SS/SCS/SB 130 – This act creates two higher education financial aid programs to be administered by the Department of Higher Education. EARLY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: This act creates the "Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program," to be implemented and administered by the Department of Higher Education. The Program will provide two different types of scholarships to students who graduate early from public high school in Missouri.
A student who graduates from high school in no more than thirty-six months and meets certain other requirements will be offered a scholarship in an amount, as described in the act. The student's school district will be offered a grant in an amount equal to ten percent of the district's state aid payments, divided by the district's average daily attendance for the year immediately preceding the student's graduation. A student can use the scholarship for tuition, mandatory fees, or both, if attending a public or private institution of higher education in Missouri. A student who has participated in a dual-credit or dual-enrollment program through his or her high school and an institution of higher education may also use the scholarship funds to pay any fees to receive official post-secondary credit for work completed through the program. When a scholarship recipient enrolls in a higher education institution, the institution must apply to the charges for tuition and mandatory fees the lesser of the amount of the scholarship or the actual tuition or mandatory fees.
A student who graduates from high school in no more than forty-one months will be offered a scholarship in an amount as described in the act. A student who receives such a scholarship must use the funds to participate in a dual enrollment program or to pay any fees necessary to receive official post-secondary credit for work completed through such program.
A scholarship recipient must use the scholarship within one year of graduating from high school. Exceptions exist for students who cannot attend an institution of higher education because of service to a nonprofit organization, a state or federal government agency, or a branch of the United States military. A scholarship recipient may seek an extension if he or she shows hardship or good cause, as described in the act.
This act creates two separate funds in the State Treasury. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must place an amount equal to the total of the scholarship and grant amounts in one of the funds, depending on how early a student graduates from high school. The Department of Higher Education will use these funds to distribute the scholarships and grants. After distributing the grant moneys, the Department will determine the scholarship amount for each student by dividing the remaining moneys in the fund by the number of eligible students.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must confirm the student's graduation and higher education enrollment with the high school and institution of higher education, in cooperation with the Department of Higher Education.
Each public high school must provide information about the scholarship program to students and include the number and type of credits necessary to meet the program's eligibility requirements and the appropriate order in which those courses must be earned.
By January 31, 2012, the Department of Higher Education, in cooperation with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, must prepare a publication about the program and post it on its website. (Sections 173.1300 to 173.1309)
These provisions are similar to SB 907 (2010).
ADVANCED PLACEMENT INCENTIVE GRANT: This act creates the "Advanced Placement Incentive Grant." Any student who receives an Access Missouri award or receives funds under the A+ Schools Program and has also received a score of 3 or higher on two or more Advanced Placement tests in math or science will receive a $500 grant. In addition, a student must have earned the AP scores while attending a Missouri public high school. The Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority must transfer one million dollars in assets to fund the program by September 30, 2011. (Sections 173.385 & 173.1350)
This provision is similar to SB 265 (2011) and a provision contained in HCS/HBs 223 & 231 (2011).
MICHAEL RUFF