WASHINGTON (WV News) — Now is the time for any student who has not yet filled out their 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to do so, according to officials with the U.S. Department of Education.

Following months of confusion and delays caused by technical issues with the newly redesigned FAFSA process, federal education officials on Tuesday said they are “determined to close the completion gap” on this year’s FAFSA filings.

“We know that community organizations have spent the time and put in the effort to develop relationships with students and families that stand to benefit the most from completing the Better FAFSA,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten. “We are counting not only on their networks, but on their expertise in their communities, to increase the number of submissions, particularly over the summer months once students have graduated from the K-12 system.”

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Education announced “at least” $50 million in funding to support organizations with “demonstrated experience expanding college access and enrollment.”

The FAFSA Student Support Strategy is intended to help school districts and public and private nonprofit organizations “boost” FAFSA completions, Marten said.

“The funding we announced will support state, business and community groups to build capacity and leverage their power to ensure that every student who needs help paying for college turns in their FAFSA forms,” she said.

The department has so far received more than 200 commitments from high school counselors, principals, superintendents, after-school programs, parent groups and other local and state education organizations, Marten said.

These stakeholders will share information with students and host events like FAFSA clinics to “drive local completion,” she said.

There have been more than 9 million FAFSA submissions since the beginning of the year, according to U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal.

“Students who complete a FAFSA today can expect their records to be sent to colleges within one to three days,” he said. “Schools are receiving records that are a reliable basis for financial aid offers. We know that many colleges, including the vast majority with impending deadlines, are now sending student aid offers.”

While federal officials are set on fixing the problems with this year’s FAFSA process, a bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers is already looking ahead to next year’s process.

The group of lawmakers, which includes U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., sent a letter Tuesday to U.S Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging the department to prioritize the timely rollout of the 2025-2026 FAFSA.

“We urge the Department to take steps to ensure these problems do not occur again for the 2025-2026 school year,” the lawmakers wrote. “The rocky implementation of the new FAFSA caused a financial aid traffic jam with weighty implications for students.”

In response to the situation, Gov. Jim Justice recently issued a State of Emergency for education, noting that West Virginia alone has seen a 40% decline in FAFSA filings.

“A lot of kids are sitting on the sidelines wondering not when the money can come, but ‘am I going to be able to go to college?’” Justice said.