S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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8953
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 30, 2024
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Introduced by M. of A. JACOBSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting a universal
financial aid policy
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 665-b
to read as follows:
§ 665-B. UNIVERSAL FINANCIAL AID POLICY. 1. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN
THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "FAFSA" SHALL MEAN THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID.
(B) "INCOME" SHALL MEAN THE ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME USED TO DETERMINE
THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL PELL GRANT PAID BY THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
UNDER 20 U.S.C. § 1070A OR INCOME USED TO DETERMINE A TAP AWARD PURSUANT
TO SECTION SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE OF THIS SUBPART.
(C) "LEVEL OF PARENTAL EDUCATION" SHALL REFER TO WHETHER OR NOT A
STUDENT'S PARENTS OBTAINED A DOCTORATE OR PROFESSIONAL DEGREE, GRADUATE
DEGREE, BACHELOR'S DEGREE, ASSOCIATE DEGREE, HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, ALTER-
NATIVE HIGH SCHOOL CREDENTIAL, OR ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL BUT DID NOT
RECEIVE ANY KIND OF DIPLOMA OR CREDENTIAL, PROVIDED THAT THE PRESIDENT
SHALL RETAIN THE DISCRETION TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES AS DEEMED
APPROPRIATE.
(D) "LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY" SHALL MEAN A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT,
CHARTER SCHOOL, OR NONPUBLIC SCHOOL WHICH EDUCATES STUDENTS THROUGH THE
TWELFTH GRADE, BUT SHALL NOT INCLUDE BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL
SERVICES, SPECIAL ACT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS DEFINED IN SECTION FOUR THOU-
SAND ONE OF THIS CHAPTER, APPROVED PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL OR NON-RESIDEN-
TIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDING
PRIVATE SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED UNDER CHAPTER EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE OF
THE LAWS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX, OR STATE-OPERATED OR STATE-
SUPPORTED SCHOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE EIGHTY-FIVE, EIGHTY-SEVEN
OR EIGHTY-EIGHT OF THIS CHAPTER.
(E) "SCHOOL" SHALL MEAN AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL WITHIN A PUBLIC SCHOOL
DISTRICT OR A CHARTER SCHOOL OR NONPUBLIC SCHOOL WHICH EDUCATES STUDENTS
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13507-07-4
A. 8953 2
THROUGH THE TWELFTH GRADE, BUT SHALL NOT INCLUDE BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, SPECIAL ACT SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS DEFINED IN SECTION
FOUR THOUSAND ONE OF THIS CHAPTER, APPROVED PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL OR NON-
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
INCLUDING PRIVATE SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED UNDER CHAPTER EIGHT HUNDRED
FIFTY-THREE OF THE LAWS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-SIX, OR STATE-OPER-
ATED OR STATE-SUPPORTED SCHOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE EIGHTY-FIVE,
EIGHTY-SEVEN OR EIGHTY-EIGHT OF THIS CHAPTER.
(F) "STUDENT AID INDEX" SHALL MEAN A CALCULATION BY A COLLEGE OF HOW
MUCH FEDERAL STUDENT AID AN APPLICANT IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE IF THEY
ATTEND SUCH COLLEGE.
(G) "TAP" SHALL REFER TO THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AWARDS CREATED
IN SECTION SIX HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN OF THIS PART.
(H) "UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS SET FORTH IN
42 USC §11434A(6).
2. UNIVERSAL FINANCIAL AID POLICY. EACH LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY IN
THIS STATE SHALL REQUIRE EACH HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR OR EACH HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR AND SUCH SENIOR'S PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN, AS APPLICABLE, TO
COMPLETE THE FAFSA, AN APPLICATION FOR TAP, OR A WAIVER FORM DESCRIBED
IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION BEFORE A STUDENT'S DATE OF GRADU-
ATION, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT A STUDENT SHALL NOT BE PREVENTED FROM
GRADUATING IF SUCH STUDENT DOES NOT COMPLETE ONE OF THE FORMS OR APPLI-
CATIONS DESCRIBED HEREIN.
