Stacy Lightfoot, vice president of College & Career Success Initiatives at the Public Education Foundation in Chattanooga, Tenn., was a witness at the hearing.
Lightfoot told the senators that simplifying the FAFSA form students are required to fill out to apply for federal financial aid for college–as called for in the FAST Act, which Alexander and Sen. Bennet (D-Colo.) introduced, along with Sens. Booker (D-N.J.), Burr (R-N.C.), King (I-Maine) and Isakson (R-Ga.)–“would ease a lot of burdens on students and families.”
Lightfoot also told the senators that she believes it is important to provide students with their financial aid eligibility information in their junior year, telling them that receiving that information senior year “does not give students enough time to make informed decisions.”
The senator’s full prepared remarks follow:
This is our second higher education hearing, but we have a good head start. Last Congress we held 13 hearings on higher education and 20 of the 22 members of the current committee were there to participate.
We also have a few bipartisan bills already introduced on key issues in the Higher Education Act, including:
· The FAST Act, which was introduced by six senators—Senator Bennet and myself, and Senators Booker, Burr, King and Isakson—would reduce to two questions the FAFSA form students fill out to apply for federal aid, simplify the student aid system, and reduce borrowing.
· Also, the REPAY Act, which Senator Burr has introduced with Senator Angus King along with Senators Warner, Rubio, Collins and me, to simplify student loan repayment. Senators Mikulski, Burr, Bennett and I are planning to introduce legislation incorporating many of the recommendations from a report we commissioned to examine the current state of federal rules and regulations on our colleges and universities. That report detailed 59 specific regulations, requirements and areas for Congress and the Department of Education to consider simplifying or eliminating.
Senator Murray and I are going to work together on a bipartisan process for reauthorizing the Higher Education Act and we hope to produce a bill this fall.
We’re here today to examine what information prospective students want and need to know in order to make their college choice, and look at whether that matches up with all the information that federal law requires colleges and universities to collect.
Students can choose from among more than 6,000 accredited colleges and universities. To make a smart choice, students need information.
(Next page: Overwhelming information and a jungle of red tape)
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