New Jersey-2024-S3229-Introduced

An Act concerning the Tuition Aid Grant Program, supplementing chapter 71B of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and amending P.L.2016, c.47 and N.J.S.18A:71B-20.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. (New section) a. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority shall designate eligible workforce training programs as eligible for participation in the tuition aid grant program. The authority, in making special designations pursuant to this section, shall consider current and projected critical workforce shortages in the State. Designations pursuant to this section shall not be limited to the degree-granting programs of an institution.

b. The authority shall determine eligibility criteria for participation in the tuition aid grant program pursuant to subsection a. of this section. At minimum, to be eligible to participate in the tuition aid grant program, a workforce training program shall:

(1) require students to attend, at minimum, 150 hours of classroom instruction;

(2) offer an industry-valued credential or employer-valued credential; and

(3) have an average completion rate of at least 70 percent, as well as an average job placement rate of at least 70 percent.

c. As used in this section, "workforce training program" means a training and employment program authorized by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority to participate in the tuition aid grant program.

2. Section 1 of P.L.2016, c.47 (C.18A:71B-19.1) is amended to read as follows:

1. An institution of higher education [and a] , proprietary degree-granting institution, or a workforce training program authorized to participate in the tuition aid grant program shall annually provide the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority with detailed information on the graduation rates, as applicable, of State tuition aid grant recipients. In the case of a county college, the college shall also provide the authority with the transfer rates of the State tuition aid grant recipients. In the case of workforce training programs that are not degree granting, the institution shall provide the authority with a quantitative indicator of program success, as specified by the authority. An institution shall provide the information in such form as determined by the authority.

The authority shall post the information provided by each institution for public inspection on its website.

(cf: P.L.2016, c.47, s.1)

3. N.J.S.18A:71B-20 is amended to read as follows:

18A:71B-20 a. A State tuition aid grant shall be awarded annually to each eligible, qualified full-time [undergraduate] postsecondary student enrolled in a curriculum leading to a degree or certificate in an eligible institution or a credential in an eligible workforce training program, or in an institution of higher education in another state, provided that state permits its residents to utilize its state student financial assistance grants in New Jersey institutions of higher education through reciprocity agreements approved by the authority. In no event shall a State tuition aid grant be utilized at an out-of-State institution which is not licensed by that state and accredited by a regional accrediting association recognized by a national accrediting organization.

b. To each New Jersey resident enrolled as a full-time student, except as otherwise provided in subsection d. of this section, and meeting the other requirements for eligibility under this chapter, the State shall grant an amount as provided in N.J.S.18A:71B-21. A student shall not be eligible for a grant unless the application is in a form satisfactory to the authority. A student shall not be eligible for grants for more than four and one-half academic years, unless the recipient is enrolled in an undergraduate program regularly requiring five academic years for completion, in which case the authority shall permit five and one-half years of eligibility. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, a student receiving aid under the provisions of P.L.1968, c.142 (C.18A:71-28 et seq.) shall be entitled to a sixth year of eligibility. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, a county college student who transfers to a four- year institution, or any student who is required to pursue 18 or more credit hours in a remedial or developmental curriculum, as defined by regulations adopted by the authority, is entitled to an additional half year of eligibility. For the purpose of this article, a remedial curriculum shall include only noncredit courses in which a student is directed to enroll by the institution. Eligibility for tuition aid grants may be extended to part-time students through regulations developed by the authority if funds are separately appropriated for this purpose. A student shall not be eligible for grants unless the student maintains such minimum standards of academic performance as are required by the institution of enrollment. A student who is enrolled in a course leading to a degree in theology or divinity shall not be eligible for a tuition aid grant.

c. A person shall not be awarded a State tuition aid grant unless that person:

(1) satisfies the residency and other requirements provided in article 1 of this part;

(2) has applied for State tuition aid and has been determined by the authority to be eligible for the tuition aid;

(3) has demonstrated financial need for the tuition aid as determined by and in accordance with standards to be established by the authority; and

(4) maintains satisfactory academic progress in accordance with standards established by the authority.

d. Eligibility criteria for summer tuition aid grants awarded pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2023, c.34 (C.18A:71B-20a) shall conform to the requirements of this section and shall include the following additional eligibility criteria:

(1) the student is enrolled in six or more credit hours in the summer term;

(2) the courses for which the summer tuition aid grant is to be applied are in the same undergraduate program at the same institution in which the student was enrolled during the student's most recent semester of enrollment in the preceding academic year; and

(3) the courses for which the summer tuition aid grant is to be applied may be credited toward the student's graduation or academic major requirements.

(cf: P.L.2023, c.34, s.1)

4. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill permits the inclusion of workforce training programs in the Tuition Aid Grant Program.

Under current law, the Tuition Aid Grant Program is limited to institutions of higher education and certain proprietary institutions with degree-granting programs approved by the Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. This bill requires the authority to designate qualified workforce training programs to participate in the tuition aid grant program. Designations are not limited to the degree-granting programs of an institution.

Under the bill, the authority is to determine eligibility criteria for participation in the tuition aid grant program. At minimum, to be eligible to participate in the tuition aid grant program, a workforce training program is to: (1) require students to attend, at minimum, 150 hours of classroom instruction; (2) offer an industry-valued credential or employer-valued credential; and (3) have an average completion rate of at least 70 percent, as well as an average job placement rate of at least 70 percent.