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Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed the state budget worth nearly $58 billion that includes free community college.
Maura HealeyāMassachusetts is the leader in innovation and education, the best place to raise your family or grow a business. But we also face challenges, so we arenāt resting ā weāre going on offense,ā said Healey.
āThis budget delivers on our shared priorities and drives our state forward with urgency and purpose. It invests in areas that we are already leading on and makes them better ā including our #1 ranked schools and our nation-leading childcare strategy.
The stateās FY2025 budget sets aside more than $117 million through MassEducate for a statewide, free community college program that covers tuition and fees for students.
In order to qualify, students must be pursuing a degree at one of the stateās 15 public community college and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or a state equivalent of the FAFSA form.
The spending plan also pays about $20 million for literacy programs for children from age three through third grade, covers the stateās free school breakfast and lunch program at about $170 million, and $278 million for early education and care.