Austin ISD, The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett, and College Forward will be holding a Free Application for Federal Student Aid event this Saturday, Oct. 12 at Akins Early College High School to ensure high school seniors are applying for college and receiving the funds available to them. Representatives will be helping students and families complete their FAFSA forms.  

Ahead of the event, Rep. Doggett is introducing the Equitable Student Aid Access Act, a bill that allows more students to fill out simplified FAFSA forms, expands access to federal financial support, and makes it easier for students and families to make financially-informed decisions. 

What: Austin ISD FAFSA experts, The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, College Forward, and Rep. Lloyd Doggett will be assisting students and families complete FAFSA forms. 

Rep. Lloyd Doggett will hold a press conference to discuss the Equitable Student Aid Access Act and his ongoing work to simplify the FAFSA and ensure students receive the funding they need to afford college. 

When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12

Where: Akins Early College High School, 10701 S 1st St.

In 2003, AISD started systematic work on submitting the FAFSA. The Austin Chamber joined those efforts in 2005 and led the growth of the FAFSA partnership to school districts throughout Central Texas. The Austin Chamber has made this a priority for the last 15 years. Completion of the FAFSA or TASFA is the first, critical step to resolving how students will pay for post-secondary education, be it technical college, community college, or university. 

Austin ISD was among the first 20 school districts in the U.S. to pilot the collection/analysis of FAFSA data to improve FAFSA completion. In 2010, only 29% of AISD Seniors competed a FAFSA. In January 2019, AISD achieved a FAFSA filing rate of 55% for its seniors, compared to a 39% submission rate for Texas.