ISAC 2026 FAFSA Symposium Resources
Thank you to everyone who joined ISAC’s sixth annual FAFSA Symposium on March 24, 2026. We appreciate your engagement and commitment to supporting students and families through the financial aid process.
This page includes session recordings, presentation slides, and additional materials shared during the symposium. Whether you attended or are reviewing the content for the first time, these resources are here to support your ongoing work.
The FAFSA Symposium brings together practitioners from across Illinois to share best practices and strengthen support for students navigating financial aid. This year’s sessions focused on:
- Incorporating equity and inclusion into financial aid support for students and families
- Strategies for collaborating with financial aid offices
- Understanding barriers faced by first-generation students
- Key updates to the 2026–2027 FAFSA and the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid
We’re grateful to our presenters for sharing their time and expertise. We hope these resources are helpful in your work and look forward to connecting again at next year’s FAFSA Symposium.
Breakout Sessions Schedule
Join us for a warm welcome and kickoff to ISAC’s sixth annual FAFSA Symposium! This opening session will provide an overview of key updates for the 2027-2028 FAFSA cycle and what they mean for students and families. We will also highlight what you can expect throughout the symposium and share insights to help you prepare for the upcoming financial aid cycle.
Ana Moya, Manager, Professional Learning Communities, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Overview of New ISAC Programs
ISAC's Division of Program Services & Compliance (PSC) will share the new – and changes to existing - financial aid programs ISAC offers, including, Displaced Energy Workers, Nursing Education, Early Childhood Access, veterans’ programs, and more. We will also discuss, program eligibility and application timelines.
Sherry Schonauer, Assistant Director, Partner Services, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Overview of New ISAC Programs (PDF)
Running Effective Financial Aid Workshops in Uncertain Times
With ongoing policy changes and the transition to a “simplified” process, hosting a financial aid workshop today requires more than just a laptop and Wi-Fi. This session provides practitioners with a practical roadmap for running successful application workshops in a rapidly changing educational and political landscape. Participants will learn about challenges faced in the field, resources used by field staff, and how to troubleshoot common technical challenges families encounter during the application process. We will also explore strategies for proactive outreach and effectively supporting mixed-status families who may face additional barriers to completing the FAFSA. By the end of the session, attendees will leave with a practical toolkit to reduce student stress, increase application completion, and help ensure students have equitable access to financial aid.
Abel Montoya, Director of Outreach Operations, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
Running Effective Financial Aid Workshops in Uncertain Times (PDF)
Empowering Foster Care Youth to Postsecondary Education
Foster Progress, a community-based organization, empowers current and former foster care students in Illinois to pursue a postsecondary degree and transition into adulthood. Hear about the challenges and supports foster care youth encounter during the financial aid process.
LaTerrian Officer-McIntosh, Program Manager, Foster Progress
Empowering Foster Care Youth to Postsecondary Education (PDF)
A New Approach: Helping Students Understand Financial Literacy
Learn about a new financial capability initiative that is offered to students receiving financial aid in Illinois. We will discuss program details and how the Economic Awareness Council, City Colleges of Chicago, and ISAC are partnering together to accomplish this.
Moises Sanchez, Financial Educator and Bank on Assistant Manager, Economic Awareness Council
Helping Students Understand Financial Literacy (PDF)
Helping Homeless Youth Fill Out the FAFSA
This webinar will provide a step-by-step guide on helping students experiencing homelessness fill out the FAFSA 2026-27. The webinar will help participants gain an understanding of students’ dependency status on the FAFSA and the types of documentation required for students experiencing homelessness to access financial aid.
Caleb McKay, FAFSA Completion Senior Manager, SchoolHouse Connection
A Guide to the 2026-27 Alternative Application
ISAC’s Professional Development team will share details about changes to the 2026-2027 Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.
Nicole Boyd, Training and Development Specialist, Illinois Student Assistance Commission
A Guide to the 2026-27 Alternative Application (PDF)
Accessing DCFS Postsecondary Education Supports
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) supports youth with lived experience in care across the State of Illinois. Our Postsecondary Support Options provide youth with lived experience in care with mentoring, financial assistance, resources to learn about their postsecondary options, DCFS scholarships and tuition and fee waivers, federal funding, and preparing for life after high school.
Laura C Gutiérrez, Post-Secondary Education Specialist, Office of Education and Transition Services, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
For questions, contact the FAFSA Symposium Planning team at [email protected].