A Program of the Louisiana Board of Regents
LOSFA Mentions
Key takeaways from Louisiana’s FAFSA Now Pilot
Staff from LOSFA and the Louisiana Department of Education wrote a blog about the state's FAFSA experiences. Since the FAFSA became a graduation requirement in 2015, Louisiana has shown dramatic improvement. In the last four FAFSA cycles, Louisiana has ranked first in the nation three times and ranked second once.

The blog focuses on lessons learned from Louisiana's efforts to meet students where they are and show students and parents the benefit of FAFSA completion.

Click the button below to read the blog.
FAFSA application process open, don’t wait to apply
The new 2022-23 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened in October. Recently, WAFB in Baton Rouge spoke with LOSFA's Scholarship and Grant Director, Deborah Paul, about why parents and high school seniors need to get the form completed as soon as possible.

Click the button below to watch their coverage.
'Students don't realize what's out there:' College recruiters connect with St. Landry students
Junior and senior high school students in St. Landry Parish attended the district's 22nd annual post-secondary carousel to meet with college representatives. The district said 300 students attended, with their parents, to speak with public and private institutions from across Louisiana and learn more about their options for higher education. Military and technical education options were also available.

LaVonya Malveaux, LOSFA's Director of Student Engagement, also attended the event to remind families to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible and search for other scholarships opportunities.
Dr. Sujuan Boutte and five others inducted into NSU's Long Purple Line
During Northwestern State University Homecoming festivities, six alumni, including LOSFA's Executive Director Dr. Sujuan Boutte, were inducted into the institution's Alumni Hall of Distinction, known as the Long Purple Line.

The Long Purple Line provides recognition and appreciation of those whose accomplishments have enhanced the reputation of Northwestern State University.

The honorees were selected based on past and current career achievements and service to the community.
EBR Schools’ district-wide FAFSA night help students apply for college aid
The East Baton Rouge Parish School System held a district-wide FAFSA completion night at each of its high school campuses, to get more students on a path to afford postsecondary education.

Executive Director for School Leadership, Larry James, said financial aid should not be one of the barriers preventing students from attending a college institution. He added, by getting everyone to be on the same page for one night shows that the school system is dedicated to getting students to the next level.

LOSFA staff was also at the schools to assist with FAFSA completion.
LOSFA's Field Outreach Services Director, Dr. Tireka Cobb, said having the event at the beginning of the new FAFSA cycle exposed students and families to the benefits of early FAFSA completion.

Louisiana's priority deadline is February 1, which allows students to potentially receive their college award letters sooner to know how much aid they will qualify for. This means they can compare colleges and better understand which institution may be their best fit.
Social Media
LOSFA recently held a virtual FAFSA ceremony on its YouTube page, LOSFA1000, to congratulate and recognize those counselors, school staff, and recent high school graduates who made FAFSA completion a priority. In addition to words from higher education officials, the 20-minute ceremony also included best practices from counselors and testimonials from 2021 graduates on why they felt FAFSA completion was important.

Click the video box above to watch!
Other Related News
College in high school programs & data: Reporting and using dual enrollment data to improve equity
A new report, College in High School Programs & Data: Reporting and Using Dual Enrollment Data to Improve Equity, by the College in High School Alliance (CHSA) and the Data Quality Campaign (DQC), details the importance of dual enrollment and early college high school and its impact on increased college access and success.

The report uses data from six states, including Louisiana, to demonstrate what dual enrollment data states should collect and report to close equity gaps and improve student outcomes.

According to the paper, it is more important than ever to collect and publicize dual enrollment data due to declines in postsecondary enrollment and increase student learning due to COVID-19. In addition, national and state research have shown these programs are particularly impactful for low-income students, students of color, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities.

Click below to read the full report.
Listening to recent high school grads: ‘Be mindful of what we have gone through’
Recent declines in college enrollment led Strada Education Network, a national social impact organization devoted to research, philanthropy, and solution to align education and career, to survey recent high school graduates about how the pandemic affected their postsecondary decisions.

Strada surveyed more than 1,000 students (2020 and 2021 high school graduates) who delayed or changed their college plans.

Those students recognize the world they graduated into is dramatically different than what they expected. As a result, they question if education, career, and financial aid opportunities that worked for previous students will benefit them.

Some decided on a gap year to re-evaluate potential careers and pursue other areas of interest.

Strada documented the experiences of 17 recent high school graduates and focused on their next steps.

Click the button below to read their findings and watch the student videos.
Why white students are more likely to graduate than black students at public universities
Recently, NBC News and The Hechinger Report partnered on this article about college graduation gaps, addressing why nationally white students who attend public institutions are two-and-a-half times more likely to graduate than black students and 60 percent more likely than Latino students.

In some cases, students arrive on campus feeling academically inferior or with inadequate preparation from high school. Students may need remedial classes, which cost time and money but do not earn credit. This usually extends the time before graduation and consumes financial aid eligibility.

The racial wealth gap (limited financial help) also contributes to time spent on campus.

As a result, some colleges and universities developed programs to help black and Latino students adjust to their postsecondary studies. Black and Latino staff at some colleges have signed on to mentor and advise students of color. At another institution, leaders have created programs specifically meant to recruit and retain students of color. To overcome any potential barriers, once accepted into these programs, students receive scholarships, take academic skill-building courses and get special advising.

Click the button below to read the article.
South Louisiana Community College and Central Louisiana Technical Community College eligible for 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence
Two of Louisiana's community colleges have been named as one of 150 institutions that are eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The award is given every two years to a community college with high marks in five areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor's attainment, workforce success, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

The honor of being named as an eligible institute means these schools stood out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide.

The winner of the Aspen Prize will receive $600,000, and finalists with distinction and rising star winners receive $100,000.

The Aspen Prize seeks to focus on equitable student success and allow replication of effective strategies.

To read more about the prize and see the complete list of eligible community colleges, click here.
NCHER updates on the Build Back Better Act and Federal Student Aid guidance
In its Washington Wrap-Up, the National Council of Higher Education Resources (NCHER) focused on notable changes to the Build Back Better Act. One of the changes includes increasing the maximum award for the Pell Grant by $550 at public and nonprofit institutions for the next academic year (2022-2023) through the 2025-2026 award years. It would also amend the Higher Education Act to deem FAFSA applicants (who received federal means-tested benefits 24-months prior) to have a -$1,500 student aid index - qualifying them for the maximum Pell Grant; authorize a new Retention and Completion Grant program to improve student outcomes at the postsecondary level; and create a new Community College and Industry Partnership Grant program to expand workforce development in high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand jobs.

NCHER also included updates from Federal Student Aid (FSA). FSA released guidance on what postsecondary institutions should include in their financial aid offers. FSA says the offers should 1). always include the cost of attendance, 2.) list of grants, scholarships, loans, and Federal Work-Study separately; 3.) explain and calculate the estimated net cost for students; and 4.) separate other options for paying the net cost (state and institutional aid, private loans, tuition payment plans).
About LOSFA
The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), a program of the Louisiana Board of Regents, strives to be Louisiana's first choice for college access by promoting, preparing for and providing equity of college access.