Our uAspire attendees elevated our co-sponsored legislation, SB 961 (Ashby) and advocated for student basic needs at this year’s uAspire CA Advocacy Day

Our uAspire CA Advocacy Day started with an impactful conversation with Sarah Pauter, Executive Director of John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY)

uAspire and our partners at the UC Student Association met with Asm. Schiavo

uAspire hosted its first ever networking luncheon during this year’s CA Advocacy Day.

🌟 In March, uAspire, students, and partners gathered in Sacramento for our 2026 California Advocacy Day! We focused on advancing college affordability and expanding access to financial aid in CA.

Read about our priorities: buff.ly/r98EixJ

#CollegeAccess #Financialaid

Board approves Civic Quest and expanded AP/dual‑enrollment offerings The Huntington board approved a series of curriculum proposals on March 24 including a new seventh‑grade Civic Quest course, AP Business with Personal Finance, AP/college calculus and precalculus partnerships with Siena College, Stony Brook ACE dual‑enrollment courses, forensic science dual credit, and a revised Computer Science & Technology 7 course.

The Huntington Union Free School District is revolutionizing education with new college-level courses and a groundbreaking civic program for seventh graders, making advanced learning accessible to all students.

Learn more here!

#NY #CollegeAccess #CitizenPortal #FinancialLiteracy #CivicEducation

Calexico Unified presents K–12 AVID review; district says AVID boosted FAFSA, AP enrollment and attendance Assistant Superintendent Alyssa Ramirez and AVID coaches told the board that AVID is implemented districtwide (TK–12), reporting higher FAFSA completion (84% among AVID students), higher AP participation in AVID cohorts (53% at Calexico High) and improved attendance metrics in AVID classes.

Calexico Unified's AVID program is revolutionizing student success with an impressive 84% FAFSA completion rate and a remarkable 53% of AVID students taking AP exams!

Learn more here

#CA #CollegeAccess #CitizenPortal #StudentSuccess

📢 In case you missed it - Over the past year, the uAspire team has released four reports focused on different aspects of expanding access to education and opportunity for students. Check them out here: buff.ly/UCp1ndZ

#collegeaccess #uaspire #educationpolicy

Senate committee advances bill to expand direct college admissions to all Minnesota high schools The Senate Higher Education Committee recommended SF1474 as amended to pass after testimony from advocates, students and educators who said direct admissions boosts FAFSA completion and college enrollment; an author amendment sets a 2029 implementation timeline with local opt-outs.

A new bipartisan bill in Minnesota aims to transform the college admissions process by providing direct admission information to every public high school student, potentially revolutionizing access to higher education.

Learn more here.

#MN #CollegeAccess #CitizenPortal #EducationReform

50 #NACAC members from around the U.S. and the world were at Capitol Hill last week for NACAC's National Advocacy Day. Read about their efforts to advocate for student aid, policies that expand #collegeaccess and affordability, and more: www.nacacnet.org/nacac-member...

Public Colleges Are Finally Learning to Share A new wave of state-level reform tests an old idea — that “systemness” is the key to sustainability.

How do states serve students with shrinking enrollment & existing infrastructure? NCHEMS President Brian Prescott weighs in on the rise of "systemness 2.0" in this recent @chronicle.com article. Check out the full article now: www.chronicle.com/article/publ... #HigherEd #Systemness #CollegeAccess

Greenville County wins $35 million GEAR UP grant to expand college and career supports for middle and high school students Greenville County Schools was designated a GEAR UP district and will receive part of a $35 million, seven‑year federal grant to provide intensive supports — including college visits, FAFSA nights, tutoring, dual‑enrollment and teacher professional development — to roughly 16,000 students in the district.

Greenville County Schools just landed a game-changing $35 million GEAR UP grant to boost college and career readiness for thousands of students!

Learn more here

#SC #CollegeAccess #CitizenPortal #CareerPathways #EducationReadiness

Senator Servaiso’s plan to use $1.5 billion 529 surplus for scholarships tabled 21–1 Senator Servaiso proposed placing an estimated $1.5 billion actuarial surplus from Virginia’s 529 plan into an endowment and using approximately $50 million a year of earnings for college scholarships and aid; the House Appropriations Committee voted 21–1 to lay the bill on the table.

