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Sliding into Home with the A+ Scholarship Program

Sliding into Home with the A+ Scholarship Program. Kelli Reed Missouri Dept. of Higher Education. Agenda. Budget Policy Development Policy Highlights A+ in FAMOUS Next Steps. Play Ball!. Budget. 2010-2011 $25.3 million – estimate for “full” funding $22 million initially appropriated

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Sliding into Home with the A+ Scholarship Program

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  1. Sliding into Home with the A+ Scholarship Program Kelli Reed Missouri Dept. of Higher Education

  2. Agenda • Budget • Policy Development • Policy Highlights • A+ in FAMOUS • Next Steps

  3. Play Ball!

  4. Budget • 2010-2011 • $25.3 million – estimate for “full” funding • $22 million initially appropriated • $3.5 million supplemental appropriation • 2011-2012 • $30 million – Governor’s recommendation • $22 million core appropriation • $8 million new funds appropriated • Both require legislative approval/action

  5. The Opening Pitch Policy Development

  6. MDHE Policy Development • Administrative rule drafted based on input from a wide variety of sources: • Prior DESE A+ program requirements • Requirements of other MDHE programs • A+ Work Group • CBHE’s State Student Financial Aid Committee • MCCA A+ coordinators • Institutional financial aid personnel

  7. MDHE Policy Development • Draft rule posted to MDHE’s website in early January for comment • Comments received concerned: • Partnerships • Funding shortfalls • Algebra I EOC • Cap on number of hours reimbursed • Reimbursement of repeat coursework • Reimbursement of dropped coursework • Participation by private institutions

  8. Color Commentary with Kelli Policy Highlights

  9. Responsibilities of Participating Institutions • Participation agreements required • Collection of high school transcript with A+ seal • Verification of full-time enrollment • At least 12 credit hours unless: • 6 hours for summer • 6 hours for ADA • Student is enrolled in all available hours • Student is enrolled in an internship • Student is enrolled in pre-requisite courses

  10. Responsibilities of Participating Institutions • Verification of good-faith effort to secure federal funding • Valid FAFSA • Minimum of dependent info if parents refuse to provide their info • FAFSA Forecaster for students that attend a non-Title IV institution

  11. Responsibilities of Participating Institutions • Verification of satisfactory academic progress for renewal students • 2.5 cumulative GPA • Otherwise defined by institutional policy • Verification aid is applied to tuition and fees correctly • Pell • Other federal aid • A+

  12. Partnerships • Intent to encourage institutional collaboration within A+ boundaries • Agreement must include at least 1 A+ eligible institution • If only 1 A+ eligible institution, that institution must consider the student to be enrolled full time • If more than 1 A+ eligible institution, enrollment may be combined to equal full time • Partnership institutions must provide MDHE with any requested documentation

  13. Partnerships • Reimbursement only made for coursework actually delivered by an A+ eligible institution

  14. High School Eligibility Criteria • Same as DESE except: • Dependents of retired military who relocate to Missouri within one year of retirement are exempt from 3-year attendance at a designated A+ high school (statutory revision from 2010 session) • 50 hours of tutoring/mentoring may include up to 25% job shadowing • Score of proficient or advanced on Algebra I end of course exam • Completion of 12 college hours with GPA of 2.5 in first semester may be substituted

  15. College Eligibility Criteria • Student must be admitted as a regular student • May be reimbursed for summer immediately following completion of secondary coursework even if attend a non-A+ institution in fall • Transfer students from non-A+ institution to A+ institution are eligible • Visiting students are ineligible

  16. Award Policy • Disbursement by federal payment period • Semester for credit hour schools • Tuition = Clock hour rate x number of clock hours in the payment period for clock hour schools • 1st payment period = 450 clock hours (1/2 of 900 hour AY) • 2nd payment period = 450 clock hours • 3rd payment period = remaining hours if less than 450 = ½ of remaining hours if 450 or more • 4th payment period = ½ of remaining hours if 450 or more

  17. Award Policy • Eligibility to expire at earliest of: • 48 months from completion of secondary coursework • 105% of the hours required for the student’s current program of study • Receipt of an associate’s degree • Institutions responsible for tracking

