Press Releases
09/15/2023
Connecticut FAFSA Challenge Schools Show Significant Gains for the Third Consecutive Year
(HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) announced today that high schools participating in the 2022-23 Connecticut FAFSA Challenge improved their FAFSA completion rates by nearly seven percentage points from 51.8% in 2022 to 58.7% in 2023. During that same time, overall statewide rates increased by more than five points from 56.4% to 61.8%.
“The FAFSA is a critically important tool in helping students afford the increasing costs of a college education as it can unlock tens of thousands of dollars in public and private financial aid for students,” Governor Ned Lamont said. “By supporting an innovative change idea like the FAFSA Challenge, we are focusing support and resources in critical ways to help all students and families make their dreams of higher education a reality.”
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a vital tool in helping students and families access resources to lower the cost of higher education and close access and opportunity gaps. During the 2022-23 school year, the FAFSA Challenge helped students across 57 high schools and 35 districts complete the FAFSA and pursue their goals of postsecondary education. Of these 57 schools, 37 improved their FAFSA completion rate by more than five percentage points.
“Completing the FAFSA form is a powerful investment in one's future,” Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said. “Over the past three years, the challenge has proven that we can and will improve student outcomes and close opportunity gaps. When we work together in innovative ways, we to help all students thrive and aspire to achieve infinite possibilities.”
Participating FAFSA Challenge schools received grant funds to pursue new and innovative ideas to promote FAFSA completion. Schools were also engaged as a network community, receiving expert coaching and guidance from the Connecticut RISE Network, which has experience and expertise leading interdistrict professional learning. By forming the FAFSA Challenge network, teams collaborated beyond traditional school and district borders to share and spread promising practices.
Over the last three years of the challenge, the statewide FAFSA completion rate for students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals has increased by more than 11 percentage points to 54.2%, driven in large part by the work of the FAFSA Challenge supporting schools that serve high rates of students living in poverty. Given this progress, the Governor’s Office and the State Department of Education will continue the FAFSA Challenge in the 2023-24 school year with 109 Connecticut high schools eligible to participate. The CSDE determined the list of eligible schools using 2022-23 school FAFSA completion data, free- or reduced-price meals status percentages, and senior class size. All eligible high schools are encouraged to apply by September 29, 2023. Additionally, the state will be sponsoring multiple training opportunities this fall for school leaders to became acquainted with the new Better FAFSA, which will be released for students in December.
“What we’re seeing in these results is that with sustained focus and a network of peers to collaborate with, our schools can make significant strides in helping students reach critical access gates for postsecondary success,” said Sherry McLaughlin, director of postsecondary success at the RISE Network.
Please find more information on the Connecticut 2023-24 FAFSA Challenge on the CSDE website.
2023-24 Eligible Connecticut FAFSA Challenge High Schools
|
District Name |
School Name |
|
Ansonia School District |
Ansonia High School |
|
Area Cooperative Educational Services |
CREATE at Whitney Academy |
|
Berlin School District |
Berlin High School |
|
Bethel School District |
Bethel High School |
|
Branford School District |
Branford High School |
|
Bridgeport School District |
Bassick High School |
|
Bridgeport School District |
Bridgeport Military Academy |
|
Bridgeport School District |
Central High School |
|
Bridgeport School District |
Warren Harding High School |
|
Bristol School District |
Bristol Central High School |
|
Bristol School District |
Bristol Eastern High School |
|
Capitol Region Education Council |
Academy of Science and Innovation |
|
Capitol Region Education Council |
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts High School - Full Day |
|
Clinton School District |
The Morgan School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
A. I. Prince Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Bullard-Havens Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
E. C. Goodwin Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Eli Whitney Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Ella T. Grasso Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Emmett O'Brien Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
H. C. Wilcox Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
H. H. Ellis Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Henry Abbott Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Howell Cheney Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
