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- Referred to higher education
- Referred to higher education
Companion bill
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Extends the duration of tuition assistance awards to five years
In Assembly Committee · Higher Education · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to the duration of tuition assistance awards
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to extend the duration of tuition assistance awards to five years. Present laws provide for undergraduate students to generally receive tuition assistance payments (TAP) for four years of study. Students who are enrolled in certain approved 5-year undergraduate programs may receive 5 years of TAP assistance.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 of this measure amends Section 604 of the education law by adding a new subdivision 1-a providing that TAP aid be available to students enrolled in approved programs for 5 academic years in the aggregate.
Justification
New York State funds two programs which provide needbased aid to all eligible higher education students: the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), a state-operated financial aid program for State residents attending approved postsecondary institutions in New York, and the Supplemental Tuition Assistance Program (STAP) providing up to one additional year of aid for educationally disadvantaged students enrolled in remedial courses. STAP awards are determined in the same manner as TAP awards.
It is a given fact that the Legislature has a history of endeavoring to maintain a balanced relationship between the independent and public sector's of higher education. This has been coupled with a desire to make resources available for providing students with the maximum access in all sectors of higher education.
In past year's, eligibility levels were increased, along with the maximum awards available to students attending New York's colleges. However, there has been no effort to increase the number of years of eligibility for these very same students.
New factors have evolved during this time, including the lack of class availability for those students who hope to graduate within the "normal" four year period. Subsequently, many students have been forced to attend college for up to five years to obtain their undergraduate degree.
Many students who need to work to support themselves are also forced to reduce their coursework, also prolonging their college years. New York needs to factor these circumstances into the equation when allocating TAP assistance.
Prior legislative history
2005-06, A.6658, 2003-2004 A.1536, Same as Bill A.4797/S.2237 (2001-2002) 2008 - S.7101
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.