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 funds from this item shall be made available for the MASSGrant and MASSGrant Plus programs in an amount not less than the amount made available in fiscal year 2026; provided further, that the priority application deadline for the MASSGrant program shall be June 30, 2026; provided further, that that not less than $22,000,000 shall be made available for the Gilbert Grants; 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 2026; provided further, that not less than $480,000 shall be made available for One Family, Inc. for costs in connection with the One Family Scholars program; 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; and provided further, that not less than $500,000 shall be expended for financial assistance to students enrolled in independent, nonprofit vocational technical institutions of higher education in the commonwealth that are minority--serving institutions as defined by the United States Department of Education not less than twice in the previous 5 years and whose majority of students are eligible for Pell grants