  18. Award Policy48 Months • Enrollment does not have to be immediately following completion of secondary coursework • Enrollment does not have to be continuous • Delays or interruptions in enrollment result in students receiving the scholarship for less than 48 months • Military deferment extends eligibility for length of deferment beyond the 48 months

  19. Award PolicyCompletion of 105% of Program • Includes all known hours earned anywhere • General Education hours • Major/minor hours • Developmental/remedial hours • Elective hours • Internship hours • Dual credit hours • Based on current program of study if student changes majors or enrolls in a higher level certificate

  20. Award PolicyReceipt of Associate’s Degree • Students with an associate’s degree from any institution, including out-of-state and non-A+ institutions, are ineligible • Students with a baccalaureate degree cannot be reimbursed for a subsequent associate’s degree

  21. Award Policy • Reimbursable Coursework • Completed coursework required for the student’s degree or certificate for which a standard grade is assigned • Remedial coursework • On-line coursework • Pass/fail coursework that is degree-creditable • Coursework for a higher level certificate or associate’s degree in a field related to the original certificate

  22. Award Policy • Non-Reimbursable Coursework • Coursework not required for the degree or certificate • Elective internships • Repeat coursework • Coursework after receipt of a certificate if it isn’t related to the original certificate • Coursework for which a non-standard grade was assigned • Incomplete • Withdrawn

  23. Award Policy • Award Calculation: Tuition (hours x rate) and fees • Pell • Other federal aid • Amount paid but not eligible for reimbursement from previous semester A+ reimbursement

  24. Award Policy • Award amount subject to legislative appropriation • If funding is insufficient for payment of tuition and fees, • MDHE will limit number of hours to be reimbursed or • Take other measures informed by public comment and approved by the CBHE

  25. Award Policy • Certification deadlines for summer, fall and spring • Students eligible in the current academic year cannot be paid in the upcoming academic year

  26. The New Equipment Manager A+ in FAMOUS

  27. A+ in FAMOUS • A+ eligibility information added to student records at time of certification, similar to Ross • 2 ways to request funds: • Spreadsheet upload into FAMOUS • Manual entry directly in FAMOUS • Multiple requests allowed per semester • Same warrant and return processes as Access, Bright Flight and Ross

  28. A+ in FAMOUS • General information collected includes: • High school graduation date • Program of study • Total hours for program of study • Total accumulated hours • Whether associate degree has been received • EFC

  29. A+ in FAMOUS • Award-related information collected includes: • Number of reimbursable hours • Credit hour rate for the number of reimbursable hours • Fee amount • Pell amount • Other federal aid amount • Amount of deduction for coursework not completed in the previous semester • Requested award amount

  30. A+ in FAMOUS • Information provided in FAMOUS includes: • Number of deferment months • Semester net award (all disbursements less all returns)

  31. A+ in FAMOUS • Schools are responsible for: • Maintaining eligibility documentation • Calculating award amounts • Ensuring award reduced by cost of incomplete coursework for previous semester • Adjusting awards/returning funds when needed • Tracking 105%/48 months/receipt of associate’s degree • Ensuring coursework for a higher level certificate or degree taken after receipt of a certificate is in a related field

  32. A+ in FAMOUS • Clock hour schools responsible for: • Calculating clock hour rate (Tuition/total clock hours in program) • Requesting funds by federal payment period

  33. 7th Inning Stretch Next Steps

  34. Next Steps • 30-day public comment period to begin April 1 • Rule effective approximately 6 months after initial filing • Summer 2011 processing planned through FAMOUS • File layout to be provided by July 1 • Project to be complete August 15

  35. Bringing it Home

  36. Questions? General Questions Missouri Dept. of Higher Education 205 Jefferson Street P.O. Box 1469 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-2361 Fax: (573) 751-6635 Info. Center: (800) 473-6757 info@dhe.mo.gov www.dhe.mo.gov A+ Specific Questions Kelli Reed Student Assistance Associate (573) 751-2444 kelli.reed@dhe.mo.gov Amy Haller Program Specialist (573) 526-7958 amy.haller@dhe.mo.gov

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