SB 476

This bill makes changes to the eligibility requirements for the Technical

Excellence Higher Education Scholarship Program. Under that program, the

Higher Educational Aids Board awards annual scholarships to certain scholars,

designated on the basis of their level of proficiency in technical education subjects,

who enroll in a technical college district school (school). Upon enrollment, a student

may receive annual scholarships if he or she satisfies the following eligibility

requirements for each academic year. First, the student must be enrolled full-time.

Second, the student must make satisfactory progress toward an associate degree,

bachelor's degree, or vocational diploma. Third, the student must maintain at least

a 3.000 grade point average or the equivalent, as determined by the school. A student

is eligible for the scholarships for no more than three years. If a student satisfies the

eligibility requirements for an academic year, then the student is eligible to receive

the scholarship in the subsequent year. However, if a student does not enroll in a

school in the subsequent year, he or she is eligible to receive the scholarship in the

second year following the academic year in which he or she previously received the

scholarship.

The bill changes the first requirement described above so that a student must

be enrolled for at least six credits. The bill changes the second requirement so that

a school must certify a student's progress. The bill changes the third requirement

so that a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000

or the equivalent determined by the school. If a student satisfies the requirements

for a year, the bill provides that the student is eligible for the scholarship in the

subsequent year. However, if the student does not enroll in a school in the

subsequent year, he or she is eligible in the semester immediately following the

subsequent year. As under current law, a student is eligible for the scholarships for

no more than three years.

The bill also allows a student who has received a scholarship to regain eligibility

if he or she fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000 or the

equivalent determined by the school. Under the bill, if a student is ineligible for the

scholarship for a year because he or she did not maintain a cumulative grade point

average at the required level, the student regains eligibility if the student increases

his or her cumulative grade point average to the required level for a year. Under the

bill, a student is eligible for the scholarship in the year immediately following the

year in which the increase occurs, provided that the student satisfies the other

eligibility requirements described above.