Substitute House Bill No. 5239, Public Act No. 24-117, establishes the "Preparation for Academic Transition to Higher Education" (PATH) program under the Office of Higher Education as part of the minority advancement program. Starting from the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2025, the PATH program will allocate up to $100,000 annually to award grants to nonprofit community-based organizations that assist 11th and 12th-grade students in Connecticut with college applications, financial aid forms, and securing scholarships. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, with amounts ranging from $15,000 to $20,000, and preference will be given to organizations in alliance school districts. The Office of Higher Education will establish procedures for grant applications and may require repayment if grants are misused.

The bill also amends Section 10a-11a of the general statutes, effective July 1, 2024, to redefine the "collegiate awareness and preparation program" and to change the target demographic from "underachievers" to "students who are disadvantaged," including those from low-income families and prospective first-generation postsecondary education students. The funding for this program will be competitive and open to all institutions of higher education in the state, with the Office of Higher Education issuing requests for proposals and reviewing applications based on an established evaluation format. Payment will be made under contractual agreements between the office and the grant recipients. The bill includes insertions to clarify the definitions and purposes of the programs and deletions to remove outdated or inappropriate language.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill:
HED Joint Favorable:
File No. 179:
APP Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 609:
File No. 631:
Public Act No. 24-117: