FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 15, 2021
KBOR announces winners of the Kansas FAFSA Challenge
(Topeka, Kan.) – Today the Kansas Board of Regents announced the winners of the inaugural Kansas FAFSA Challenge. The challenge recognizes high schools across the state that had the highest percentage of students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or had the largest increase in FAFSA completion.
“Completion of the FAFSA is a key first step in applying to college, but it can often be a daunting one,” said KBOR Chair Cheryl Harrison-Lee. “The Regents are grateful to the parents, counselors, teachers and administrators working hard to help students complete this important step in continuing their education. We’re excited to recognize the high schools that are doing an exemplary job and hope their efforts encourage more students to apply to college.”
The FAFSA Challenge arose out of the work of the Future of Higher Education Council, which was convened by the Regents last year. One of the Council’s recommendations to the Board was to encourage more students to complete the FAFSA as a means of increasing access to college and improving the college going rate.
FAFSA completers are 63% more likely to enroll in college immediately after high school than non-completers. Less than half of 2021 Kansas high school graduates completed the FAFSA (46.9%).
Winners of the Kansas FAFSA Challenge are grouped by size and recognized in two different categories, highest completion rate and most improved completion rate. Results are calculated using Kansas State Department of Education senior class enrollment data and high school FAFSA completion percentages from studentaid.gov.
View a complete list of winners and list of the top five schools in each category.
For more information, please contact Matt Keith at (785) 430-4237 or
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About the Kansas Board of Regents
The nine-member Kansas Board of Regents is the governing board of the state’s six universities and the statewide coordinating board for the state’s 32 public higher education institutions (six state universities, one municipal university, nineteen community colleges, and six technical colleges). In addition, the Board administers the state’s student financial aid, adult education, high school equivalency, and career and technical education programs. Private proprietary schools and out-of-state institutions are authorized by the Kansas Board of Regents to operate in Kansas.
Visit the Kansas Board of Regents online at www.kansasregents.org.