Cassidy, Rounds call for GAO investigation into delayed rollout of FAFSA program

Repeated delays from the U.S. Department of Education in rolling out the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program have left students and schools in limbo for the upcoming school year, according to U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and 26 of their Republican colleagues.

“These delays have left many students uncertain about their educational future,” wrote the lawmakers in a bicameral Jan. 24 letter sent to U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General Gene Dodaro. “Because of Education’s delays, college administrators are also uncertain of when they will eventually receive information from students’ FAFSAs that is essential for determining financial aid packages.”

The enacted bipartisan FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020, which aimed to make financial aid more accessible by streamlining the application process, required the Education Department to roll out the FAFSA program by Jan. 1. While the department made the application available to borrowers on Dec. 30 and 31, 2023, the application was only accessible for sporadic periods until it became fully live on Jan. 6, according to their letter.

The delay means that some colleges also may be unable to meet their normal timelines for providing students with financial aid offers, subsequently leaving students without time to compare offers and pick a school, they wrote.

“All these challenges and delays may cause some students — particularly low-income students who are most dependent on federal aid — to give up and not pursue postsecondary education,” Sen. Cassidy, Sen. Rounds, and their colleagues wrote. “Beyond the initial delays, it is also unclear whether Education is providing students and schools with sufficient information and guidance on the new FAFSA form and process.”

The Republicans requested a GAO investigation into the government’s failure to properly implement the new FAFSA, and seek information as to how the Education Department is addressing the issues to prevent future complications. 

Additionally, they requested the GAO take action to ensure students can access and submit FAFSA to their prospective colleges in a timely manner.

“The goal of FAFSA simplification was in part to make the whole process easier for students and their families,” the lawmakers wrote. “However, initial feedback from students and schools indicates that Education’s current outreach efforts are falling short.”

Among the lawmakers who joined Sens. Cassidy and Rounds in signing the letter were U.S. Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Thom Tillis (R-NC), as well as U.S. Reps. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA).