Senator Monica R. Martinez Co-Sponsors Bill Amending the Education Law to Make the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) More Accessible to New Yorkers

(ALBANY,NY); On Tuesday, January 23, 2019, Senator Monica R. Martinez co-sponsored bill S. 1889 amending the New York State education law to make the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) more accessible to New Yorkers.

The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) was created in 1974 and provides assistance to students who are residents of New York and attend public and private colleges in New York State. The need-based financial aid is calculated based on a sliding income scale. Although the program has assisted millions of New York State students since its inception, it was limited in scope and excluded too many students. The amendment allows more students to meet the eligibility requirements to receive TAP assistance by making several changes to the current law. The legislation expands access to the TAP program for middle-income families in the state by raising the income for TAP eligibility from $80,000 to $95,000. In addition, the amendment increases the minimum award a student can receive each year from $500 to $750.

“It is imperative that we make higher education more accessible to the hard working middle-class families of New York,” stated Senator Martinez. “As a former educator, I believe it is vital to ensure that a college education is an attainable goal for every student, and that every student is afforded equal opportunity to a bright and successful future.”

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