7070-0065 Massachusetts State Scholarship Program

For a scholarship program to provide financial assistance to Massachusetts students enrolled in and pursuing a program of higher education in any approved public or independent college, university, school of nursing or any other approved institution furnishing a program of higher education; provided, that funds from this item may be expended on the administration of said scholarship program; provided further, that the commissioner of higher education, in coordination with the Massachusetts state scholarship office, shall follow adopted guidelines governing the eligibility for and the awarding of financial assistance; provided further, that the priority application deadline for the MASSGrant program shall be August 1, 2022; provided further, that funds from this item shall be made available for the MASSGrant or MASSGrant Plus programs in an amount not less than $35,731,040 above the amount made available in fiscal year 2022; provided further, that not less than $22,000,000 shall be made available for the Gilbert Grant; provided further, that not less than $5,000,000 shall be made available for early educator scholarships; provided further, that funds from this item shall be made available for paraprofessional grants in amounts not less than the amounts made available in fiscal year 2022; provided further, that not less than $430,000 shall be made available for One Family, Inc.; and provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be made available for the Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants Scholarship program, administered by the Massachusetts Bar Foundation to provide stipends for judicial internships to current law students with demonstrated financial need, prior appropriation continued