Official Summary Text
SB1798 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
s.b. 1798
school
safety; identification system; appropriation
(
NOW:
FAFSA; financial aid awareness program
)
Purpose
Establishes the
Financial Aid Awareness Program (Program) within the Arizona Department of
Education (ADE) to recognize schools that provide financial aid awareness
activities and support for completing the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. Outlines eligibility
requirements for schools that elect to participate in the Program and
administrative requirements on ADE relating to the Program. �
Background
Each individual
seeking to apply for federal financial aid must file an application with the Secretary
of the U.S. Department of Education (Secretary), known as the FAFSA. An
applicant must provide the Secretary with an application that includes outlined
personal and financial information to determine eligibility for federal
financial aid. Upon receiving and processing a FAFSA, the Secretary must
provide to the applicant: 1) the estimated dollar amount of a Federal Pell
Grant award for which the applicant is eligible; 2) information on other types
of federal financial aid for which the applicant may be eligible and how the
applicant can find additional information regarding such aid; 3) specified consumer-tested
information regarding each institution selected by the applicant, including the
median debt of students upon completion and the institutional default rate; 4)
if applicable, a notification of the federal means-tested benefits that the
applicant has not already indicated to receive, but for which the applicant may
be eligible; 5) information on specified education tax benefits; and 6) if the
individual identified as a veteran or a U.S. Armed Forces active duty service
member, information on benefits administered by the U.S. Department of Veteran
Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense (
20
U.S.C. � 1090
).
A public school
must complete an Arizona Education and Career Action Plan (ECAP) for each
student in grades 9 through 12 prior to graduation. An ECAP must allow students
to enter, track and update the student's: 1) academic goals, which includes
identifying and planning the coursework necessary to achieve the high school
graduation requirements and pursue postsecondary education and career options;
2) career goals, which includes identifying career plans, options, interests
and skills, exploring entry level opportunities, and evaluating educational
requirements; 3) postsecondary education goals, which includes identifying
progress toward meeting admission requirements, completing application forms
and creating financial assistance plans; and 4) extracurricular activity goals,
which includes documenting participation in clubs, organizations, athletics,
fine arts, community service and other activities (
A.A.C.
R7-2-302.05
).�
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Establishes
the Program within ADE to recognize schools that provide financial aid
awareness activities and support for completing the FAFSA.
2.
Directs ADE to administer the Program in collaboration with the Arizona
Board of Regents (ABOR).
3.
Allows,
beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, any school in Arizona to elect to
participate in the Program by notifying ADE and by demonstrating that the school:
a)
designates at least one employee as the school's point of contact for
the FAFSA;
b)
annually reports to ABOR and ADE the name and contact information of the
school's designated point of contact for the FAFSA;
c)
includes the name and contact information of the school's designated
point of contact for the FAFSA in the student handbook and at least one
communication from the school to students and student's parents;
d)
posts the name and contact information of the school's designated point
of contact for the FAFSA on the school's website;�
e)
develops and implements a FAFSA awareness strategy that is aligned with
the State Board of Education's adopted ECAP requirements; and
f)
provides through the school's messaging system, social media accounts,
email accounts and student information system portal, the following information
to the parents of grade 12 students, if the school provides instruction to high
school students:
i.
the importance of completing the parent or contributor portion of the FAFSA;
ii.
any
school-based or statewide support that is available completing the FAFSA; and
iii.
any relevant
deadlines or resources.
4.
Requires
each school's designated point of contact for the FAFSA to:�
a)
complete an initial orientation program for the FAFSA that is approved
or recognized by either ABOR or a FAFSA support partner; and
b)
provide
information about the FAFSA, including information about available resources
and assistance to students and families of students.
5.
Allows
a school's designated point of contact for the FAFSA to earn continuing
education credits for completing:�
a)
the prescribed initial orientation program for the FAFSA; or
b)
any
training and education after the initial orientation program to learn about
updates to federal policies and processes relating to the FAFSA.
6.
Specifies,
if a school provides instruction to high school students, that the FAFSA awareness
strategy must provide, through the school's messaging system, social media
accounts, email accounts and student information system portal, the following
information in grade-level communications to students in grades 9 through 12:
a)
the purpose of the FAFSA;
b)
the benefits of completing the FAFSA; and
c)
the
role of financial aid in postsecondary education and career pathways.
7.
Requires ADE to annually determine whether each participating Program
school meets the prescribed eligibility requirements.
8.
Authorizes ADE to require each participating Program school to submit
reports or other evidence of eligibility to ADE in a form and manner prescribed
by ADE.
9.
Allows a participating Program school to include the Program designation
in the school's report card and on the school's website, communications and
promotional materials.
10.
Defines
school
as a school that is operated by a school district or charter
school.
