Resource Library

Annual and ongoing planning meeting with the implementation team and partners to learn and adjust is an important best practice. Start planning for next year by reflecting on what worked and what didn’t work. This means using data to ground your strategy and including partners early in the planning process.

Attend virtual training on the financial aid tools on CaliforniaColleges.edu. Learn about our financial aid lessons to prepare students for the financial aid application process and how to use educator reports to track students’ financial aid application statuses.

Is your school/district already a partner with CaliforniaColleges.edu? Learn if you are here.

The state offers no cost training and programs for schools and community partners to support students complete the FAFSA/CADAA, learn more about the plethora of resources here.

uAspire offers no cost and fee-based training for educators and community partners to support students complete the FAFSA/CADAA, learn more here.

Spartanburg Academic Movement heard from their Spanish-speaking families that some undocumented parents were misinformed about their children’s eligibility so they worked with trusted community partners to offer FAFSA completion workshops with translators to ensure that these families were receiving accurate information and adequate support.

If the purpose is to serve students, ensure that they have a seat at the table. Student feedback will allow you to understand what are the barriers to access, where the students are, and how to meet them where they are. Learn about how Broward County initiated a peer mentoring program.

If one person is having an issue, it’s likely that another person has faced a similar issue. Holding regular meetings or creating a community of practice allows for collective responsibility in supporting one another and empowers site-level leaders to be equipped to address issues that come their way.  Use NCAN to kick start the conversation.

Riverside County Education Collaborative has a college kick-off month where financial aid is part of the college-going culture. College application and financial aid application should go hand-in-hand.

College access networks may exist in your area like SoCal CAN. Do a deep inventory of what additional college access organizations and resources exist wherever you are in California. Connect to a college access network SoCal CAN

Many are working to serve more students and families, and many postsecondary institutions are looking to strengthen their pipeline to students. Ask around, approach partners, attend open meetings, or volunteer to make presentations. These partners often have staff time, resources, expertise, or ideas to share. For example, these organizations can be pivotal once trained to assist students or to reach families that they serve.

Many districts have partners on campus providing services to students, but administrators do not know who those organizations are and who they serve. In order to decrease duplicative efforts and meaningfully employ a tiered approach, districts and schools need to know who is helping them and account for that help in their financial aid completion plans.

Every action starts with a plan. Create a strategy to determine clear roles and responsibilities as well as implementation and monitoring of that plan.