3. DATA SHARING AGREEMENTS. (A) IN ENABLING LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES
TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, THE
CORPORATION SHALL ENTER INTO DATA SHARING AGREEMENTS WITH SUCH AGENCIES
WHICH SHALL COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION. SUCH DATA
SHALL CONSIST OF A LIST OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS FOR WHICH THE FAFSA OR A
TAP APPLICATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED AND/OR ACCEPTED, AS DESCRIBED IN
PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SUBDIVISION. SUCH DATA SHARING AGREEMENTS SHALL,
AT A MINIMUM, STIPULATE THAT:
(I) ALL INFORMATION RECEIVED OR ACCESSED BY THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY SHALL BE DEEMED CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY TO THE CORPORATION.
ALL SUCH INFORMATION MAY NOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN TO
ASSIST SUCH AGENCIES IN COMPLYING WITH SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
(II) THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY AND CORPORATION SHALL BE BOUND BY
THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE TWO OF THE STATE TECHNOLOGY LAW, THE FAMILY
EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT OF 2001 (20 U.S.C. § 1232G); SUBPARA-
GRAPH (E) OF PARAGRAPH (3) OF SUBDIVISION (A) OF SECTION 483 OF THE
FEDERAL HIGHER EDUCATION ACT, 20 USC §1090(A)(3)(E), SECTION TWO-D OF
THIS CHAPTER, AND OTHER APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL STATUTES
WHICH PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF STUDENT DATA.
(III) INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE CORPORATION SHALL BE STORED ELEC-
TRONICALLY AND ENCRYPTED, PASSWORD-PROTECTED, STORED ON A LAPTOP OR
COMPUTER WITH A SCREEN-LOCK, AND SUBJECT TO ANY OTHER PRECAUTIONS THAT
THE CORPORATION FEELS NECESSARY TO STIPULATE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE
INFORMATION IS STORED SECURELY.
(IV) THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY SHALL DESIGNATE A SINGULAR CHIEF
AUTHORIZING OFFICER WHO SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IDENTIFYING AND AUTHOR-
IZING THE PERSONNEL WHO WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE STUDENT DATA DESCRIBED
HEREIN. SUCH AUTHORIZATION SHALL BE LIMITED TO ONLY THOSE PERSONNEL WHO
REQUIRE SUCH ACCESS IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION
AND SUCH PERSONNEL SHALL HAVE SUCH ACCESS REVOKED UPON A DETERMINATION
BY THE OFFICER THAT SUCH ACCESS IS NO LONGER NEEDED.
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(V) ALL RECORDS MAINTAINED BY THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY CONTAINING
THE INFORMATION DESCRIBED IN THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE SUBJECT TO AUDIT
AND INSPECTION BY THE CORPORATION AND STATE AND FEDERAL AUDITORS.
(B) THE LIST OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED A FAFSA OR TAP APPLICATION
SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(I) THE STUDENT'S LAST NAME;
(II) THE STUDENT'S FIRST NAME AND MIDDLE INITIAL;
(III) THE STUDENT'S ZIP CODE, BUT NOT FULL ADDRESS;
(IV) THE SCHOOL'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER FOR THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR
EDUCATION STATISTICS AS WELL AS ANY OTHER NUMBER THAT THE DEPARTMENT
USES TO IDENTIFY A SCHOOL;
(V) IF FILED, THE DATE THAT THE FAFSA OR TAP APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED
TO THE CORPORATION; AND
(VI) IF SUBMITTED, THE DATE THAT THE FAFSA OR TAP APPLICATION WAS
ACCEPTED.
(C) THE PRESIDENT SHALL PUBLISH ONLINE IN A CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE
MANNER AN UNFILLED VERSION OF THE DATA SHARING AGREEMENT DESCRIBED IN
THIS SUBDIVISION.
4. WAIVER FORM. (A) THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY SHALL ENSURE THAT
EACH HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR WHO DOES NOT COMPLETE A FAFSA OR TAP APPLICATION
SUBMITS THE WAIVER FORM DESCRIBED IN THIS SUBDIVISION. SUCH FORM SHALL
BE SIGNED BY BOTH THE SENIOR AND THE SENIOR'S PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN,
OR, IF THE SENIOR IS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND LEGALLY EMANCI-
PATED OR AN UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH, SIGNED SOLELY BY THE SENIOR, AND SHALL
CERTIFY THAT THE SENIOR UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE FAFSA AND TAP APPLICATION
IS BUT HAS CHOSEN NOT TO FILE. SUCH SENIOR, OR SENIOR'S PARENTS AS
APPLICABLE, SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO STATE THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE TO
FILE SUCH FAFSA OR TAP APPLICATION.
