Hathaway scholarship eligibility.

ORIGINAL
Senate
File No
.
SF0015

ENROLLED ACT NO. 16,

SENATE

SIXTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2016 Budget Session

AN ACT relating to the Hathaway Scholarship Program; replacing the American College Test requirements for scholarship eligibility; defining national percentile rank; defining minimum national percentile ranks for scholarship eligibility as specified; eliminating fully executed reporting requirements; specifying application; repealing a definition; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section
1
.

W.S.
21
‑
16
‑
1301(a) by creating a new paragraph (xx),
21
‑
16
‑
1303
(b)(iii)(C)
, 21
‑
16
‑
1304
(a)(i)
(intro), (ii)(intro)

and
(iii)
(intro)
, 21
‑
16
‑
1305
(a)(i)
(intro)
, 21
‑
16
‑
1307
(g)
and 21
‑
16
‑
1308
(b)(iii)(C) and (c)(vii)
are amended to read:

21
‑
16
‑
1301
.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(xx)

"
National percentile rank
"
means the percentage of scores that fall at or below a given score on a standardized college entrance examination. For purposes of this article, the national percentile ranks are the
foundation
of an equi
‑
percentile linking method, based on student perfor
mance in school year 2015
‑
2016,
to determine the scores
required
on a standardized college entrance examination
for
scholarship eligibility
.

21
‑
16
‑
1303
.

Hathaway scholarship program; eligibility requirements.

(b)

Under the Hathaway scholarship program, subject to availability of funds as determined by the legislature, the state shall provide a scholarship pursuant to W.S. 21
‑
16
‑
1304 and 21
‑
16
‑
1305 to any student who has been accepted by and enrolls in an eligible institution to
pursue a degree or certificate, and who meets the following qualifications:

(iii)

The student has:

(C)

The minimum high school cumulative grade point average and minimum
composite ACT
sc
ore, as determined through
an

equi
‑
percen
tile linking method
,
on a college entrance

exa
mination administered throughout the United States and relied upon by institutions of higher education to determine acceptance of students for attendance

or
minimum

cumulative WORKKEYS score specified under this article for the type of scholarship to be awarded.

21
‑
16
‑
1304
.

Hathaway opportunity, performance and honor scholarships.

(a)

Any student who meets the criteria under W.S. 21
‑
16
‑
1303 is eligible to receive a scholarship to pursue a degree or certificate as follows:

(i)

With a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.50 and a
composite ACT score of at least nineteen (19)

score
equal to or greater than
the
2015
‑
2016
national
percentile rank
of forty
‑
three (43
)
on a

college entrance
examination administered throughout the United States and relied upon by institutions of higher education to determine acceptance of students for attendance
, a Hathaway opportunity scholarship for:

(ii)

With a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 and a
composite ACT score of at least twenty
‑
one (21)

score
equal to or greater than
the

2015
‑
2016
national
p
ercentile rank of fifty
‑
six (56
)
on
a college entrance
examination administered throughout the United States and relied upon by institutions of higher education to determine acceptance of students for attendance
, a Hathaway performance scholarship for:

(iii)

With a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 and a
composite ACT score of at least twenty
‑
five (25)

score
equal to or greater than
the

2015
‑
2016
national
percentile rank of
seventy
‑
nine
(79
)
on an examination administered throughout the United States and relied upon
by institutions of higher education to determine acceptance of students for attendance
, a Hathaway honor scholarship for:

21
‑
16
‑
1305
.

Hathaway provisional opportunity scholarships.

(a)

Any student who meets the criteria under W.S. 21
‑
16
‑
1303 is eligible to receive a Hathaway provisional opportunity scholarship to pursue a certificate or degree as follows:

(i)

With a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.50 and either a
composite ACT score of at least seventeen (17)
score
equal to or greater than
the
2015
‑
2016
national percentile rank of thirty
_(
30)

on a college entrance
examination administered throughout the United States and relied upon by institutions of higher education to determine acceptance of students for attendance

or a cumulative score of at least twelve (12) points on applied math, reading for information and locating information on WORKKEYS tests, a scholarship for:

21
‑
16
‑
1307
.

Success curriculum; test standards.

(g)

Not later than October 1, 2007, October 1, 2008, October 1, 2009, and by October 1
I
n each odd
‑
numbered year
,

thereafter,

the department, in consultation with the University of Wyoming, Wyoming community colleges and the community college commission, shall report to the governor and the joint education interim committee of the legislature on recommendations for modifications to the success curriculum requirements, minimum cumulative GPA and minimum
composite ACT
national percentile rank scores

or
minimum

cumulative WORKKEYS scores contained in this article and recommendations for the adoption of statewide student assessment standards and scores to augment qualifying
ACT

national
percentile rankings
or WORKKEYS scores, all to ensure that the Hathaway scholarship program is designed to provide the desired incentives for students to pursue a rigorous curriculum and strive to achieve academic success. The report shall also include any additional resources which school districts, particularly those school districts granted exemptions for students under paragraph (f
)(
ii) of this section, may require to provide the success curriculum. The cumulative GPA
requirements for performance under the success curriculum shall not be restricted to those courses comprising the success curriculum, but shall be applied comprehensively to all courses included within each scholarship student
'
s high school curriculum.

21
‑
16
‑
1308
.

Administration; rules and regulations.

(b)

The department shall, in consultation with University of Wyoming and community college admissions officers, the Wyoming community college commission and financial aid officers and school districts, promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement this article, including:

(iii)

Criteria and procedures under which students in a home
‑
based educational program can qualify for scholarships under this article. A student in a home
‑
based educational program:

(C)

Who is otherwise eligible and who achieves the requisite
composite ACT
minimum national percentile rank
score

or
requisite

cumulative WORKKEYS
score shall be eligible for the scholarships provided under this article at the same level and to the same extent as students graduating from eligible high schools.

(c)

The department shall establish annual reporting procedures for purposes of policy analysis and program evaluation and providing accurate data to the legislature and governor relative to the program
'
s impact on the state and on students. In developing the annual reporting procedure the department shall consult with the University of Wyoming and community college financial aid officers and registrars or their designees. It is the intention of the legislature that the reporting system and the requirements thereof shall be applicable to all recipients of scholarships under this article. Compliance with this section shall be made a condition of receiving a scholarship under this article. For any student attending more than one (1) eligible institution, the home institution shall be responsible for data reporting for that student, and any other eligible institution shall cooperate as necessary with the home institution to fulfill that duty. The reporting system shall include the following information:

(vii)

Statistical studies on the relationship between the courses taken and grades earned by a high school student and the student
'
s
score on the ACT

score
associated with the
2015
‑
2016
national
percentile rank
ings
,
on an examination administered throughout the United States and relied upon by institutions of higher education to determine acceptance of students for attendance
or
score on the

WORKKEYS test. Relative to public high schools, such statistical studies shall use student course and grade data that is otherwise available from the schools and such studies shall be conducted at no additional cost to the governing authority of any public high school;

Section 2
.

W.S. 21
‑
16
‑
1301(
a)(iii) is repealed.

Section 3
.

This act shall
apply to
scholarships available to eligible
high school
students graduating school year 2016
‑
2017 and each year thereafter.

Section 4
.

This act is effective
immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of
the Wyoming Constitution
.

(END)

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