ABOR recognizes 2025-2026 AZ FAFSA Challenge winners

High school administrators, educators and counselors from across Arizona gathered Thursday to celebrate the winners of the 2025-2026 AZ FAFSA Challenge. 

Administered by the Arizona Board of Regents, the AZ FAFSA Challenge recognizes Arizona high schools for exceptional efforts in supporting students completing the Federal Application of Federal Student Aid, a critical form that provides students with opportunities to finance post-secondary education. Schools are recognized in two categories, highest FAFSA completion rate and most improved FAFSA completion rate. Schools compete against schools of similar size based on senior cohort enrollment. 

“Completing the FAFSA can change the trajectory of a student’s future,” said ABOR Chair Doug Goodyear. “These schools demonstrated an outstanding commitment to expanding access to higher education, and we are proud to recognize their hard work.” 

Arizona ranks fourth in the nation for year-over-year FAFSA growth, with completions up 20% compared with the previous cycle. Nearly 7,300 more Arizona public high school seniors have completed the FAFSA compared with last year. As of May 7, Arizona’s statewide FAFSA completion rate is 42.85% for the Class of 2026, just over 5 percentage points shy of the statewide goal of 48%.  

FAFSA completion plays a direct role in a student’s ability to access higher education, connecting students to federal and state grants, work-study opportunities, student loans and many scholarship opportunities. According to the National College Attainment Network, seniors who complete the FAFSA are 84% more likely to immediately enroll in postsecondary education. For students in the lowest socioeconomic quintile, FAFSA completion is associated with a 127% increase in immediate college enrollment.

This celebration was held at the Helios Education Campus, where attendees were welcomed by Paul Luna, president and chief executive officer of the Helios Education Foundation, and Rich Nickel, president and chief executive officer of Education Forward Arizona. The program included remarks from ABOR Executive Director Chad Sampson and Erin Hart, director of the office of strategic initiatives and policy advisor for higher education and early education for Gov. Katie Hobbs. 

First-place schools received a trophy as well as a laptop to give to an outstanding student thanks to a generous donation from Cox Communications. Second and third-place schools received college-readiness prize bags graciously provided by the Be a Leader Foundation. All winning schools also received a signed certificate recognizing their achievement from Gov. Hobbs and Chair Goodyear.

The gathering also highlighted schools that participated in the 50 by Fall program, another board-led statewide FAFSA initiative that offered performance-based financial incentives to high schools that meet key FAFSA completion benchmarks during the fall semester. All Title I schools and Arizona public high schools that achieved less than 50% FAFSA completion during the 2025-2026 FAFSA cycle were eligible to participate. 50 by Fall schools at the ceremony were recognized for not only reaching that 50 percent goal, but their continued efforts to surpass the stretch goal of 75 percent completion. 

The 2025-2026 AZ FAFSA Challenge winners are: 

Highest FAFSA Completion Rate:

Large Enrollment: 

• First place – San Luis High School (San Luis, AZ)
• Second place – Arizona College Prep High School (Chandler, AZ)
• Third place – Nogales High School (Nogales, AZ)

Medium Enrollment: 

• First place – University High School Tucson (Tucson, AZ)
• Second place – Tanque Verde High School (Tucson, AZ)
• Third place – Chinle High School (Chinle, AZ)

 Small Enrollment:

• First place – San Simon High School (San Simon, AZ), Phoenix Union-Wilson College Preparatory (Phoenix, AZ) and Phoenix College Preparatory Academy (Phoenix, AZ)
• Second place – Madison Highland Prep (Phoenix, AZ)
• Third place – ASU Preparatory Academy Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ)

Most improved FAFSA Completion Rate: 

Large Enrollment:

• First place – Williams Field High School (Gilbert, AZ)
• Second place – Trevor Browne High School (Phoenix, AZ) and Arizona College Prep High School (Chandler, AZ)
• Third place – Westview High School (Avondale AZ) 

 Medium Enrollment:

• First place – Globe High School (Globe, AZ)
• Second place – Chinle High School (Chinle, AZ)
• Third place – Cortez High School (Phoenix, AZ)

Small Enrollment:

• First place – Seligman High School (Seligman, AZ)
• Second place – Fort Thomas High School (Fort Thomas, AZ)
• Third place – Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy (Flagstaff, AZ) 

The 50 by Fall schools who reached a 75% completion rate as part of the initiative’s stretch goal are: 

• Ajo High School (Ajo, AZ)
• Antelope Union High School (Wellton, AZ)
• Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center Estrella Mountain (Avondale, AZ)
• ASU Preparatory Academy Polytechnic High School (Mesa, AZ)
• Highland Prep (Surprise, AZ)
• Highland Prep West (Avondale, AZ)
• Horizon Honors Secondary School (Phoenix, AZ)
• Gateway Early College High School (Phoenix, AZ)
• Bioscience High School (Phoenix, AZ)
• Superior Junior/Senior High School (Superior, AZ)
• Vail Academy and High School (Tucson, AZ)

To view and download photos from the event, click here.