Massachusetts Senate Bill S830

Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/16/23
• Refer: 2/16/23

Caption

Protecting students and increasing accountability at Massachusetts colleges and universities

Impact

If enacted, S830 could significantly affect state financial aid distribution and impact the operational practices of postsecondary institutions in Massachusetts. By enforcing accountability standards, the bill aims to improve educational outcomes and ensure that public funds are allocated to colleges that demonstrate a commitment to student success. The new regulations would allow the Board of Higher Education to play a more central role in overseeing institutional performance, which could encourage institutions to implement more robust measures to support students towards graduation.

Summary

Senate Bill S830, titled 'An Act protecting students and increasing accountability at Massachusetts colleges and universities,' seeks to reform the financial aid eligibility criteria for state scholarship funds. The bill mandates that no state scholarship funding shall be issued to students at institutions that fail to meet specified graduation and loan default rate thresholds. These thresholds include maintaining a graduation rate of at least 30% for undergraduate students completing their degree within 150% of the standard time and keeping a three-year cohort default rate below 20%. The Board of Higher Education is tasked with determining compliance and will publish an annual list of qualifying institutions.

Contention

The bill may face opposition based on concerns regarding its potential impact on low-income and minority students who might attend institutions struggling to meet these new standards. Critics argue that imposing stringent eligibility requirements could disproportionately affect these students by limiting their access to state financial aid. Additionally, there may be discussions surrounding the appropriateness of the benchmarks set forth in the legislation, with potential calls for adjustments to ensure that institutions have the resources necessary to improve their performance without compromising access for vulnerable populations.