DC TAG Increase to 15,000?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The income threshold is so high, how could only 5,057 students have used this last year? Do they cap the # of kids that can use this?

You’re overestimating the number of college-going kids in DC.

5,000 would be equal to 1,250 students per graduating class (assuming the students who take five years to graduate are offset by those who finish or drop out early).

In the class of 2025, according to the College Board, there were only 1,646 DC students who met the “college ready” benchmarks on both sections of the SAT. That group probably includes all the kids whose families exceed the income threshold. That group also includes non-residents, eg Maryland and Virginia residents who attend private school in DC, virtually all of whom are probably testing as “college ready,” and none of whom are eligible for DCTAG. TAG is also not available for kids attending private colleges (except the handful of private colleges located in DC proper). And obviously anyone with a full tuition scholarship is not using DCTAG.

It is a fixed pot of money, so in theory it can run out, but the size of the pot is pretty reasonable given the size of the population actually using it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a draft of a bill. Nothing more. She introduces this every year. It won’t pass Congress

It already passed the House. That's been the hurdle in previous years from what I understand they attached this to the funding for America 250.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if this passes if they'd increase private HBCU and DC metro colleges from the current $2500.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The income threshold is so high, how could only 5,057 students have used this last year? Do they cap the # of kids that can use this?

You’re overestimating the number of college-going kids in DC.

5,000 would be equal to 1,250 students per graduating class (assuming the students who take five years to graduate are offset by those who finish or drop out early).

In the class of 2025, according to the College Board, there were only 1,646 DC students who met the “college ready” benchmarks on both sections of the SAT. That group probably includes all the kids whose families exceed the income threshold. That group also includes non-residents, eg Maryland and Virginia residents who attend private school in DC, virtually all of whom are probably testing as “college ready,” and none of whom are eligible for DCTAG. TAG is also not available for kids attending private colleges (except the handful of private colleges located in DC proper). And obviously anyone with a full tuition scholarship is not using DCTAG.

It is a fixed pot of money, so in theory it can run out, but the size of the pot is pretty reasonable given the size of the population actually using it.

Thank you. That is a helpful explanation.

[Anonymous]

We need Schumer to deliver votes here or it might not happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a draft of a bill. Nothing more. She introduces this every year. It won’t pass Congress

It passed the House by a vote of 341-79 last week as part of the minibus funding multiple agencies including Treasury and State Dept. It's not a foregone conclusion that the Senate will pass it as is, but it's very encouraging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The income threshold is so high, how could only 5,057 students have used this last year? Do they cap the # of kids that can use this?

You’re overestimating the number of college-going kids in DC.

5,000 would be equal to 1,250 students per graduating class (assuming the students who take five years to graduate are offset by those who finish or drop out early).

In the class of 2025, according to the College Board, there were only 1,646 DC students who met the “college ready” benchmarks on both sections of the SAT. That group probably includes all the kids whose families exceed the income threshold. That group also includes non-residents, eg Maryland and Virginia residents who attend private school in DC, virtually all of whom are probably testing as “college ready,” and none of whom are eligible for DCTAG. TAG is also not available for kids attending private colleges (except the handful of private colleges located in DC proper). And obviously anyone with a full tuition scholarship is not using DCTAG.

It is a fixed pot of money, so in theory it can run out, but the size of the pot is pretty reasonable given the size of the population actually using it.

Thank you. That is a helpful explanation.

Also, kids from the super fancy privates are also choosing private colleges, not state schools.

[Anonymous]

Will this go into effect for the 2026-2027 academic year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this passes if they'd increase private HBCU and DC metro colleges from the current $2500.

The text of the bill at the link includes an increase to that amount too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this passes if they'd increase private HBCU and DC metro colleges from the current $2500.

Looks like it would increase to $3750 annually.

[Anonymous]

When is this up for vote?

[Anonymous]

Fingers crossed.

The minibus is at risk because of Minnesota and ICE and DHS. But there is A LOT of good stuff in the minibus for agencies that matter, it's pretty good for DC, and frankly all this ICE nonsense is already funded from the stupid BBB so shutting down the governmnet over DHS funding would not be a strategic move, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fingers crossed.

The minibus is at risk because of Minnesota and ICE and DHS. But there is A LOT of good stuff in the minibus for agencies that matter, it's pretty good for DC, and frankly all this ICE nonsense is already funded from the stupid BBB so shutting down the governmnet over DHS funding would not be a strategic move, IMHO.

+1 Law enforcement (including ICE agents) also will get paid again throughout the shutdown, so it will be the desk officers/admins going without pay vice the officers on the streets.

[Anonymous]

The senate passed several budget bills tonight (Friday, Jan 30). Does anyone know if the DCTAG language increasing to $15K is part of any of them?

[Anonymous]

Keeping fingers crossed!