Proposed Mass. High School Grad Requirements Push FAFSA

Massachusetts officials would mandate students and families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or a state version for undocumented students—or at least note that they’re opting out, under proposed public high school graduation requirements.

Filling out the FAFSA is key for students to qualify for federal financial aid, and often also state aid, to attend college. The recommendation is from the K–12 Statewide Graduation Council’s final report, released last week by Democratic Gov. Maura Healey.

“Every student deserves a great education that prepares them for success after high school, whether they choose college, a career, service or another path,” Healey said in a news release. “We’ve spent the last 18 months listening to students, families, educators and employers about what young people need to succeed.”

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education told Inside Higher Ed that most of the recommendations will require legislation.

The report proposes that students and families must either complete the FAFSA or MASFA (Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid) “or submit a low-barrier opt-out without the need to disclose their reasons or any sensitive personal circumstances.”

“Twelve states currently have, or are in the process of implementing, universal FAFSA policies,” the report says, adding that multiple Northeastern states have recently adopted such requirements.

The report also recommends requiring students to develop postsecondary plans that include completing milestones beyond filling out the FAFSA, including having “work-based learning experiences” and learning about artificial intelligence.

It also recommends that all school districts require high schoolers to complete the MassCore sequence of courses that meets state public higher ed admissions requirements. It further recommends implementing state-designed end-of-course assessments, after voters approved a ballot measure in 2024 that eliminated the requirement for students to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System to graduate high school.

William Heineman, president of North Shore Community College and chair of the state’s Community College Council of Presidents, said in the governor’s news release that community colleges support the framework.

“Every day, our colleges welcome students who arrive eager but underprepared for college-level work and we are hopeful that this framework will better support those students and their educational journeys,” Heineman said.