Eligibility for academic excellence higher education scholarships

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB) administers the Academic Excellence Higher Education Scholarship Program under which HEAB awards scholarships to certain designated scholars who enroll, on a full-time basis, in a public or private institution of higher education in this state that is participating in the program. Currently, those scholarships may be awarded to the senior with the highest grade point average from each high school in this state enrolling at least 80 but less than 500 pupils, to the two seniors with the two highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 500 but less than 1,000 pupils, to the three seniors with the three highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 1,000 but less than 1,500 pupils, to the four seniors with the four highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 1,500 but less than 2,000 pupils, to the five seniors with the five highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 2,000 but less than 2,500 pupils, and to the six seniors with the six highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling 2,500 or more pupils. In addition, those scholarships may be awarded to the senior with the highest grade point average from the school operated by the Wisconsin Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the school operated by the Wisconsin Educational Services Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and not more than ten scholarships statewide may be awarded to seniors with the highest grade point averages from high schools enrolling less than 80 pupils.

Currently, if two or more seniors from a high school have the same grade point average and are otherwise eligible for a scholarship, the applicable number of seniors are designated as scholars according to written tie-breaking criteria as required by HEAB by rule and the remaining seniors with the same grade point average are certified as alternates, who may be awarded a scholarship if a designated scholar does not enroll in a participating institution of higher education. In the case of a high school that weights different courses differently to determine a pupil's grade point average, a senior with the next highest grade point average may also be certified as a scholar if the senior who is designated as a scholar does not enroll in a participating institution of higher education and there is no other senior with the same grade point average as the designated scholar.

Who's behind it

3 senators are its authors⁠. All 3 are Democrats.

9 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From HEAB

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment SA1-SB407
• Amendment SA1-SA1-SB407
• Amendment SA2-SB407
• LC Amendment Memo