By: James Bergeron, Deputy Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education; acting Chief Operating Officer, Federal Student Aid
This week, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is expected to release to Congress a report titled, “Gaps in Federal Student Aid Contract Oversight and System Testing Need Immediate Attention.” The report will include a response from Federal Student Aid (FSA) and I wanted to take time to highlight the improvements made over the last year. It’s important that we learn the right lessons.
I want to thank our entire Free Application and Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) team for their work improving the FAFSA form that will open the doors of postsecondary education for students and families across the country. Many higher education stakeholders may not realize that the FAFSA team’s efforts over the last two years have also been about helping chart a better path for government technology development.
FSA welcomes GAO’s oversight role on the FAFSA form. But, especially coming out of the botched rollout in 2024–25, we believe this moment demands a broader conversation: how the federal government can build, deliver, and maintain technology that works reliably at scale.
Oversight Matters, But So Does Modernization
The challenges with the 2024–25 FAFSA form launch were real and stemmed from the previous administration’s mismanagement and insufficient attention and preparation for the work that it would take to implement the FAFSA Simplification Act and FUTURE Act. This caused confusion and delays for students, families, institutions, states, and other stakeholders and revealed deeper structural issues in how the FAFSA’s IT system was developed, operated, and maintained by FSA’s vendors. But since then, FSA has invested in technical excellence and execution, and the results and progress are clear.
The Trump Administration brought in technical leaders from the private sector, who have expertise in building large-scale digital products, and empowered them to fundamentally change how FSA delivers technology:
- Building in-house expertise, so we can directly oversee core systems and make faster, more informed decisions.
- Shifting to a product-based delivery model, that enables rapid iteration, continuous improvement, and direct feedback from users.
- Restructuring vendor contracts to support agile, sprint-based development, so fixes, features, and enhancements reach users faster.
These are proven best practices in the private sector and are increasingly recognized as necessary for public-sector success. These changes are essential if FSA wants to deliver services that are reliable, user-centered, and adaptable.
Why We Are Pushing Back
We anticipate that GAO’s recommendations will lean on a traditional, linear project-management model—one that assumes FSA can and should write contract requirements years in advance and then execute them without constant adjustment. This model was at the forefront of government modernization efforts—15 years ago. But IT systems and software, especially at the scale and complexity of the FAFSA form, don’t work that way anymore.
At the scale and complexity of the FAFSA form, success comes from continuous improvement, technical ownership, and designs that evolve based on user needs. Our response pushes back because we believe it’s critical to align oversight and accountability that reflects how modern technology is built. Otherwise, FSA risks reinforcing the very outdated patterns that contributed to past failures.
The FAFSA Form is Getting Better—And So Are We
The progress to correct the past challenges and successfully roll out the 2025–26 FAFSA form is measurable:
- More than 14 million students have already submitted a 2025–26 FAFSA form—an increase of more than 11% from this time last year.
- Student satisfaction is strong, and direct feedback is shaping ongoing improvements.
- The FSA Contact Centers are staffed up and ready to handle any calls and questions from students, families, institutions, and partners.
- New resources like FAFSA Central and the upcoming availability of the FAFSA Preview Presentation are making it easier for stakeholders to understand the process, get answers quickly, and prepare for the upcoming cycle with confidence.
The takeaway is clear: FSA is heading toward a FAFSA system that’s more responsive, resilient, and centered on students and families.
There’s more work ahead, but the team is showing what’s possible when public servants—empowered by private practices—are trusted and equipped to deliver technology the right way.
We’re grateful for GAO’s role in helping us reflect and improve on the FAFSA form. We hope our response contributes to a growing conversation about building government technology that’s faster, smarter, and better for the people we serve.
James Bergeron is the Department’s Deputy Under Secretary and acting Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer. He is a proud University of Louisiana at Lafayette alum, and a first-generation college student.
