Technical excellence higher education scholarships, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

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 scholars, designated on the basis of grade point average, who enroll, on a full-time basis, in a public or private institution of higher education in this state. Under the program, a higher education scholarship recipient who enrolls in a technical college district school is exempt from all tuition and fees, up to $2,250 per academic year, for each year, up to three years, that the recipient is enrolled full time, maintains at least a 3.000 grade point average, and makes satisfactory progress toward an associate or a bachelor's degree or a vocational diploma. Under that program, HEAB pays the institution of higher education attended by a scholar up to $1,125 per academic year and the institution must match the amount paid to the institution by HEAB.

Currently, those scholarships may be awarded: 1) to the senior with the highest grade point average from each high school in this state enrolling at least 80 but fewer than 500 pupils; 2) to the two seniors with the two highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 500 but fewer than 1,000 pupils; 3) to the three seniors with the three highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 1,000 but fewer than 1,500 pupils; 4) to the four seniors with the four highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 1,500 but fewer than 2,000 pupils; 5) to the five seniors with the five highest grade point averages from each high school in this state enrolling at least 2,000 but fewer than 2,500 pupils; and 6) 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 fewer than 80 pupils.

Who's behind it

5 senators are its authors⁠. 3 are Republicans and 2 are Democrats.

22 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
• Fiscal Estimate From WTCS

Versions and amendments

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

• Amendment Histories
• LC Amendment Memo