Senator Servaiso's bold plan to transform a $1.5 billion surplus from Virginia's 529 plan into scholarships for thousands of students has just been tabled by the House Appropriations Committee.

Get the details!

#VA #VirginiaEducation #CollegeAccess #FinancialAid #CitizenPortal #HigherEducation

Students from low-income backgrounds who have a personalized learning plan are:

✅ More likely to enroll in college
✅ More likely to complete FAFSA
✅ Borrow less in student loans

#EdEquity #CollegeAccess

In this #OneToOne #AuthorQandA, the editors of (RE)FRAMING COLLEGE ACCESS BY AND WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR rethink college choice by centering BIPOC communities and challenging traditional models.

#ReadUP tinyurl.com/5actzh3k

#CollegeAccess #HigherEducation #EducationalEquity

Trotwood-Madison officials pursue CCP partnership with Central State; tentative April preview day planned District staff reported a renewed outreach to Central State University to expand College Credit Plus access and a tentative April 11 on-site CSU preview day; administrators said about 30+ students have applied or expressed interest.

Exciting opportunities are on the horizon for Trotwood students with a planned campus preview day at Central State University aimed at expanding College Credit Plus access!

Get the details!

#OH #CollegeAccess #CitizenPortal #TrotwoodEducation #StudentSupport #CommunityOutreach

AACPS board weighs allowing students to request private class rank amid sharp debate Board members heard hours of public comment and a detailed staff presentation on a proposed grading policy revision that would allow AACPS to calculate class rank on request while keeping it off transcripts; trustees split over student mental health risks versus college and scholarship access.

The Anne Arundel County Board of Education is torn over a proposed grading policy that would allow students to request their class rank, igniting a fierce debate between academic access and mental health concerns.

Get the details!

#MD #MarylandSchools #CollegeAccess #CitizenPortal

NSHE urges higher FAFSA completion and alignment of dual-enrollment pathways Chancellor Matt McNair and NSHE leaders told the committee that increasing FAFSA completion, expanding credit-for-prior-learning and aligning dual and concurrent enrollment will help raise college participation and reduce costs for students; NSHE also flagged a planned tuition adjustment to stabilize budgets.

Only 43% of Nevada students complete the FAFSA, but boosting this number could unlock vital federal aid and pave the way for a brighter future in higher education.

Learn more here!

#NV #DualEnrollment #CollegeAccess #FinancialAid #CitizenPortal #NevadaEducation

Check out this opportunity with the Rowan University English Language Program and share across your networks! #collegeaccess

Massachusetts is expanding college access. Now it must invest in completion. - Boston Business Journal Massachusetts spends just 2.3% of its budget on higher education, among the lowest nationally. Advocates want more Fair Share surtax funds redirected.

A new op-ed in the Boston Business Journal urges MA to invest in college completion, as detailed in CHEAO’s new policy roadmap. Read more: buff.ly/w1k4s1n

#collegeaccess #highered #massachusetts #uAspire

SLU to offer free undergraduate tuition for eligible students Starting in fall 2026, Saint Louis University will offer full undergraduate tuition coverage to eligible low-income students, a move aimed at addressing growing concerns about college affordability and shifting enrollment patterns at private universities. Under the new SLU Tuition Promise, first-time freshmen from families with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less — and […]

'SLU to offer free undergraduate tuition for eligible students'

🖋 Ashley Winters | The St. Louis American
📸 Photo from Saint Louis University Facebook

#stlamerican #stlnews #stlouis #SLU #CollegeAccess #HigherEducation

Next steps for Alabama students after direct admission offers Public News Service (PNS) is a member-supported news service that advocates journalism in the public interest. PNS's network of state-based news services distribute high quality public interest news…

It's almost graduation season! More than 12,000 Alabama students have completed a Direct Admission profile—triggering nearly 180,000 college offers statewide.
What now?
✅ Connect with your admissions counselor
✅ Complete FAFSA
✅ Apply for every scholarship
#CollegeAccess #HigherEd

#EduSky #CollegeAccess #HigherEducation #CollegeReady

Applying for financial aid should be a Massachusetts high school graduation requirement Making FAFSA completion a graduation requirement in Massachusetts isn’t about mandating college. It’s about removing barriers and expanding opportunities.

A new op-ed in CommonWealth Beacon by uAspire's MA Policy Director, Femi Stoltz, highlights the need for a financial aid form graduation requirement in Massachusetts! Read more here: https://ow.ly/AeZb50YbUxA

#FAFSA #CollegeAccess #EdPolicy #Massachusetts #HigherEd #StudentSuccess #uAspire

How One Rural District Used College Students to Keep English Learners in School This leader's mentorship program with a local university has helped rural English learners at risk of dropping out.

Mentorship program pairs Hispanic college students at nearby colleges with Hispanic high school students at risk of not graduating to figure out their next steps after high school www.edweek.org/leaders/2026... #k12 #highered #collegeaccess

WSAC says Washington Completes FAFSA campaign showing early gains; launches toolkit and dashboard Washington Student Achievement Council officials told a Senate committee that the Washington Completes FAFSA campaign—established by Executive Order 2508—has produced a 35% year-over-year rise in FAFSA/WASFA completions as of January and that a new dashboard and College Toolkit aim to target outreach to underperforming districts.

The Washington Completes FAFSA campaign is off to a strong start, achieving a remarkable 35% increase in financial aid applications among students!

Click to read more!

#WA #CollegeAccess #FinancialAid #CitizenPortal #StudentSuccess

(1/2) Higher ed shouldn’t depend on luck or zip code. Our latest blog features Chanthy Lopes Toro’s powerful story on how FAFSA changed her life—and why Massachusetts needs universal #FAFSA now. #CollegeAccess #EdTrustMA

Student loan debt can feel overwhelming, but experts say it does not have to keep students from pursuing higher education.

Read the full story here:
wisconsinwatch.org/2026/01/wisc...

By Natalie Yahr
Wisconsin Watch

#StudentLoans #HigherEducation #CollegeAccess #Wisconsin #FinancialAid

Student loan borrowers across Wisconsin are facing a confusing moment, and many are feeling overwhelmed.

Read the full story:
wisconsinwatch.org/2026/01/wisc...

By Natalie Yahr
Wisconsin Watch

#StudentLoans #StudentDebt #HigherEducation #WisconsinNews #CollegeAccess #PublicPolicy

Regents outline Oklahoma’s Promise costs and teacher‑pipeline gains from Inspire to Teach Officials told the committee Oklahoma's Promise will cost about $88 million next year, adding a teacher eligibility track estimated at $5 million for the first cohort; the Inspire to Teach program currently enrolls 7,632 students and has placed 605 graduates in Oklahoma classrooms.

Oklahoma's Promise is set to invest $88 million next year, expanding access and boosting the teacher pipeline with over 7,600 students enrolled in the Inspire to Teach program.

Click to read more!

#OK #WorkforceDevelopment #TeacherPipeline #CitizenPortal #CollegeAccess

Maine lawmakers hear pleas to restore Upward Bound funding after federal cuts Sen. Jill Dusen and University of Maine at Farmington witnesses urged a one‑year state appropriation to replace lost federal funding for the River Valley Upward Bound program, which served about 60 high‑school students in six western Maine schools.

Maine lawmakers are urged to restore crucial funding for the River Valley Upward Bound program, which has transformed the lives of first-generation and low-income students.

Get the details!

#ME #StudentSupport #FirstGenerationSuccess #CitizenPortal #MaineEducation #CollegeAccess

Free College Handbook: Promise Programs Hub

Here's our question for you: If your community could create a tuition-free college program, what would be the #1 priority? Let us know in the comments!

#HigherEd #FreeCollege #PromisePrograms #EducationPolicy #CollegeAccess #CommunityDevelopment #EducationEquity

The Rise of Direct Admissions and What States Need to Consider - NCHEMS As the 2026 legislative session begins, policymakers may be considering a topic gaining traction across many states: direct admissions. It’s quickly becoming one of the most talked-about strategies in...

Direct admissions can simplify college entry for students, but it should be paired with thoughtful design. Our new blog highlights what states need to consider if they adopt direct admissions policies.
Read now: tinyurl.com/mv92z5vv
#HigherEd #Policy #Admissions #CollegeAccess
#Enrollment

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🔗 Register here:
www.nysacac.org/nysacac-regi...

Don’t miss out—start planning now for a successful college exploration season!

#NYSACAC
#CollegeFairs
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#CollegeBound
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