Bill > S687

This bill establishes the Massachusetts Workforce Opportunity Scholarship program, administered by the Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA), to help students pursue associate's degrees or certificates at specific community colleges in Massachusetts. To be eligible, students must be enrolled full-time within five years of graduating high school (or equivalent), maintain a 2.0 GPA, and participate in mentoring and community service. The scholarship will cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees after other "gift aid" (scholarships not from this program) is applied. Students must maintain continuous enrollment, with limited exceptions for approved medical or personal leaves of absence not exceeding six months. The scholarship is available until a student earns a diploma or associate's degree, or for a maximum of two and a half years of attendance. The bill also creates an endowment fund for the scholarship program, managed by the state treasurer, with specific rules for its principal and income, and mandates annual reporting on the program's effectiveness by OSFA and a study by the Auditor of the Commonwealth.