
May 1 is usually college decision day, but FAFSA problems are causing delays
CNN
May 1, known as college decision day across the country, is usually a celebratory time for high school seniors. But this year, many students are stuck in limbo as they wait for delayed financial aid award letters – and have yet to decide where to enroll this fall.
May 1, known as college decision day across the country, is usually a celebratory time for high school seniors. But this year, many students are stuck in limbo as they wait for delayed financial aid award letters – and have yet to decide where to enroll this fall. The holdup stems from problems with this year’s FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which students must submit to qualify for federal loans and grants, as well as for most financial aid offered by colleges and states. A new version of the form was released by the Department of Education late last year. The changes simplified the form and are expected to make more students eligible for financial aid. But a number of processing problems and glitches led to major delays. Typically, colleges and universities are able to deliver financial aid award letters to students in March. But many schools did not receive the FAFSA data they needed from the Department of Education until March, and once they did, millions of forms were found to have errors and needed to be reprocessed. Many schools traditionally require students to decide by May 1 whether they are enrolling in the fall. Hundreds of schools have pushed back their deadlines this year. But not every college has changed the date, forcing some students to make a decision and pay a deposit without having all the information about how much college will cost. The Department of Education has faced criticism for the botched rollout of the new FAFSA from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, as well as from college financial aid groups. At the request of some Republican members of Congress, the Government Accountability Office has started an investigation into the new form’s implementation.

20 states sue after the Trump administration releases private Medicaid data to deportation officials
The Trump administration violated federal privacy laws when it turned over Medicaid data on millions of enrollees to deportation officials last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta alleged on Tuesday, saying he and 19 other states’ attorneys general have sued over the move.

A federal judge in Brooklyn has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end temporary protected status for Haitian migrants ahead of schedule, ruling that the Department of Homeland Security violated the law in its rush to strip deportation protections and work permits from over half a million people.

Tennessee has passed a sweeping measure to combat bullying, targeting teenagers where it may hurt the most: revoking their ability to drive. The legislation, which took effect Tuesday, allows courts to suspend the driver’s licenses of minors found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying for up to a year.