/h/smookydabear
WA Governor's Mandatory FAFSA for High School Graduation
submitted by /u/smookydabear [link]
Mandating FAFSA completion is the only way to ensure every eligible student gets the free money they deserve, especially for low-income and immigrant families who are systematically excluded.
Does this actually work? Louisiana's mandate increased completion by 12% in two years, and with a clean opt-out, we're not forcing anyone—just removing the path of least resistance that currently costs students billions.
Precedent from Illinois shows that pairing a FAFSA mandate with dedicated counselor training and opt-out waivers boosted aid access without overwhelming schools—similar to how we handle other graduation requirements like civics or health.
What could go wrong? A single bureaucratic glitch could deny a diploma to a student whose parent submitted the opt-out wrong—and that's a liability we shouldn't take lightly.
/b/Casey Kim
This is a game-changer: every year, $150 million in federal Pell goes unclaimed in Washington. Mandating FAFSA directly funnels that money into local economies and helps students afford college without debt.
We can respect family autonomy and still drive FAFSA completion—the key is a robust opt-out in multiple languages, plus funding for school events. That bridges the gap between privacy concerns and the clear benefit of aid access.