AN ACT relating to Kentucky educational excellence scholarships.

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AN ACT relating to Kentucky educational excellence scholarships. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 164.7881 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) Eligible high school students who have graduated from high school and eligible 4
postsecondary students who have earned a Kentucky educational excellence 5
scholarship, a Kentucky educational excellence scholarship and a supplemental 6
award, or a supplemental a ward only pursuant to KRS 164.7879(3)(e), shall be 7
eligible to receive the Kentucky educational excellence scholarship, the Kentucky 8
educational excellence scholarship and the supplemental award, or a supplemental 9
award only for a maximum of eight (8) academic terms in an undergraduate or other 10
postsecondary program of study at a participating institution, except as provided in 11
subsections (5) and (6) of this section. 12
(2) To receive the Kentucky educational excellence scholarship, a Kentucky 13
educational exc ellence scholarship and supplemental award, or a supplemental 14
award only, an eligible high school or postsecondary student shall: 15
(a) Enroll in and attend a participating institution as a full -time student or a part -16
time student; and 17
(b) Maintain eligibility as provided in subsection (3) of this section. 18
(3) Eligibility for a Kentucky educational excellence scholarship or a Kentucky 19
educational excellence scholarship and supplemental award shall terminate upon 20
the earlier of: 21
(a) The expiration of eight (8)[five (5)] years following the student's graduation 22
from high school, except as provided in subsection (5) or (6) of this section; 23
or 24
(b) The successful completion of an undergraduate or other postsecondary course 25
of study. However, any s tudent who successfully completes the requirements 26
for a degree or certification involving a postsecondary course of study that 27
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normally requires less than eight (8) academic terms to complete may 1
continue to receive the benefits of a Kentucky educational excellence 2
scholarship, a Kentucky educational excellence scholarship and supplemental 3
award, or a supplemental award only, for a cumulative total of eight (8) 4
academic terms if the student enrolls as at least a part -time student in a four 5
(4) year program. 6
(4) (a) The maximum award amount shall be determined by the authority and shall 7
be adjusted as provided in this subsection. The award amount ultimately 8
determined to be available to an eligible postsecondary student for an award 9
period shall be delivered by the authority to the participating institution for 10
disbursement to the eligible postsecondary student. 11
(b) The authority shall, by promulgation of administrative regulations, provide for 12
the proportionate reduction of the maximum award amount for an el igible 13
postsecondary student for any academic term in which the student is enrolled 14
on a part -time basis. Each academic term for which any scholarship or 15
supplemental award funds are accepted by an eligible postsecondary student 16
shall count as a full acade mic term, even if the award amount was reduced to 17
reflect the part-time status of the eligible postsecondary student, except if the 18
eligible postsecondary student interrupts enrollment during the award period 19
for any reason specified in subsection (5) of t his section, and the participating 20
institution does not certify a cumulative grade point average for that student at 21
the end of that award period. 22
(c) 1. An eligible postsecondary student who is enrolled full -time in an 23
undergraduate program of study, in t he pharmacy program at the 24
University of Kentucky, or in a program of study designated as an 25
equivalent undergraduate program of study by the authority in an 26
administrative regulation, shall receive the maximum award amount for 27
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the first award period that the student is enrolled in and attending the 1
program of study. 2
2. To retain the maximum award for the second award period, an eligible 3
postsecondary student shall have at least a 2.5 grade point average at the 4
end of the first award period. If the eligible postsecondary student 5
interrupts enrollment during the award period for any reason specified in 6
subsection (5) of this section, and the participating institution does not 7
certify a cumulative grade point average for that student at the end of 8
that award p eriod, the eligible postsecondary student shall, subject to 9
paragraph (b) of this subsection, retain the maximum award for the 10
award period in which he or she resumes enrollment. 11
3. To retain the maximum award amount for subsequent award periods, an 12
eligible postsecondary student shall have: 13
a. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater at the end of 14
the prior award period. If the eligible postsecondary student 15
interrupts enrollment during the award period for any reason 16
specified in subsection (5) of this section, and the participating 17
institution does not certify a cumulative grade point average for 18
that student at the end of that award period, the eligible 19
postsecondary student shall, subject to paragraph (b) of this 20
