Iowa

Northeast Iowa college helps students complete the FAFSA for free

Published

2 hours ago

August 24, 2024

Northeast Iowa college helps students complete the FAFSA for free

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – After many students faced confusion and delays to filling out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, last year, one eastern Iowa college is hoping to make the process easier.

For many students, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the difference maker in whether or not their education will be affordable.

But the form isn’t exactly user-friendly.

“There are some questions that might be confusing to some people. Talking about who a contributor is, is it my mom. is it my dad, it it a spouse, or do I just qualify on my own?,” said Dawn Fleming, Assistant Director of Financial aid at Northeast Iowa Community College.

Those questions are one reason why NICC in Dubuque helped students fill the form out for free on Saturday.

Another reason is that recent changes to the FAFSA process made it an even bigger challenge this year.

Many families had to wait months to fill out the forms, which means waiting even longer for financial aid.

“You can imagine that it’s just holding them up from any future options they may be considering, because they don’t know a very important piece of information. And that is how can I afford to pay for my education,” said Amy Gaffney, NICC vice president of student services.

Gaffney says the major delay means many students who otherwise would’ve already completed the FAFSA by now haven’t.

Even though classes are already starting, NICC says it’s not too late to fill out the form.

“That’s okay, I still encourage students, get it done, get it done. Maybe January’s a good time to start,” Gaffney said.

NICC’s financial aid team says just a couple minutes of getting help to do the FAFSA correctly can make a major difference for someone’s education.

“I wanna be the person that helps them finish up their educational goal,” Fleming said.

The community college says it’s willing to continue to meet with students in the future, regardless of where they want to attend college.

Source link

Related Topics:AID College education FAFSA Featured federal free high high school Iowa relief School student

Click to comment

Iowa

Iowa hunters bagged the most pheasants since 2007. What contributed to the high numbers?

Published

9 hours ago

August 24, 2024

Press Room

Iowa hunters bagged the most pheasants since 2007. What contributed to the high numbers?

Iowa saw a bountiful pheasant hunting season in 2023, bagging more birds than the last 16 years.

An increase in pheasant populations also contributed to an increase in hunters, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

How many pheasants were bagged in Iowa?

More than 590,000 pheasants were bagged last fall. Strong populations accounted for the 62% increase in harvest. This also resulted in a 32% increase in the number of pheasant hunters, according to the DNR. More than 83,600 hunters pursued pheasants in Iowa in comparison to the 63,500 pheasant hunters in 2022.

“We’ve had a pheasant population that could support a harvest of around 600,000 birds for a few years now, but we couldn’t reach that total until our hunter numbers returned to the mid-2000s level,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist for the DNR. “Last year they did, and our harvest reflected that.”

More: Deer hunting season in Iowa is fast approaching. With new rules, here is what to know:

What contributed to high pheasant numbers?

The drought and mild winters helped ground nesting birds including turkeys and pheasants, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Spring flooding was expected to hinder pheasant populations in 2024 slightly, but the northern half of the state is still expected to have strong numbers, according to the DNR.

When is pheasant hunting season in Iowa?

The pheasant hunting season runs from Oct. 26 to Jan. 10. Hunting can start as early as 8 a.m. and must end by 4:30 p.m.

Pheasant hunting for youth in Iowa hunters is the prior weekend on Oct. 19 to Oct. 20, according to the DNR.

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

Source link

Iowa

Western Iowa Tech receives grant to expand CDL training program

Published

16 hours ago

August 24, 2024

Press Room

Western Iowa Tech receives grant to expand CDL training program

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – Western Iowa Tech Community College is getting a US Department of Transportation grant to expand its Commercial Drivers’ License training program.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley announced Western Iowa Tech is one of four colleges receiving the grant. The college is due to receive $131,000.

Iowa Central in Fort Dodge, Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny and Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo are also receiving grants.

Sen. Grassley released a statement saying in part, “Improving pathways for eligible individuals to secure commercial driver’s licenses is a simple way we can boost the economy. These resources will unlock good-paying jobs, address labor shortages in the trucking industry and streamline supply chain operations.”

Source link

Iowa

KCCI Investigates: New state law changes schools' attendance policies in effort to target chronic absenteeism

Published

23 hours ago

August 23, 2024

Press Room

KCCI Investigates: New state law changes schools' attendance policies in effort to target chronic absenteeism

This year, state lawmakers passed a bill addressing absenteeism and truancy, among other matters. Senate File 2435 requires schools to set up a tracking mechanism and a prevention process for parents. County attorneys get involved if more action is needed.

Source link