sliding into home with the a+ scholarship program kelli reed missouri dept. of higher education
TRANSCRIPT
Sliding into Home with the A+ Scholarship Program
Kelli ReedMissouri 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• $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
The Opening Pitch
Policy Development
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
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
Color Commentary with Kelli
Policy Highlights
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
• 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
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+
Responsibilities of Participating Institutions
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
Partnerships
• Reimbursement only made for coursework actually delivered by an A+ eligible institution
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Award Policy
• Award Calculation:Tuition (hours x rate) and fees
- Pell- Other federal aid- Amount paid but not eligible for reimbursement
from previous semesterA+ reimbursement
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
Award Policy
• Certification deadlines for summer, fall and spring
• Students eligible in the current academic year cannot be paid in the upcoming academic year
The New Equipment Manager
A+ in FAMOUS
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
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
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
A+ in FAMOUS
• Information provided in FAMOUS includes:– Number of deferment months– Semester net award (all disbursements less all
returns)
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
A+ in FAMOUS
• Clock hour schools responsible for:– Calculating clock hour rate
(Tuition/total clock hours in program)
– Requesting funds by federal payment period
7th Inning Stretch
Next Steps
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
Bringing it Home
Questions?
General Questions
Missouri Dept. of Higher Education205 Jefferson Street
P.O. Box 1469Jefferson City, MO 65102Phone: (573) 751-2361
Fax: (573) 751-6635Info. Center: (800) 473-6757
A+ Specific Questions
Kelli ReedStudent Assistance Associate(573) [email protected]
Amy HallerProgram Specialist(573) [email protected]