subsection, retain the same award for the award period in which he 21
or she resumes enrollment as he or she received in the award 22
period in which enrollment was interrupted; or 23
b. A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or greater but less than 24
3.0 at the end of the prior award period an d be on track to 25
graduate. If the eligible postsecondary student interrupts 26
enrollment during the award period for any reason specified in 27
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subsection (5) of this section, and the participating institution does 1
not certify a cumulative grade point average f or that student at the 2
end of that award period, the eligible postsecondary student shall, 3
subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, retain the same award 4
for the award period in which he or she resumes enrollment as he 5
or she received in the award peri od in which enrollment was 6
interrupted. 7
4. Any eligible full -time postsecondary student who maintains a 8
cumulative grade point average of less than 3.0 but at least 2.5 but is not 9
on track to graduate at the completion of any award period shall receive 10
a reduction in the maximum award amount equal to fifty percent (50%) 11
of the maximum award amount for the next award period. 12
5. Any eligible postsecondary student who maintains a cumulative grade 13
point average of less than 2.5 at the completion of any award pe riod 14
shall lose his or her award for the next award period. 15
6. a. Each participating institution shall certify to the authority at the 16
close of each award period the cumulative grade point average of 17
each Kentucky educational excellence scholarship recipie nt 18
enrolled as a full -time or part -time student at the participating 19
institution. 20
b. In addition to reporting the grade point average, beginning with 21
the 2010 -2011 academic year, each participating institution shall 22
certify to the authority at the close of each award period whether a 23
Kentucky educational excellence scholarship recipient who 24
initially enrolled in college in 2009 -2010 or thereafter is on track 25
to graduate. 26
7. Any student who loses eligibility through failure to maintain the 27
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required cumulativ e grade point average may regain eligibility in a 1
subsequent award period upon reestablishing at least a 2.5 cumulative 2
grade point average or its equivalent during a subsequent award period, 3
as certified by the participating institution. 4
(5) The expiration of a student's eight (8) academic terms and eight (8)[five (5)] year 5
eligibility shall be extended by the authority upon a determination that the student 6
was unable to enroll for or complete an academic term due to any of the following 7
circumstances: 8
(a) A serious and extended illness or injury of the student, certified by an 9
attending physician; 10
(b) The death or serious and extended illness or injury of an immediate family 11
member of the student, certified by an attending physician, which would 12
render the student unable to attend classes; 13
(c) Natural disasters that would render a student unable to attend classes; or 14
(d) 1. Active duty status for the student in the United States Armed Forces or 15
as an officer in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Pu blic 16
Health Service, or active service by the student in the Peace Corps Act 17
or the Americorps, for the total number of years during which the 18
student was on active duty status. The number of months served on 19
active duty status shall be rounded up to the n ext higher year to 20
determine the maximum length of eligibility extension allowed. 21
2. A student whose eligibility expired prior to July 15, 2008, due to the 22
three (3) year time limit on eligibility extensions imposed by this 23
paragraph prior to July 15, 2008 , shall have his or her eligibility 24
reinstated for the number of years beyond the three (3) years during 25
which he or she was on active duty status. The number of months served 26
on active duty status shall be rounded up to the next higher year to 27
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determine the maximum length of eligibility extension allowed. 1
(6) An eligible postsecondary student who is enrolled at a participating institution in a 2
five (5) year undergraduate degree program designated in an administrative 3
regulation promulgated by the authority shall be eligible to receive the Kentucky 4
educational excellence scholarship, the Kentucky educational excellence 5
scholarship and the supplemental award, or the supplemental award only for a 6
maximum of ten (10) academic terms [. The expiration of an eligib le postsecondary 7
student's five (5) year eligibility shall be extended to six (6) years for eligible 8
postsecondary students meeting the requirements of this subsection]. 9
(7) Each participating institution shall notify its students of their terms of eligibility. 10
(8) Each eligible high school student who attains a 28 or above on the ACT and a 4.0 11
grade point average for all four (4) years of high school shall be designated as a 12
"Senator Jeff Green Scholar" in honor of the late Senator Jeff Green of Mayfield, 13
Kentucky, First District, and shall be recognized by the high school in a manner 14
consistent with recognition given by the high school to other high levels of 15
