Bill > S683

This bill establishes the Finish Line Scholarship Program, which will provide scholarships to cover the full cost of tuition and fees for one year (excluding the first year) of an associate's or bachelor's degree program at a Massachusetts public college or university. These scholarships are intended for Massachusetts residents who need financial assistance and whose family income is below the state's median family income. The Department of Higher Education will be responsible for creating guidelines for the program, including eligibility criteria, selection processes based on academic performance and plans for timely graduation, and other measures to boost student success and reduce achievement gaps for at-risk students. Importantly, scholarship funds cannot be used for programs offered by private entities, and each student can only receive this scholarship once. If there aren't enough funds for all eligible applicants, a lottery will be held. The program's funding is meant to be additional to, not a replacement for, existing scholarship funds. Finally, the Department of Higher Education will report to the Joint Committee of Higher Education on the program's usage, outcomes, and costs within 120 days of its first year of operation.