The bigger picture:
The findings of the GAO report drew praise from Congressman Bobby Scott, a Democrat from Virginia who ushered in the passage of the FAFSA Simplification Act, which he called “an important first step to expand access for students and families.”
EdTrust, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that advocates for students of modest economic means, recently called on states to provide more funding to implement “universal FAFSA policies” that make filling out the form more of a standardized and routine occurrence in high school.
“In 2020, Congress took decisive action to reform the financial aid process and expand access to higher education for students across the country,” Scott said in a statement. “Today’s report confirms that those reforms worked. Pell Grants break down economic barriers and open pathways to higher education for those who need it most.”
