on Monday, May 25. The May 20 Electronic Announcement states that the Federal Student Aid (FSA) processors and contact centers will be closed on May 25. All FSA websites will be operational on the holiday. The FAFSA […]
Memorial Day 2026 holiday closings Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Even though summer break just started for many students, it’s not too early for high school juniors and seniors to start thinking about the upcoming academic year and taking the ACT test. Students can now review the 2026-2027 ACT test dates, set up their account, and possibly register for a test date. By
2026-2027 ACT test dates now available Read More »
The real reason to celebrate Memorial Day weekend It can be difficult to enjoy something if you know it has come about because of the sacrifice of someone else. That’s why Memorial Day weekend has always been a paradox of sorts for me. Like many people, I’ve looked forward to the holiday every year. It’s
Tip of the Week – May 20, 2026 Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander The class of 2026 has already done great things by setting an all-time high completion rate for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). According to a recent article published by the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), as of May 1, 54.7% of seniors across the county have already completed the FAFSA,
Class of 2026 sets FAFSA completion record Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Financial aid professionals can update their financial aid reading list with the latest volumes of the 2026-27 Federal Student Aid Handbook have just been released by the Department of Education. In the May 14 Electronic Announcement, the Department announced the availability of Volume 1 – Student Eligibility and Volume 9 – The TEACH Grant Program. The Federal
New volumes added to 2026-27 FSA Handbook Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander The Department of Education recently made updates to a key technical resource for schools. On May 18, the Department posted an update to the 2026–2027 Common Origination and Disbursement (COD) Technical Reference by adding Volume 3 (Combination System Supplement) and Volume 4 (Campus-Based Processing Technical Reference). Questions can be directed to the
Additional volumes added to financial aid origination and disbursement guide Read More »
By Catherine Mueller Financial aid professionals will be busy checking student identity after a few hundred thousand FAFSAs were selected for additional verification. The selection of the FAFSAs for additional identity verification follows the implementation of a new fraud detection system. On May 14, the Department added information to a April 15 announcement about the fraud
Hundreds of thousands of FAFSAs selected for identity verification Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander Following a widespread security breach involving the Canvas Learning Management System, the Department of Education detailed its response and provided recommendations for institutions. In a May 12 Electronic Announcement, the Department of Education stated that they have been actively working with Instructure Holdings, Inc, the parent company of the Canvas Learning Management System
Department of Education recommendations and response to Canvas security breach Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander While FAFSA Simplification may have been a challenge for many schools, a recent GAO study confirms what many in the industry thought – that student eligibility increased for Pell Grants after changes were made to the FAFSA. A recent study published by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicates that student eligibility for Pell Grants,
Student eligibility for Pell Grants increased after FAFSA Simplification Read More »
By Marlene Seeklander There’s good news for Direct Loan borrowers and students receiving TEACH Grant awards in the 2026-27 academic year as the Direct Loan fees and TEACH award amounts once again remain unchanged. A recent Electronic Announcement outlined the sequester-required increases to Direct Loan fees and sequester-required reductions in TEACH Grant award amounts. These apply
Direct Loan fees and TEACH Grant award amounts set for 2026-27 Read More »
