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

info@dhe.mo.govwww.dhe.mo.gov

A+ Specific Questions

Kelli ReedStudent Assistance Associate(573) 751-2444kelli.reed@dhe.mo.gov

Amy HallerProgram Specialist(573) 526-7958amy.haller@dhe.mo.gov