The bill reports on the progress of the MassReconnect program, which aims to provide affordable higher education to Massachusetts residents aged 25 and older without a college degree. It highlights a significant 42% increase in enrollment among adult students at community colleges from Fall 2022 to Fall 2024, supported by a $4 million increase in annual funding. The program operates as a last-dollar financial aid initiative, covering remaining tuition and fees after other aid is applied. The report also emphasizes improved FAFSA and MASFA completion rates, indicating that more eligible students are accessing financial aid, and provides demographic data showing enrollment growth across various racial and ethnic groups, particularly among Hispanic or Latino and Black or African American students. Furthermore, the bill focuses on improving FAFSA completion rates for adult students who meet the MassReconnect residency, credit & prior education requirements, noting a significant increase in completion rates across racial and ethnic groups, with White students showing the largest increase. While completion rates have improved, many eligible students still did not complete the FAFSA, highlighting the need for better outreach. The bill also addresses retention rates of adult students, revealing stable rates from Fall 2022 to Fall 2023, and includes new metrics for assessing the impact of the MassReconnect program on student retention and completion, committing to ongoing evaluation to understand enrollment challenges faced by different subgroups.