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Kansas education officials set to vote on removal of controversial FAFSA high school graduation requirement

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Ksnt.com 

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Top Kansas education officials are due to vote on the removal of a controversial high school graduation requirement this month.

Members of the Kansas State Board of Education (KBOE) are set to vote on the removal of the high school graduation requirement that students fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. This controversial addition to the list of the state's minimum high school graduation requirements received criticism from parents, students and school administrators shortly after it was approved last year, prompting the KBOE to review the recently approved regulation in 2025.

27 News reached out to the Kansas Department of Education (KSDE) to find out what the next step is with this process. KSDE spokeswoman Denise Kahler said the KBOE is due to vote on removal of the FAFSA requirement at 11:25 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11. The ten-member KBOE will need a simple majority to remove the FAFSA requirement.

The KBOE approved the FAFSA requirement for graduating high school seniors in Kansas during a vote in 2024 where a majority of the board gave their approval for the change to K.A.R. 91-31-35. High school seniors would have to either complete a FAFSA form or get a waiver to avoid having to complete one starting with graduates in 2028.

The KSDE's Graduation Task Force, created in 2021, and the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) recommended the addition of the FAFSA requirement to help encourage high school students to apply for financial aid and take advantage of millions in unused federal aid, according to the KSDE. KBOE board members also made the following changes to the minimum high school graduation requirements in 2024:

  • A STEM elective.
  • Half credit of P.E. and a half credit for health instead of one P.E. credit.
  • Half credit for financial literacy and 4.5 electives aligned with student's Individual Plans of Study (IPS) instead of six electives.
  • Three-and-a-half credits of English Language Arts and a half credit of communication instead of four credits of ELA.

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) states that students need to complete a FAFSA form to be eligible for federal student aid such as federal grants, loans and work-study funds. Students can then use these federal dollars to complete their journeys through higher education after graduating from high school.

People can tune into the upcoming KBOE meeting on March 11, or view previously held meetings, by visiting the KSDE's YouTube channel or by going to the agency's website. You can find more information on upcoming KBOA meetings by clicking here.

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