The Standard Guides Articles

Gary The Creator Oct 8, 2026

Already Have a Degree? New York Will Now Pay for a Second One at Community College

Starting in spring 2027, adults 25 to 55 who already hold a degree can earn a free associate in a high-demand field at SUNY or CUNY. The tuition value, the enrollment trend, and the costs the program leaves to families.

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Gary The Creator Oct 1, 2026

New York's Class of 2026 Averaged 1053 on the SAT: What That Number Means for This Year's Juniors and Seniors

College Board's new state report puts New York's class of 2026 at a 1053 SAT average, six points under CUNY's math readiness line. Here is how students can read their own scores against it.

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Gary The Creator Sep 28, 2026

The 2027-28 FAFSA Opens October 1: What New York's Universal FAFSA Rule Means for Every Senior

New York requires districts to see that every senior files the FAFSA or the NYS DREAM Act application, or signs a waiver. Here is what the rule asks, what the numbers show, and what the form unlocks, including TAP awards up to $5,665.

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Gary The Creator Sep 19, 2026

New York Is Rewriting Who Counts as a High School Graduate for Tap

A revised Regents amendment names accredited online, homeschool and Part 130 nonpublic graduates as eligible for state tuition aid without a test. One clause leaves out graduates of schools that qualify only through a testing phase-in running through 2032-33.

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Gary The Creator Sep 12, 2026

New York Working Papers Go Digital in 2027: What Changes

Every New York student picking up working papers this fall is the last cohort to do it on paper, with a physical exam and a parent's trip to the district office. Here is how the system works while it lasts.

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Gary The Creator Sep 3, 2026

New York's Federal Pass Mark for a College Program Is $30,793: Most Students Have Never Seen It

A single Federal Register number now decides whether New York college programs keep their student loans. It sits below the national figure, below New York City full-time minimum wage, and no student will see a score until 2027.

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Gary The Creator Aug 27, 2026

New York Is Paying School Districts to Digitize Their Records: Here's Who Got the Money

Thirteen New York school districts and education entities received more than $1 million in state records-management grants, with projects stretching from Long Island to Central New York. Every school-sector award is aimed at document conversion and access, turning an administrative obligation into a significant technology and operations project.

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Gary The Creator Aug 27, 2026

New York Districts Sent Back $170 Million in Pre-K Money. The Rates Just Doubled.

More than half of 658 districts left at least $100,000 unspent last year. This year the per-child rate is far higher and the whole payment turns on one October date.

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Gary The Creator Aug 20, 2026

Your District's Teacher Pension Bill Just Fell 14 Percent. Ask Where the Money Went.

New York set the teacher pension rate at 8.24 percent, the lowest since 2019. Here is what that is worth in your district and why it will not reach your tax bill.

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