diff --git a/tdrs-backend/tdpservice/parsers/schema_defs/ssp/m3.py b/tdrs-backend/tdpservice/parsers/schema_defs/ssp/m3.py
index f78267990..cd215acd9 100644
--- a/tdrs-backend/tdpservice/parsers/schema_defs/ssp/m3.py
+++ b/tdrs-backend/tdpservice/parsers/schema_defs/ssp/m3.py
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
             ),
         validators.if_then_validator(
                   condition_field='FAMILY_AFFILIATION', condition_function=validators.matches(1),
-                  result_field='EDUCATION_LEVEL', result_function=validators.notMatches('99'),
+                  result_field='EDUCATION_LEVEL', result_function=validators.notMatches(99),
             ),
         validators.if_then_validator(
                   condition_field='FAMILY_AFFILIATION', condition_function=validators.matches(1),