Date of Award

4-30-2026

Access Restriction

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate in Education

Department

Education

School or College

School of Education

First Advisor

Kenzo Sung

Second Advisor

Dolores Delgado Bernal

Third Advisor

Edgar Zazueta

Abstract

The qualitative study examined a private, Catholic university’s implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2019 alongside the broader, layered federal and state policies involved in financial aid award allocation in higher education (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Rubin & Rubin, 2011; Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Critical Policy Analysis and Institutional Theory guided the research in examining (1) policy development, (2) implementation, (3) external pressures, and (4) organizational adaptation (Diem et al., 2014; Meyer & Rowan, 1977). Eight administrators and staff members who worked in the Enrollment Management Division and the Financial Aid Office were interviewed regarding the implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2019. The study resulted in three key findings. First, the dynamics of federal financial aid policy implementation substantively impacted students, and particularly those from vulnerable populations, even when buffered by stable, supportive state financial aid processes. Second, recent streamlining of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) made the submission process easier for students and their families. Lastly, even though the FAFSA submission process was easier and more students were eligible for the Federal Pell Grant, the delayed federal financial aid data resulted in award allocation challenges, forcing institutions to create workarounds to offer more timely support. Drawing on these three key findings, this study concluded with recommendations for practitioners, educational leaders, and policymakers. This study and its recommendations were particularly relevant given the potential impact of the next major set of changes expected due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBBA).

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