Modify Fourth-Year Innovation Pilot Program

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changes to the Fourth-Year Innovation Pilot Program

This law stops setting aside new money for students graduating early in the 2025-26 school year, sets a deadline of December 31, 2026, for them to start college or training, and removes the rule requiring a final evaluation report.

What This Bill Does

• Stops setting aside money from the general assembly for local education providers serving students who graduate early during the 2025-26 school year.
• Requires the Department of Education to split any remaining funds proportionally if they are distributed.
• Sets a deadline of December 31, 2026, for eligible graduates from the 2025-26 school year to start their college or training program.
• Removes the rule that required the Department of Higher Education to write a final report on how well the program worked.
• Reduces the budget given to the Department of Higher Education by $30,958 for the 2025-26 year.

Who It Names or Affects

• Students who graduate early from high school during the 2025-26 school year.
• Local education providers that receive funds to support these students.
• The Department of Education and the Department of Higher Education.

Terms To Know

Fourth-Year Innovation Pilot Program

A program where money is given for college costs like tuition, fees, books, and transportation to students who graduate high school early.

Eligible Graduate

A student who finishes high school before the normal time and meets other rules to get funding.

Limits and Unknowns

• The official text does not state a specific effective date for this law.
• It is unclear if any money will still be distributed after this change, as the text says 'if any' funds are available.

Official Summary Text

Under the fourth-year innovation pilot program (program), each year the general assembly appropriates an amount to the department of education (department) for the department to distribute to local education providers from which an eligible graduate graduated early. The act:
Discontinues the requirement to appropriate money for distribution to eligible local education providers for eligible graduates who graduate during the 2025-26 school year; and
Requires the department to prorate the amount distributed from the appropriation, if any.
Under the program, an eligible graduate may receive funding for tuition, fees, books, transportation, and other costs of attendance associated with their postsecondary program if, among other requirements, the eligible graduate commences their postsecondary program within 18 months after graduating early. The act requires an eligible graduate who graduates early in the 2025-26 school year to commence their postsecondary program by December 31, 2026.
Under current law, the department of higher education is required to submit a final program evaluation report, including the impacts and outcomes of the program on the student cohorts that participated in the program and recommended next steps for the program. The act repeals this requirement.
The act reduces an appropriation to the department of higher education for the 2025-26 budget year by $30,958.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)