Access Missouri Deadline is February 1st for Guaranteed Aid

 In an effort to promote completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) among high school seniors and returning college students, the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MDHEWD) is launching the Finish Your FAFSA campaign.

The campaign aims to increase overall FAFSA filing in Missouri, bring awareness to common FAFSA errors, and remind students of upcoming financial aid deadlines.

“The FAFSA is the primary application for most forms of federal and state financial aid programs, and some institutional grants and scholarships,” said Zora Mulligan, commissioner of higher education. “This campaign is about awareness. We hope to remind students that filing is the first step, but checking to make sure everything is accurate is just as important.”

Errors can prevent the application from being processed correctly, leaving students without the financial aid they may need to enroll.

Many students mistype their Social Security number, birthdate, or even forget to sign the application before submitting it. Students are encouraged to review their Student Aid Report to check for mistakes that may need correcting.

The priority deadline for the Access Missouri Grant Program – the state’s largest student financial aid program – is quickly approaching. Students must complete the FAFSA by Monday, Feb. 1, to be guaranteed a grant award if they meet all eligibility requirements.

Students completing the FAFSA after Feb. 1 but before the April 1 final deadline could still receive a grant if funding is available. However, early submission of the FAFSA is encouraged because funds are limited. The grant is the state’s only student aid program based on financial need.

More than 43,000 Missouri students received funding through the program during the 2019-20 academic year.

Also to increase FAFSA filing in the state, MDHEWD launched the Show-Me FAFSA Challenge in fall 2020. Public high schools throughout the state are competing with one another for scholarship prizes, which will be awarded to one student at each of the winning schools.

The Show-Me FAFSA Challenge officially started on Oct. 1, when the 2021-2022 FAFSA opened, and ends on April 1, the final Access Missouri Grant deadline. 

Learn more about the Show-Me FAFSA Challenge and find the challenge tracker at https://dhewd.mo.gov/ppc/fafsachallenge.php.

Students can file the FAFSA online at https://fafsa.ed.gov/ or by downloading the new myStudentAid mobile app. There are still some FAFSA Frenzy events planned around the state to help students file.

House Budget Committee finalizes 2012 budget

The House Budget Committee ended debate in record time on Missouri's 2012 budget after a mark-up session Tuesday.

This year's mark-up lasted only one hour compared to last year's which took nearly three days. Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, credited the hard work of the Budget chairman, Ryan Silvey, R-Kansas City, and the fair process this year as the reasons the mark-up was historically brief.

"He was very professional, efficient, effective, bi-partisan and worked with people," Kelly said.

Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis City, agreed with Kelly on Silvey's performance but said she wished the process was less "orchestrated" by House leadership.

The 13 House appropriations bills were all passed with only 1 no vote. Kelly said this has never happened before while he has been in office.

Missouri's amended $23.2 billion budget represents an overall 2.5 percent decrease from last year's budget and includes a 7 percent reduction in funds for higher education. Last year over 300 amendments were offered, but this year only 18 were brought before the committee.

The ranking member on the budget committee, Rep. Sara Lampe, D-Springfield, said "there simply is no more money" to make amendments.

Kelly offered an amendment which moved funds from the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MoHELA) to General Revenue. Earlier in the budget process the committee used $12 million from MoHELA to offset a reduction in the Access Missouri Scholarship Program. Today, Kelly motioned that the money for Access Missouri instead come from General Revenue which would provide more stability for the program from year to year since the money from MoHELA will not be available every year.

Kelly's amendment ultimately passed, but he said this issue will be contested in the Senate.

Lampe offered an amendment to add $8.9 million to the elementary and secondary education transportation fund. In order to fund her increase, Lampe proposed to eliminate Missouri's ethanol subsidy program. She said education transportation is underfunded by $55 million and that is "devastating" to rural school districts.

"I think our kids are worth it," Lampe said.

After opposition from the committee, Lampe withdrew her amendment before a vote.

Kelly also presented an amendment which would reduce Missouri House of Representatives mileage.

"We need to show our commitment to what we are asking everyone else to do," Kelly said.

The amendment was passed despite some opposition from committee members.

Some lawmakers said they were disappointed in the budget situation this year and the lack of available money.

Lampe said the budget cuts will continue unless the Republican majority is willing to have a conversation about increasing state revenue.

"There is no political will to do that ... we can't plug the leak anymore ... it's affecting our kids," Lampe said.

Lampe said instead of raising revenue, House Republicans have decreased it. She said the elimination of the corporate franchise tax passed by the House would cost the state $85 million in revenue.

Although the House committee has finalized the budget their continues to be debate in the Senate about the use of federal funds. Missouri has received $189 million from the federal government that must be spent by next year and only on elementary and secondary education. Some Republicans in the Senate have pledged to block that money along with other funds from the federal government.