(B) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CREATE A UNIFORM WAIVER FORM, AVAILABLE TO
ALL LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES COVERED IN THIS SECTION, AND POST SUCH
FORM IN A PROMINENT AND ACCESSIBLE LOCATION ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
SUCH FORM SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE TWELVE MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH
LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENT INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE,
BASED ON THE DATA IN THE MOST RECENT AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY PUBLISHED
BY THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU. THE COMMISSIONER MAY, IN THEIR
DISCRETION, OFFER SUCH FORM IN UP TO FOUR ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES BEYOND
THE TWELVE MOST COMMON LANGUAGES. SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO
USE THE WAIVER FORM DESCRIBED IN THIS PARAGRAPH WHEN COMPLYING WITH THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO CREATE THEIR
OWN VERSIONS OF SUCH FORM.
(C) IF THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY DETERMINES THAT A STUDENT IS
UNABLE TO COMPLETE A REQUIREMENT OF THIS SECTION, SUCH AGENCY SHALL
COMPLETE AND SUBMIT A WAIVER FORM ON THE STUDENT'S BEHALF.
5. NOTICE TO STUDENTS. (A) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES SHALL GIVE
NOTICE OF THE REQUIREMENT TO COMPLETE A FAFSA, TAP APPLICATION, AND/OR
WAIVER AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION NO LESS THAN FOUR
TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, AND NO LESS
THAN TWO TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS.
INCLUDED IN SUCH NOTICE SHALL BE AN EXPLANATION OF STATE-SPONSORED SCHO-
LARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID OPPORTUNITIES.
(B) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES SHALL DIRECT STUDENTS TO SUPPORT
SERVICES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN COMPLETING THE
FAFSA AND TAP APPLICATION AS NECESSARY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
PROGRAMS OPERATED BY THE CORPORATION, POSTSECONDARY IMMIGRATION RESOURCE
CENTERS, COLLEGE READINESS ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS,
AND LEGAL RESOURCE ORGANIZATIONS.
A. 8953 4
(C) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES SHALL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT
UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH ARE PROVIDED OR CONNECTED WITH RESOURCES NEEDED TO
COMPLETE A FAFSA OR TAP APPLICATION AS APPROPRIATE.
6. DATA REPORTING. (A) THE CORPORATION SHALL COMPILE DATA ON FAFSA AND
TAP APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND ACCEPTANCE RATES FOR EACH LOCAL EDUCA-
TIONAL AGENCY COVERED BY THIS SECTION AND PUBLISH SUCH DATA ON ITS
WEBSITE FOR EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR. REPORTED DATA SHALL INCLUDE THE
NUMBER OF FAFSA AND TAP APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED AND ACCEPTED:
(I) BOTH IN TOTAL AND DISAGGREGATED BY SCHOOL, COUNTY, AND PUBLIC
SCHOOL DISTRICT; AND
(II) DISAGGREGATED BY LEVEL OF PARENTAL EDUCATION, RACIAL AND/OR
ETHNIC IDENTITY OF THE STUDENT, INCOME, AGE, GENDER, AND STUDENT AID
INDEX, AS AVAILABLE TO THE CORPORATION AND WHERE POSSIBLE.
(B) THE CORPORATION SHALL PUBLISH THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SUBDIVI-
SION IN A CLEAR AND ACCESSIBLE MANNER ON ITS WEBSITE.
(C) THE CORPORATION SHALL CREATE AN ONLINE DASHBOARD WHICH TRACKS
FAFSA AND TAP APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND ACCEPTANCE RATES FOR THE
CURRENT YEAR. THE CORPORATION SHALL ALSO PUBLISH A TABLE WHICH COMPARES
SUCH RATES TO THE RATES OF PRIOR YEARS BEGINNING IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING
THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
7. NO PENALTY. A STUDENT WHO DOES NOT FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS
SECTION SHALL NOT BE PENALIZED OR PUNISHED ON SUCH BASIS AND THIS
SECTION SHALL NOT AFFECT A STUDENT'S ABILITY TO GRADUATE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July one year after
the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
to be made and completed on or before such effective date.