The cost of college education has grown way beyond the level of inflation for over two decades. This has made a college education unaffordable for many middle class families in the Northeast. Some high achieving students are unable to attend college due to its exorbitant cost, while many others are straddled with tens of thousands of dollars of debt once they graduate.

The status quo is unacceptable and that’s why I helped write the "Reach Scholarship" legislation that Representative Payton introduced last year. The Reach Scholarship is a merit-based program that gives full scholarships to any student with at least a 3.0 GPA and 90% school attendance. The Reach Scholarship rewards those who have worked hard and gives them the opportunity they need.