FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Family Equality Council Applauds Department of Education For Changing FAFSA Form To Be More Inclusive
Planned Changes Huge Progress In Family Equality Council’s Work To Make Federal Forms Inclusive and Representative
Family Equality Council, which connects, supports and represents the three million parents in our country who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and their six million children today issued a statement praising the U.S. Department of Education for making plans to change the federal student aid form (FAFSA) to recognize the diversity of American families. Starting with the 2014-2015 FAFSA, the Department will begin collecting income and other information on a student’s legal parents, regardless of the parents’ sexual orientation or marital status, as long as the parents live together.
“Students seeking financial aid want to know that the federal government will recognize their families and not treat them differently based on their parents’ sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status,” said Emily Hecht-McGowan, Family Equality Council Director of Public Policy. “Federal forms that are inclusive of all families are important tools to help LGBT parents ensure their children receive the legal and financial protections they need and the opportunities in life that they deserve.”
Hecht McGowan added, “We thank the Department of Education for working with us and our coalition partners – including the Center for American Progress, the Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals and the National Center for Transgender Equality – on these important changes.”
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CONTACT:
Steve Majors | Communications Dir.
202-664-0079 | smajors@familyequality.org