Illinois Quick Hits: FAFSA applications rise with increase in state taxpayer funding
(The Center Square) – According to the National College Attainment Network’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid Tracker for the Class of 2026, Illinois ranked second in the nation with 71.9% of students completing financial aid applications.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission and its partners conducted almost 3,400 FAFSA outreach events and held more than 12,230 financial aid workshops during the school year. The ISAC’s budget appropriation for fiscal year 2027 includes $8.36 million for agency outreach and research and $9.0 million for operations, a 6.6% increase over fiscal year 2026.
The Illinois FAFSA Mandate requires every Illinois public high school student to complete a financial aid application or submit a waiver as part of their graduation requirements.
STATE ENHANCES SENIOR FARMERS MARKET VOUCHERS
The Illinois Department on Aging and the Illinois Department of Human Services are offering enhanced Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers for income-eligible older adults to purchase fruits, vegetables and harvested honey at participating farmers markets and roadside stands.
Participants will receive up to $40 per person in benefits, up from $25 in 2025.
FUEL PRICES RISE
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Illinois has increased to $4.13, up nearly 5 cents from yesterday, according to AAA.
The national average rose just over a nickel to $3.94 on Friday. The average Illinois price one year ago was $3.45.
FINANCIAL STRESS INDEX DIPS
The St. Louis Fed Financial Stress Index dipped to -0.88 in the week ending July 10 from the prior week’s -0.72.
The index measures the degree of financial stress in the markets and is constructed from seven interest rate data series, six yield spreads and five other indicators. Values below zero suggest below-average financial market stress, while values above zero suggest above-average financial market stress.
Chance Rain Showers
Latest News Stories
Proposed law would require women’s restroom on construction sites
Republicans scramble to preserve White House ballroom security funding
CBP seizes more than 100 million lethal doses of fentanyl at SW border in six months
Lawsuit: Amazon prefers Trump favoritism to customer refunds
Illinois Quick Hits: Independent candidate filing period opens
Report: Cautionary advice to governments granting overzealous tax breaks
‘Exploited tax dollars’: Trial law firms donate almost exclusively to Democrats
Supreme Court takes up Georgia Title IX case
Beecher 200U Plans Multi-Building Summer Projects, Approves $14,276 Junior High Floor Restoration
Will County Executive Committee Splits on Whether to Ask Voters About Single-Member Districts
Will County Departments to Stop Accepting Pennies, Rounding Down Cash Transactions
Beecher Edges Lemont 3-1 in Pitcher’s Duel
