This may be the primary time a Pell Grant recipient might additionally obtain MTAG for the reason that program started.

Highschool graduates in search of monetary help from MTAG may very well be in for a shock with main adjustments to the eligibility necessities coming from a Home invoice within the Mississippi Legislature.  

MTAG, the Mississippi Tuition Help Grant program, was initially created in 1995 by the Legislature as a program to supply monetary help to Mississippi residents who’re attending or planning to attend private and non-private, not-for-profit, two- and four-year schools or universities.

Since its creation, it has by no means been altered.

Present eligibility necessities for getting into freshmen who’re awarded MTAG embrace, being a authorized resident of the state, a GPA of not less than 2.5 or the equal from a GED certificates or completion of a Dwelling College program, rating a 15 or greater on the ACT, enrollment in a full time accredited post-secondary establishment within the state, and a household earnings which displays the median for the state.  

One of many largest caveats to this system is that college students who’re eligible for the Federal Pell Grant, can’t obtain MTAG.

As a way to handle methods to enhance schooling pathways and fill gaps within the workforce, Woodward Hines Training Basis fashioned a process drive in the summertime of 2022 made up of people from schools, universities, monetary help, and workforce improvement. From their discussions, lawmakers took initiative to writer payments primarily based on the suggestions.

Jennifer Rogers, Director of Scholar Monetary Assist with the Workplace of Mississippi Scholar Monetary Assist, who sat on the duty drive, mentioned making MTAG out there to Pell Grant recipients was their most important suggestion. Placing a cap on household earnings got here second in an effort to impression extra decrease earnings college students. She mentioned 60 % of people who obtain MTAG come from greater earnings earners.

You’ll be able to learn up on the present checklist of necessities for MTAG right here

“The primary factor that this invoice does is take away the Pell Grant exclusion,” mentioned Rogers. “As a substitute of this being a program to serve extra prosperous college students, it will serve college students who’re extra working class, and have been traditionally not noted of state grants..

The invoice, HB 771, which was authored by Rep. Donnie Scoggin, additionally proposes adjustments to the Increased Training Legislative Plan for Needy College students, or HELP grant. Nonetheless, the state’s third grant program, Mississippi Eminent Students Grant (MESG), which is predicated solely on advantage and never household earnings, will stay unchanged.

The HELP Grant, geared towards households throughout the lowest earnings vary within the state, at the moment pays the total price of tuition for any four-year faculty to a qualifying pupil.

The invoice would add limitations on what faculty HELP Grant recipients can attend and cut back the quantity awarded to freshmen and sophomores to the typical tuition required by public two-year schools.

This yr, there are 1,200 freshman and sophomore college students who’re attending a four-year college. If the proposal had been applied instantly, it will have lower the quantity they obtained.

Rogers mentioned the duty drive agreed to the adjustments within the HELP grant because of the offset on price for the help applications and constructive impression of the restructuring of MTAG. She added that there was no formal vote from the duty drive on the initiatives, however {that a} consensus was met on the easiest way to maneuver ahead.  

With these adjustments, MTAG, which at the moment serves round 17,000, would enable 34,000 college students to be eligible for the state help. The earnings cap is anticipated to chop wherever from 5 to six,000 college students from eligibility, however by permitting Pell Grant college students it might add from 22-23,000 college students.

“From the committee’s perspective, whereas the adjustments to the HELP Grant are usually not excellent, it was a trade-off that the duty drive was prepared to make as a result of total we’d be serving to so many extra college students,” mentioned Rogers.

The invoice would cap MTAG eligibility at 100% of the state’s reported household earnings. In response to the 2022 Census Bureau, Mississippi’s present median family earnings as of 2022 was $74,888.

Rogers’ mentioned by 2025, when the adjustments would go into impact, it’s estimated that the state’s median earnings for a household of 4 can be slightly below $90,000.  

Consultant Scoggin mentioned that there’s dialog relating to a fair greater cap, however the legislature should discover a strategy to afford that improve.

“The query is, how a lot cash do we now have out there and extra importantly what’s the long-term revolving price, “mentioned Scoggin.

The plan is estimated to price the state $21 million.

The yearly quantity for freshmen and sophomores would additionally improve to $1,000, with juniors and seniors receiving $2,000. There can be extra advantages awarded relying on the chosen main. These high-need or high-demand areas of research weren’t particularly listed and can be decided by the Workplace of Workforce Growth.  

“We’re hopeful that these adjustments will encourage group faculty attendance, whereas additionally permitting for Pell Grant use at the side of MTAG,” mentioned Scoggin.

The brand new MTAG construction would additionally embrace eligibility for part-time college students, which are sometimes older adults. On line 204 of the invoice, it instructs that beneath MTAG Works, the brand new construction identify, any pupil who’s enrolled lower than full-time, might obtain a lowered quantity that will be decided by the board.

They might even be eligible for a lowered bonus quantity if enrolled in a high-need or high-demand area. 

Remaining awards are given primarily based on a number of standards together with check scores, what number of years at school, and a pupil’s Anticipated Household Contribution (EFC).