What triggers a school to reconfirm a student's status in subsequent award years?

The correct answer is that the expiration of the student's documentation triggers a school to reconfirm a student's status in subsequent award years. This is primarily because many eligibility criteria are contingent upon certain documents, such as a student’s income or enrollment status, which may have a defined validity period. When these documents expire, the institution must reassess the student's eligibility to ensure they still meet the necessary requirements for federal student aid.

It's important for schools to maintain accurate and up-to-date records to comply with federal regulations and to ensure that the students receiving aid are still eligible over time. When documentation is no longer valid due to expiration, it necessitates a reconfirmation of the student’s status. This ensures that any changes in the student's circumstances that could affect eligibility are taken into account.

The other events, such as a request from the student for reconfirmation, changes in federal law, or the completion of a new FAFSA form, while relevant in certain contexts, do not specifically necessitate reconfirming a student's eligibility based on the expiration of records or documentation. A new FAFSA may be required each year, but it is the documentation's expiration that explicitly requires the school to reassess eligibility.