FSATC 2026 | FAFSA Updates скачать в хорошем качестве

FSATC 2026 | FAFSA Updates

Recorded on March 4, 2026, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. General Session: FAFSA Updates This session will provide an update on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application and processing experience, including updates on 2025–26 and 2026–27 performance to date and highlights of recent improvements informed directly by feedback from financial aid administrators and the broader FAFSA community. The session will close with a look ahead at key FAFSA priorities for 2026 and beyond, and opportunities to share feedback and stay connected throughout the year. 00:00 Introduction 01:26 FAFSA Mission and Strategy 04:25 Metrics Update 09:24 Learning From Our Users 20:52 Listening to Our Partners 33:13 What's Next? 42:43 Subject Matter Expert (SME) Question Panel About the presenters: Chris Cummings - FAFSA Technical Lead, Student Aid Program Management Office Chris Cummings leads product and technology for the FAFSA, with a focus on making the experience easier, faster, and more reliable for the millions of people that rely on the FAFSA every year. He joined the FAFSA team by way of the United States Digital Service, where he served as part of the team that worked to stabilize the service during the 24-25 rollout. Prior to his public service, Chris was the Founder and CEO of Curiosity Media, an education technology company. He led the development of SpanishDictionary.com, growing it into the world’s most visited Spanish-English reference and learning platform with over 100 million annual users. Following the acquisition of Curiosity Media by IXL Learning in 2022, he has continued to focus on the intersection of high-scale technology, product management, and mission-driven leadership. Chris holds an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School and a JD, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School. Neeta Sonalkar - FAFSA Stakeholder Engagement Lead, Student Aid Program Management Office Neeta Sonalkar leads stakeholder engagement and communications efforts for the FAFSA program, with a focus on fostering dialogue with college access and financial aid communities to ensure students can easily access all aid they are eligible for. In this role, she regularly partners with a broad range of stakeholders, leads the annual FAFSA beta testing program, and oversees communication and outreach efforts to students and partners. Prior to joining Federal Student Aid, Neeta worked in the nonprofit sector, bridging policy, technology, and technical assistance to expand access to financial aid and public benefits access for students in partnership with institutions of higher education, public systems, and state agencies across the country. Neeta attended Northwestern University, the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy, and is a graduate of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs. More about the FSA Training Conference for Financial Aid Professionals (FSATC): https://fsapartners.ed.gov/training/f...