"You have the federal government stealing from this generation and generations to come by spending money they don't have," Sen. Jim Lembke, R-St. Louis County, said in a radio interview on using federal money for unemployment benefits, which he blocked in the Senate.

Lampe, a former teacher, disagrees with their logic.

"Why would we turn down money for our kids? It's just insane," she said.

Nasheed also said many of the budget amendments passed in the House will face opposition in the Senate.

"It is a whole different monster over there," she said.

The budget will be sent to the House floor when the legislators return from their spring break on March 28.

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Gov. Nixon announces increased scholarships for 2010-2011 under Access Missouri program

Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that the Missouri Department of Higher Education will increase scholarship amounts for students under the Access Missouri program. The department will increase award amounts for the current academic year as follows:

· For qualifying students at public community colleges, the scholarship will increase from $275 up to a maximum of $470;

· For qualifying students at four-year public institutions, the scholarship will increase from $950 up to a maximum of $1,010; and

· For qualifying students at private institutions, the scholarship will increase from $1,900 up to a maximum of $2,160

“To compete for jobs in the 21st century, education and training beyond high school are vital,” Gov. Nixon said. “I am pleased my administration will be able to increase Access Missouri awards for this school year to help more students afford to earn their degree. We’ll continue working each and every day to put the dream of a college education within reach for more Missouri families.”

These increased amounts reflect the maximum Access Missouri award a student would receive for both semesters of the 2010-2011 school year. The increases are possible because of careful management of Access Missouri resources and the current level of demand for the scholarships. Decisions about scholarship amounts for the fall 2011 semester will be made once the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in July, is finalized.

About 46,000 Missouri students will receive Access Missouri scholarships during the spring 2011 semester. With these increased scholarship amounts, the state will invest about $58.7 million in Access Missouri this year.

Gov. Nixon made the announcement today during a visit to St. Louis Community College-Forest Park to tour the college’s automotive technology facility as the college prepares to begin training its first class of Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technician students.

The innovative program, which will prepare students upgrade next-generation hybrid vehicles, was made possible by Gov. Nixon’s Training for Tomorrow initiative, which provided grants to Missouri’s public community colleges to expand educational programs in high-demand fields. St. Louis Community College received more than $2 million through Training for Tomorrow.

Beginning next week, St. Louis Community College’s Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technician Program will prepare students for entry-level positions in the automotive industry. During the 240-hour program, students will be trained in the fundamentals of hybrid electronic automobiles, including the use of necessary equipment and tools, and graduates will earn a certificate of specialization.

The hybrid technology program can accommodate up to 15 students, and the program’s first course is filled to capacity. The college also is expanding programs in health care, manufacturing and information technology because of Training for Tomorrow funds.

“Our community colleges play a vital role in training Missourians for the careers of tomorrow,” Gov. Nixon said. “Community colleges work closely with employers to pinpoint their workforce needs, and they design programs that prepare workers to step into those careers as quickly as possible. Whether it’s health care, computers, manufacturing or another field, Missouri’s community colleges are training students to compete – and win – in the 21st-century economy. By giving more students access to higher education, we’re ensuring that Missouri has a workforce to compete for generations to come.”

College accessibility and affordability have been top priorities for Gov. Nixon since taking office. During his visit today, the Governor detailed a number of additional initiatives his administration has undertaken to put a college education within reach for more Missouri families, including a historic two-year freeze on tuition at all public colleges and universities in the state.

Last week, Gov. Nixon announced that his administration also will continue to prioritize funding for Missouri’s successful A+ Scholarship Program, which covers the cost of tuition and general fees for two years at public community colleges for students who meet academic achievement, service and conduct requirements. Gov. Nixon also said his administration is looking for opportunities to make that program accessible to more students across the state.

Equalization of Access Missouri Scholarship passed by House

Missouri college students in private schools will lose nearly half of the money they can receive in a state need-based scholarship under a bill passed by the House. Under the legislation, students in four-year schools would receive up to $2,850 through the program whether they attend a public or private institution. Two-year community college students would receive up to $1,300. The bill covers lower-income students who qualify under federal income standards. Currently, private school students that qualify get up to $4,600, while those who attend four-year public schools can receive up to $2,150. Two-year community college students currently receive up to $1,000 under the program. The bill also would allow students to renew their Access Missouri scholarship if they held a grade point average at 2.0 or above. Currently, students must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA for all four years to keep the scholarship. The House ultimately passed a revised approach that would postpone the implementation date for equalizing the difference between funds available for public and private school students until the 2014-15 school year. The passed version also removes the current expiration date for the program.