In November, the Austin Chamber’s State of Education awards were given out to some of the highest performing schools when it comes to ApplyTexas, FAFSA completion, and Direct to College enrollment. Through leadership, incentives, and innovation, several school districts are leading the way when it comes to encouraging participation and getting students to submit their FAFSA.

Leadership

In Manor, the leadership team uses weekly monitoring sheets to track and target support students. This allows them to know exact enrollment numbers every week. In Hutto, school officials invest extensive time and energy into their incentive program, where students can win six weeks of parking in the principal’s parking spot or witness the principal and vice principal sing karaoke at prom (if they reach 60 percent submission before Christmas.)

Incentives

At Hutto High School, where 338 students and parents showed up to their FAFSA completion event, they offer a variety of incentives coupled with marketing and advertising. Among many incentives include exemption from one final exam, raffle drawings for flat screen TVs and tablets, access to the principal’s parking spot for six weeks, and the opportunity for a family member to present their diploma to them at graduation. If the school reaches 60 percent submission rate before Christmas, then the principal and assistant principals sing karaoke at prom!

Innovation

When it comes to innovation, Manor puts a strong emphasis on mentoring. Through Manor’s “Each One Reach One” campaign, all 351 seniors are matched with a mentor as well as a College and Career Post Secondary counselors. Manor believes in strong partnerships: they have programs to forge close connections between students and programs such as ADVISE Texas, College Forward, AVID, GEAR UP, and Breakthrough to keep close contact after graduation. The Manor ISD team also holds FAFSA and DREAMER parent information events and hosts “Money Parties” beginning in October that run weekly until March.

Hutto ISD uses classroom communication as a key innovation tool. The first ten minutes of Government and Economics class are used to announce upcoming financial aid events and let students know what materials are needed for the day of the event.

Last year, counselors brought the flat screens into each classroom and handed out a save the date flyers, these were also mailed to the students’ home. The week of the event they conduct a phone blast to seniors and parents, contacting them twice, an announcement is made at home football games as well as morning announcements during the week of the event. Posters banners, and signs dot school hallways and encourage participation in the contests (ACL and Alamo Drafthouse), and finally, they leverage social media to get the word out.

These approaches signify different strategies used by different ISDs to find success and increase participation. Right now the region is at 25% submission rate for the FAFSA. There is some work to do for sure, but we are proud of the steps being taken by everyone to help our students. Through dedication and collaboration, we are hopeful that all students in each ISD across the region will submit the FAFSA and help achieve our goal of 55%! We are off to a great start, but the best is yet to come!