�
11.
Defines
FAFSA
as the application that is required for individuals seeking to
apply for federal financial aid.
12.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
�
Adopted the strike-everything amendment.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1.
Establishes
the Program within ADE.
2.
Directs
ADE to collaborate with ABOR in administering the Program.
3.
Replaces
the requirements on high schools relating to designating a FAFSA point of
contact and providing outlined FAFSA information with an authorization for any
school to elect to participate in the Program beginning in the 2027-2028 school
year by notifying ADE and demonstrating that the school meets outlined
eligibility requirements.
4.
Requires
ADE to annually determine whether each participating Program school meets the
prescribed eligibility requirements.
5.
Allows
ADE to require each participating Program school to submit reports or other
evidence of eligibility to ADE.
6.
Allows
a participating Program school to include the Program designation in the
school's report card and on the school's website, communications and promotion
materials.
7.
Specifies
that the Program eligibility requirement to provide specified FAFSA information
to parents and students only applies to schools that provide instruction to
high school students.
8.
Specifies
that a participating Program school must annually report the name and contact
information of each FAFSA designated point of contact to ADE in addition to
ABOR.
9.
Defines
school
.
10.
Makes technical and
conforming changes.
Senate Action
ED������ 2/27/26����� DPA/SE������ 5-1-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 10, 2025
MH/SM/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB1798 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
school
safety; identification system; appropriation
(now:� FAFSA;
financial aid awareness program)
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1798
AN
ACT
amending title 15, chapter 2, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-249.20; relating to the
department of education.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 2, article 2,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-249.20, to
read:
START_STATUTE
15-249.20.
Financial aid awareness program; eligibility requirements; annual
determination; designation; definitions
A.
The
financial aid awareness program is established within the department of
education to recognize schools in this state that provide financial aid
awareness activities and support for completing the free application for
federal student aid.� The department shall administer the program and shall
collaborate with the Arizona board of regents in administering the program.� Beginning
in the 2027-2028 school year,
any school in this
state
may elect to participate in the program by
notifying the department and by demonstrating that the school meets all of the
following eligibility requirements:
1.
designates at
least one employee as the school's point of contact for the free application
for federal student aid.� Each designated employee shall:
(
a
) Complete an
initial orientation program for the free application for federal student aid that
is approved or recognized by either the Arizona board of regents or a free
application for federal student aid support partner. The designated
employee may receive continuing education credits for:
(
i
) Completing
the orientation program required by this subdivision.
(
ii
) Completing
any training and education after the orientation program to learn about updates
to federal policies and processes relating to the free application for federal
student aid.
(
b
) P
ROVIDE
information about the free
application for federal student aid, including information about available
resources and assistance, to students and families of students.
2. Annually
reports
to the Arizona board of regents
and the department of
education the name and contact information of each employee who is designated
pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection.
3.
includes the
name and contact information of each employee who is designated pursuant to
paragraph 1 of this subsection in the student handbook and in at least one
communication from the school to students and parents of students.
4.
posts the
name and contact information of each employee who is designated pursuant to
paragraph 1 of this subsection on the school's website.
5.
develops and
implements a free application for federal student aid
awareness strategy that is aligned with education and career action plan
requirements adopted by the state board of education.�
If
the school provides instruction to high school students, The strategy that is
developed pursuant to this paragraph must provide, through the school's
messaging system, social media accounts, email accounts and student information
system portal, the following information in grade-level communications to
students in each of grades nine through twelve:
(
a
) The purpose
of the free application for federal student aid.
(
b
) The
benefits of completing the free application for federal student aid.
(
c
) The role of
financial aid in postsecondary education and career pathways.
6.
If the
school provides instruction to high school students, provides, through the
school's messaging system, social media accounts, email accounts and student
information system portal, the following information to the parents of students
who are in grade twelve:
(
a
) The
importance of completing the parent or contributor portion of the free
application for federal student aid.
(
b
) Any
school-based or statewide support that is available for completing the free
application for federal student aid.
(
c
) Any
relevant deadlines or resources.
B. The department of education shall
annually determine whether each school that elects to participate in the
program meets the eligibility requirements prescribed by subsection A of this
section.� The department may require participating schools to submit reports or
other evidence of eligibility in a form and manner prescribed by the
department.
C. A school that elects to
participate in the financial aid awareness program and that meets the
eligibility requirements, as determined by the department pursuant to
subsection B of this section, may include the financial aid awareness program
designation in the school report card required by section 15-746 and on
the school's website, communications and promotional materials.
D. For the purposes of this section
:
1. "free application for federal
student aid" means the application that is required by 20 United States
Code section 1090 for individuals seeking to apply for federal financial aid.
2. "School" means a school
that is operated by a school district or charter school.
END_STATUTE