NJ ACR68

Urges the Secretary of Higher Education and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Board to study and modernize regulations governing the EOF program, which provides financial aid to economically and educationally disadvantaged students

Addresses a regulatory conflict where high school graduates who earned associate degrees through dual enrollment programs are placed in the lowest EOF funding priority category instead of being treated as first-time freshmen

Current EOF funding priority order ranks renewal students first, followed by first-time freshmen second, transfer students third, returning students fourth, and all other eligible students fifth (including those with dual enrollment degrees)

Requests the Secretary share study findings with the Senate and Assembly Higher Education Committees and detail steps to address concerns about regulations that discourage participation in college readiness programs

Highlights that the current funding structure creates a disincentive for students to participate in dual enrollment, Advanced Placement, P-TECH, and other college readiness programs that the state has encouraged