Provides for determining the amount of an award under the tuition assistance program for certain people returning to full-time undergraduate study

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to tuition assistance program awards

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill adjusts the Tuition Assistance Program award schedule for students who received not more than two semesters of aid prior to the 1989-90 academic year and who return to full-time academic study.

Summary of specific provisions

This bill provides that a student who received no more than two semesters of TAP prior to the 1989-90 academic year and who returns to full-time academic study shall be deemed to have received his or her first award in the academic year in which he or she returns to full-time study.

Justification

It is becoming less common for a student to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and complete a bachelor's degree in four years. Job and family demands often cause students to interrupt their college education and reenter the academic world after their children are grown. During the student's hiatus, the Legislature may have increased the award schedule to adjust TAP awards to reflect changes in college tuition. In such a case, a student may find, through no fault of her/his own, that she/he is locked into an award schedule which is grossly out of date. This legislation attempts to correct this by making a student who originally received no more than two semesters of TAP prior to the 1989-90 academic year eligible for the award schedule in effect for the term in which he or she returns to full-time study. This legislation would have no effect on the duration of award provided in current statute.

Prior legislative history

2007-08: A.2538 Passed Assembly 2006: A.9268 Passed Assembly

Fiscal implications

A fiscal note dated June 30, 2009 from Gerald Cross, Assistant to the Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education P-16, Office of Education, P-16 and Brian G. Matthews, HESC, VP Financial Aid estimates the cost of this bill to range from $1,724,000 to $5,990,000 based on the estimations as follows:

TAP award for Dependent Students at Degree Granting Institution: Maximum Award

1993-94 and before (HESC TAP Award, Sched. A) $3,575 2000-01 and after (HESC TAP Award, Sched. E) $5,000

Award difference: $1,425 per student per year

TAP Award for Independent Students at Degree Granting institutions

1991-92 and before (HESC TAP Award Sched. K) $2,450 1993-94 and after (HESC Tap Award, Sched. M) $3,025

Award difference: $575 per student, per year

These figures are based on the estimate that between 2000 and 3000 students would be affected and would get at least a term award. Based on this estimate, the fiscal implication for awarding these increased TAP awards to dependent students would be $4,275,000 and to independent students $1,724,000 totaling $5,990,000 in additional TAP awards per year. However, since most awards would be granted to independent students since these are the students who would most likely return to school, the amount may be smaller.

Effective date

This act shall take effect the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.