academic achievement. 16
Section 2. KRS 164.7884 is amended to read as follows: 17
(1) As used in this section: 18
(a) "Academic year" means July 1 through June 30 of each year; 19
(b) "Apprentice" has the same meaning as in KRS 343.010; 20
(c) "Approved workforce solutions training program" means a local high -demand 21
work sector training program that is approved by the authority and is offered 22
by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System through 23
consultation with representatives of the local workforce development area and 24
the local Kentucky Community and Technical College System campus where 25
the program will be offered; 26
(d) "Eligible college of art and design" means a college that: 27
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1. Qualifies as a tax exempt organization pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of 1
the Internal Revenue Code: 2
2. Is conditionally or unconditionally licensed by the Council on 3
Postsecondary Education; 4
3. Is a candidate for accreditation by a regional accrediting association 5
recognized by the United States Department of Education; 6
4. Has its main campus physically located in Kentucky; 7
5. Limits its degree program offerings to the area of fine arts; and 8
6. Does not qualify as a participating institution as defined in KRS 9
164.7874; 10
(e) "Eligible student" means an eligible high s chool student who has graduated 11
from high school or a student eligible under KRS 164.7879(3)(e); 12
(f) "Proprietary school" means a school that: 13
1. Is licensed by the Kentucky Commission on Proprietary Education; 14
2. Has operated for at least five (5) years; 15
3. Has its headquarters or main campus physically located in Kentucky; 16
and 17
4. Does not qualify as a participating institution under KRS 164.7874(20); 18
(g) "Qualified proprietary school program" means a program offered by a 19
proprietary school that is in the field of agriculture as defined in KRS 246.010 20
or is in one (1) of Kentucky's top five (5) high -demand work sectors as 21
determined by the Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board; 22
(h) "Qualified workforce training program" means a program that is in one (1) of 23
Kentucky's top five (5) high -demand work sectors as determined by the 24
Kentucky Workforce Innovation Board; 25
(i) "Registered apprenticeship program" means an apprenticeship program that: 26
1. Is established in accordance with the requirements of KRS Chapter 343; 27
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2. Requires a minimum of two thousand (2,000) hours of on -the-job work 1
experience; 2
3. Requires a minimum of one hundred forty -four (144) hours of related 3
instruction for each year of the apprenticeship; and 4
4. Is approved by the Education and Labor Cabinet; 5
(j) "Related instruction" has the same meaning as in KRS 343.010; and 6
(k) "Sponsor" has the same meaning as in KRS 343.010. 7
(2) Notwithstanding KRS 164.7881, an eligible student who earned a KEES award 8
shall be eligible for a Kentucky educational excellence scholarship if the student 9
meets the requirements of this section and is: 10
(a) An apprentice in a registered apprenticeship program; 11
(b) Enrolled in a qualified workforce training program that has a current 12
articulation agreement for postsecondary credit hours with a participating 13
institution; 14
(c) Enrolled in a qualified proprietary school program; 15
(d) Enrolled in an approved workforce solutions training program; or 16
(e) Enrolled in an eligible college of art and design. 17
(3) (a) Beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year, an eligible student enrolled in a 18
registered apprenticeship program or, for the academic year beginning July 1, 19
2020, an eligible student enrolled in a qualified workforce training program 20
or, for the academic year beginning July 1, 2023, an eligible student enrolled 21
in a qualified proprietary school program, an approved workforce solutions 22
training program, or an eligible college of art and design, may receive 23
reimbursement of tuition, books, required tools, and other approved expenses 24
required for participation in the program, upon certification by the sponsor, 25
school, or college and approval by the authority. 26
(b) The reimbursement amount an eligible student may receive in an academic 27
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year shall not exceed the student's KEES award maximum. 1
(c) The total reimbursement amount an eligible student may receive under this 2
section shall not exceed the student's KEES award maximum multiplied by 3
four (4). 4
(4) Eligibility for a KEES scholarship under this section shall terminate upon the earlier 5
of: 6
(a) The expiration of eight (8) [five (5)] years following the eligible student's 7
graduation from high school or receiving a High School Equivalency 8
Diploma, except as provided in KRS 164.7881(5); or 9
(b) The eligible student's successful completion of the registered apprenticeship 10
program, qualified workforce training program, qualified proprietary school 11
program, or approved workforce solutions training program. 12
(5) The authority shall promulgate administrative regulations establishing the 13
procedures for making awards under this section in consultation with the [ 14
Kentucky] Education and Labor Cabinet and the Cabinet for[Kentucky] Economic 15
Development[ Cabinet]. 16