Courtesy photo

Atlanta Community Schools is one of 67 school districts in Michigan to receive a portion of $10 million in Universal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Challenge awards.

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) announced Thursday the recipients of the awards, designed to support schools across the state in helping more students complete the FAFSA and take the next step toward college or career training. Atlanta was awarded $22,670.

“Completing the FAFSA is one of the most important steps a student can take to unlock postsecondary opportunity,” said Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “Through the Universal FAFSA Challenge, we are supporting schools as they build systems and supports that help students and families navigate the FAFSA process with confidence and access the financial resources available to them.”

Now in its second year, the Universal FAFSA Challenge awards funds to school districts and public school academies to adopt FAFSA completion as a graduation requirement – with a simple opt-out process for qualifying students – and implement evidence-based strategies to support students through the application process.