J. M. Wright Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Norwich Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Oliver Wolcott Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Platt Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Vinal Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
W. F. Kaynor Technical High School |
|
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System |
Windham Technical High School |
|
Danbury School District |
Danbury High School |
|
East Hartford School District |
East Hartford High School |
|
East Haven School District |
East Haven High School |
|
East Windsor School District |
East Windsor High School |
|
Enfield School District |
Enfield High School |
|
Glastonbury School District |
Glastonbury High School |
|
Goodwin University Educational Services (GUES) |
Connecticut River Academy at Goodwin University |
|
Great Oaks Charter School District |
Great Oaks Charter School |
|
Griswold School District |
Griswold High School |
|
Groton School District |
Robert E. Fitch High School |
|
Hamden School District |
Hamden High School |
|
Hartford School District |
Bulkeley High School |
|
Hartford School District |
Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy |
|
Hartford School District |
Hartford Public High School |
|
Hartford School District |
Pathways Academy of Technology and Design |
|
Hartford School District |
Sport and Medical Sciences Academy |
|
Hartford School District |
University High School of Science and Engineering |
|
Hartford School District |
Weaver High School |
|
Killingly School District |
Killingly High School |
|
Ledyard School District |
Ledyard High School |
|
Manchester School District |
Manchester High School |
|
Meriden School District |
Success Academy |
|
Middletown School District |
Middletown High School |
|
Milford School District |
Jonathan Law High School |
|
Montville School District |
Montville High School |
|
Naugatuck School District |
Naugatuck High School |
|
New Britain School District |
New Britain High School |
|
New Britain School District |
New Britain High School Satellite Careers Academy |
|
New Canaan School District |
New Canaan High School |
|
New Haven School District |
Cooperative High School - Inter-District Magnet |
|
New Haven School District |
Hill Regional Career High School |
|
New Haven School District |
James Hillhouse High School |
|
New Haven School District |
Metropolitan Business Academy |
|
New Haven School District |
Wilbur Cross High School |
|
New London School District |
New London High School |
|
New London School District |
Science and Technology Magnet Pathway for High School Grades |
|
New Milford School District |
New Milford High School |
|
Newington School District |
Newington High School |
|
Newtown School District |
Newtown High School |
|
North Haven School District |
North Haven High School |
|
Norwalk School District |
Brien McMahon High School |
|
Norwalk School District |
Norwalk High School |
|
Norwich Free Academy District |
Norwich Free Academy |
|
Old Saybrook School District |
Old Saybrook Senior High School |
|
Plainfield School District |
Plainfield High School |
|
Plainville School District |
Plainville High School |
|
Plymouth School District |
Terryville High School |
|
Putnam School District |
Putnam High School |
|
Regional School District 01 |
Housatonic Valley Regional High School |
|
Regional School District 05 |
Amity Regional High School |
|
Regional School District 07 |
Northwestern Regional High School |
|
Regional School District 15 |
Pomperaug Regional High School |
|
Regional School District 19 |
E. O. Smith High School |
|
Seymour School District |
Seymour High School |
|
Shelton School District |
Shelton High School |
|
Southington School District |
Southington High School |
|
Stamford School District |
Stamford High School |
|
Stamford School District |
The Academy of Information, Technology & Engineering |
|
Stamford School District |
Westhill High School |
|
Stratford School District |
Bunnell High School |
|
Stratford School District |
Stratford High School |
|
The Gilbert School District |
The Gilbert School |
|
Thompson School District |
Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
|
Torrington School District |
Torrington High School |
|
Vernon School District |
Rockville High School |
|
Wallingford School District |
Lyman Hall High School |
|
Wallingford School District |
Mark T. Sheehan High School |
|
Waterbury School District |
Crosby High School |
|
Waterbury School District |
John F. Kennedy High School |
|
Waterbury School District |
Wilby High School |
|
Waterford School District |
Waterford High School |
|
Watertown School District |
Watertown High School |
|
West Hartford School District |
Hall High School |
|
West Haven School District |
West Haven High School |
|
Wethersfield School District |
Wethersfield High School |
|
Windham School District |
Windham High School |
|
Windsor School District |
Windsor High School |
|
Wolcott School District |
Wolcott High School |
Matthew Cerrone
Director of Communications
Connecticut State Department of Education
Cell: 860-424-1988
Matthew.Cerrone@ct.gov
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