A Program of the Louisiana Board of Regents |
|
Louisiana ranks number one in the nation for FAFSA completion |
Following LOSFA's announcement of Louisiana's number one ranking in FAFSA completion, Louisiana Radio Network featured the importance of completing the form.
This is the third time Louisiana has ranked number one in FAFSA completion. The graphic above shows data from the National College Attainment Network's (NCAN) FAFSA Tracker as of June 18, 2021.
In the interview, LOSFA's Executive Director explained this ranking illustrates students and parents are getting the message that they should always file the form regardless of their financial situation.
|
|
|
High school students become GIS certified technicians |
Southeastern Science & Technology Interactive Learning Experiences (STILE) partnered with Louisiana Gaining Early Awareness
and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), a federally funded outreach through LOSFA’s Field Outreach Services Division, to provide students the opportunity to earn early college credits or an industry-based certificate.
Through the partnership, two students, Aaliana Banks (10th grader, St. John STEM Magnet Program) and Joseph Harden (10th grader, Liberty Magnet High), completed courses and the certification exam to earn their Geographic Information System (GIS) Technician Certification. The certification gives students background knowledge on mapping and geographic information.
The students both received internship offers and an opportunity to job shadow over the summer.
Aaliana Banks will intern at St. John the Baptist Tax Assessor’s Office.
Joseph Harden will job shadow at Owen and White Engineering Company in Baton Rouge.
|
|
|
|
Partnership connects Morehouse Parish students with robotics, STEM |
Through a partnership with Louisiana Tech University, 128 Louisiana GEAR UP students from Morehouse Parish (Bastrop High School, Morehouse Magnet, Delta Elementary, Morehouse Elementary) experienced a hands-on robotics summer learning camp.
Those involved said this camp was important because it prompted students to use critical thinking and creativity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) activities and allowed many to connect in person.
|
|
|
Louisiana GEAR UP school recognized |
Lincoln Preparatory in Grambling, Louisiana, was recognized as a Champion of Dual Enrollment at the joint Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and Board of Regents meeting.
Through dual enrollment classes, the school had nine students graduate high school with an associate's degree.
This post (right) is from Lincoln Preparatory's Facebook page.
Louisiana GEAR UP, under LOSFA Programs, supports the school's dual enrollment efforts by providing funding for laptops, calculators, and textbooks.
|
|
Students between the ages of 12 to 17 may qualify to win one of nine $100,000 educational scholarships if they have taken at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The scholarships are part of Louisiana's Shot At A Million reward program, offered by the Louisiana Department of Health's Bring Back Louisiana campaign.
LDH will deposit scholarship funds into a Student Tuition and Revenue Trust (START) Saving Program account, known as a Shot At A Million (SAAM) START Saving account.
Each Friday in July (beginning July 14), a winner will be drawn. Five scholarship winners will be drawn on August 6, 2021, with an announcement on August 13.
Click the graphic above to register!
*LOSFA employees and their immediate family members, as defined by the Louisiana Code of Governmental Ethics, are excluded from participation in the Shot At a Million Promotion and shall not be eligible to receive prizes.
|
|
How Your 529 College Savings Account Affects Financial Aid |
One of the questions parents have about opening a 529 college savings account is how much impact the plan will have on their child's financial aid eligibility. According to an article from the College Savings Plans Network, the effect can be minimal.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) examines both parents and student assets (checking and money market accounts, as well as cash) when calculating a family's expected financial contribution (EFC), or how much a family contributes toward a child's postsecondary education. Funds in a 529 account are also included as an asset, depending on who owns it.
If a parent owns the account and their child is the beneficiary, the asset is calculated as part of the parent's assets. If a student owns the account, the EFC is calculated based on the value of the account. If a grandparent owns the account, it is not calculated as an asset to determine the EFC.
|
|
Fewer black students in Louisiana take high school classes for college credit, report shows |
Education Strategy Group, a consulting group, contracted by the Louisiana Board of Regents, recently found 22 percent of the state's black students take dual enrollment courses (student receives credit on both their high school and college transcripts for the same course) compared to 42 percent of white students.
State education leaders hope to make dual enrollment opportunities more available to high school students by 2029. Studies have shown that high students who take dual enrollment courses are more likely to enroll in and finish their postsecondary studies - whether academic or a career and technical credential.
|
|
|
Louisiana GEAR UP students can participate in Dual Enrollment, Banking Credits, and Industry-Based Certificate opportunities. Students also receive wraparound services through Louisiana GEAR UP partner institutions, such as experiential learning opportunities that link dual enrollment coursework and other early college credit opportunities with academic programs and the careers those programs lead to.
|
|
|
Enrollment declines continue into spring; Here’s how communities are supporting students |
|
COVID-19 disruptions continued to affect higher education for the Spring 2021 semester. The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center (NSCRC) recently released its 2021 Spring Enrollment Estimates findings, which show enrollment fell to 16.9 million from 17.5 million the previous year (a 3.5 percent decrease). The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) reports the decline is seven times worse than one year ago.
While the number of undergraduate students declined, there was a slight increase in enrollment among graduate students.
Community colleges have shouldered the brunt of the enrollment decrease, seeing a loss of 476,000 fewer students.
Click here to read the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center report.
Click the button below to read what is being done to reverse the declines.
|
|
State funds short term training for adults |
As part of its promise to make higher education more accessible to all Louisiana residents, the Louisiana Legislature funded the MJ Foster Promise. The program, named after former Louisiana Governor Mike J. Foster, provides funding for Louisiana adults (21 and older) to receive workforce training and credentials in high-demand jobs, such as healthcare, construction, information technology, manufacturing, and transportation.
"This is an exciting, transformational opportunity for 1.1 million adults in our state whose education and training is a high school diploma or less," said Monty Sullivan, president of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. "It's going to make an impact on generations to come."
The MJ Foster Promise will be administered by LOSFA beginning July 2022. Lawmakers will fund the program with $10.5 million annually.
The MJ Foster Promise awards will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis and does not include specific merit-based requirements such as GPA and ACT scores. The award will allow students to complete academic programs up to 60 credit hours or to earn stackable short-term workforce credentials. For example, a student could earn a two-year associate nursing degree or complete a 10-week commercial driving course.
Eligible students must meet a family income threshold of 300 percent of the Federal Poverty level or be underemployed/unemployed for six months to qualify for funding.
|
|
|
Delgado among the top 10 most affordable online colleges in the nation |
OnlineU, a higher education resource to help students make affordable academic decisions, released its 2021 Most Affordable Online Colleges ranking.
The list is based on postsecondary institutions with tuition under $5,000 per year. OnlineU looked at 40,000 online programs at 737 colleges.
Delgado Community College (DCC) was ranked number nine on the list. Students who attend Delgado all pay the same tuition, regardless of their place of residence.
To be considered, institutions needed to be regionally or nationally accredited with at least ten fully online degrees.
Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC) also ranked in the top 10.
Click here to read more about OnlineU's ranking.
|
|
About LOSFA
The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), a program of the Louisiana Board of Regents, strives to be Louisiana's first choice for college access by promoting, preparing for and providing equity of college access.
|
|
Connect with us on our social media platforms! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
