Ready, Set, FAFSA | Grant Opportunity for High Schools | New Report

EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS
Updates From the Office of Higher Education Twice a Month

Ready, Set, FAFSA!

Are you or someone you know applying to college this year? We can help! Join us this February for a series of financial aid webinars created specifically for students and families to help them prepare for the college-going process. All sessions will be approximately one hour long with a short presentation from financial aid experts followed by time for questions from the audience.

• February 8, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. | Financial Aid Overview
  Learn more about the many ways to pay for college—like grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study—and how to apply for them. 
  
• February 15, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. | Complete the FAFSA
  Find out more about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the most important form to get you or your student money for education after high school.
  
• February 17, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. | Complete the MN Dream Act
  Minnesota also has a form for undocumented students called the Minnesota Dream Act, which allows them to be eligible for in-state tuition. Register here
  
• February 22, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. | Understanding Your Offer Letter
  Understanding your financial aid award letter can be complicated, especially if you applied to more than one college. This session will help you understand how to read and compare them. Register here
  
• March 1, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. | Scholarship Search
  Learn more about how to get scholarships, or free money, for your education after high school. Register here

Language Interpretation Available & $500 Scholarship
All sessions will have simultaneous interpretation available in Spanish, Somali, and Hmong. Participants who attend 4 out of 5 sessions will be eligible to win a $500 scholarship. Please share this information with your friends, students, colleagues, and anyone you think may benefit from this webinar series. Register below!

Grant Opportunity for High Schools: Expanding Minnesota High School Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Grant

A new grant is now available to help establish CNA training programs at Minnesota high schools in any school district that doesn’t already have a CNA program. The initiative funds will cover approved equipment, supplies, and curriculum costs to establish the new classrooms.

• Due Date: February 22, 2022 at 4 P.M. Central Standard Time
• Total amount available: $150.000.00
• Maximum grant amount: $15,000.00
• Minimum grant amount: $5,000.00
• Submit all required material to mde.compgrants@state.mn.us

Timeline
Completed applications due: February 22, 2022 at 4:00 P.M. Central Standard Time
Anticipated date of grantee announcement: Mid-March

Questions and Answers
If you have any questions about this grant, please contact the program specialist Shelli Sowles, CTE Coordinator at shelli.sowles@state.mn.us or 651-582-8403. Questions may only be answered by this person.

Learn How the Summer Academic Enrichment Program Addresses the Achievement Gap

Summer breaks from school often take a toll on student learning as students are deprived of academic stimulation. Research shows that during the summer, low-income students suffer disproportionate learning loss; and those losses accumulate over time, contributing substantially to the achievement gap between low- and higher-income children.

Minnesota’s Summer Academic Enrichment Program seeks to counter the achievement gap and give children access to high-quality experiences that keep exercising their minds and boost academic performance through participation in challenging enrichment classes in core curricular areas. Check out the programs 2021 annual report.