Bill > S656

This bill establishes and reforms the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program, a state-funded scholarship for undergraduate students attending public higher education institutions in Massachusetts. The program aims to reward academic achievement by covering the cost of tuition and fees for eligible students who graduate from Massachusetts public high schools and meet specific academic criteria, such as ranking in the top 15 percent of their district on the 10th-grade MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) tests and scoring at certain proficiency levels. To maintain eligibility, students must be enrolled full-time, maintain a 3.5 GPA, file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and meet other academic progress and loan repayment requirements. The scholarship can be awarded for up to eight semesters within six years of high school graduation and is not based on financial need, though filing the FAFSA is still required. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will certify student eligibility, and the Office of Student Financial Assistance will provide institutions with rosters of eligible students. The Board of Higher Education will annually evaluate the program's effectiveness and report findings to the Governor and Legislature, with institutions required to maintain documentation and financial records related to scholarship recipients.