Bill Text: IN SB0577 | 2011 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Financial aid.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-05-18 - SECTIONS 3 through 23 effective 07/01/2011 [SB0577 Detail]
Download: Indiana-2011-SB0577-Amended.html
Citations Affected: IC 11-10; IC 21-12; IC 21-13; IC 21-14.
Effective: Upon passage; July 1, 2011.
January 20, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Appropriations.
February 3, 2011, amended, reported favorably _ Do Pass.
February 7, 2011, read second time, amended, ordered engrossed.
Digest Continued
that a twenty-first century scholarship may not be renewed unless the student has participated in appropriate intervention programs while attending the eligible postsecondary educational institution. Allows money to be transferred from the freedom of choice grant fund to the higher education award fund. Reduces the amount of the educational scholarship provided to a child of a parent with a military service related disability of less than 80% for an eligible applicant who is enrolled in a state educational institution. Provides that the scholarship reduction does not apply to a student who is enrolled in a state educational institution as of June 30, 2011, to a student who was a pupil at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's Home, or to a student whose parent received a Purple Heart decoration or was wounded in enemy action. Provides that only undergraduate fees are eligible for remission or scholarship awards.
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
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A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
education.
(1) is:
(A) convicted of a felony;
(B) sentenced to a term of imprisonment for that felony; and
(C) confined for that felony by the department; and
(2) enrolls in a degree program at an eligible institution (as defined in IC 21-12-1-8(2)) of higher education.
Chapter 1.5. Awards for Students With Associate Degree
Sec. 1. This chapter applies to an individual who:
(1) did not graduate from high school with a core 40 or
academic honors diploma;
(2) has received an associate degree;
(3) after receiving the associate degree, enrolls in a
baccalaureate degree program; and
(4) otherwise qualifies for an award.
Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "award" means any monetary
grant made by the commission from appropriations for higher
education awards or freedom of choice grants, federal funds, or
other appropriations, grants, gifts, or bequests.
Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "eligible student" refers to an
individual described in section 1 of this chapter.
Sec. 4. In determining awards, the commission may not provide
a higher level of award to an individual who graduates from high
school with a core 40 or academic honors diploma than an eligible
individual based solely on the fact that the eligible student did not
graduate from high school with a core 40 or academic honors
diploma.
Sec. 5. An eligible student is eligible for the same maximum
award as a similarly situated individual who graduates from high
school with a core 40 or academic honors diploma.
Sec. 6. 585 IAC 1-9-9 is void to the extent that it conflicts with
sections 4 and 5 of this chapter.
(1) The applicant is a resident of Indiana, as defined by the commission.
(2) The applicant:
(A) has successfully completed the program of instruction at an approved secondary school;
(B) has been granted a:
(i) high school equivalency certificate before July 1, 1995; or
(ii) state of Indiana general educational development (GED) diploma under IC 20-20-6 or IC 20-10.1-12.1 (before its repeal); or
(C) is a student in good standing at an approved secondary school and is engaged in a program that in due course will be completed by the end of the current academic year.
(3) The financial resources reasonably available to the applicant,
as defined by the commission, are such that, in the absence of a
higher education award under this chapter, the applicant would be
deterred from completing the applicant's education at the
approved postsecondary educational institution that the applicant
has selected and that has accepted the applicant. In determining
the financial resources reasonably available to an applicant to
whom IC 21-11-7 applies, the commission must consider the
financial resources of the applicant's legal parent. In determining
the financial resources of a student who receives no support
from the student's parent, the commission must consider
whether the student has received a Pell grant and must
include the Pell grant in the calculation of the student's
resources.
(4) The applicant will use the award initially at that approved
postsecondary educational institution.
(5) If the student is already enrolled in an approved postsecondary
educational institution, the applicant must be a full-time student
and be making satisfactory progress, as determined by the
commission, toward a first baccalaureate degree.
(6) The student declares, in writing, a specific educational
objective or course of study and enrolls in:
(A) courses that apply toward the requirements for completion
of that objective or course of study; or
(B) courses designed to help the student develop the basic
skills that the student needs to successfully achieve that
objective or continue in that course of study.
(b) This subsection applies to an individual who:
(1) meets the requirements set forth in subsection (a); and
(2) before the date that eligibility is determined by the
commission, has been placed by or with the consent of the
department of child services, by a court order, or by a licensed
child placing agency in:
(A) a foster family home;
(B) the home of a relative or other unlicensed caretaker;
(C) a child caring institution; or
(D) a group home.
The commission shall consider an individual to whom this subsection
applies as a full-need student under the commission's rules when
determining the eligibility of the individual to receive financial aid
administered by the commission under this chapter.
1, 2011]: Sec. 2. A higher education award recipient is not eligible for
assistance after the recipient has received an award for a total of eight
(8) semesters or twelve (12) quarters of undergraduate postsecondary
education, which may include not more than two (2) semesters of
summer school.
(1) convicted of a felony;
(2) sentenced to a term of imprisonment for that felony; and
(3) confined for that felony at a penal facility (as defined in IC 35-41-1-21).
remaining in the higher education award fund at the end of any fiscal
year does not revert to the state general fund but remains available to
be used for making higher education awards under this chapter.
(1) Be a resident of Indiana.
(2) Be:
(A) enrolled in
(i) public school; or
(ii) nonpublic school that is accredited either by the state board of education or by a national or regional accrediting agency whose accreditation is accepted as a school improvement plan under IC 20-31-4-2; or
(B) otherwise qualified under the rules of the commission that are adopted under IC 21-11-9-4 to include students who are in grades other than grade 8 as eligible students.
(3) Be eligible for free or reduced priced lunches under the
national school lunch program.
(4) Agree, in writing, together with the student's custodial parents
or guardian, that the student will:
(A) graduate from a secondary school located in Indiana that
meets the admission criteria of an eligible institution and
participate in an appropriate intervention program, as
provided by commission rules and rules of the commission
for higher education, while attending secondary school and
while attending an eligible institution;
(B) not illegally use controlled substances (as defined in
IC 35-48-1-9);
(C) not commit a crime or an infraction described in
IC 9-30-5;
(D) not commit any other crime or delinquent act (as described
in IC 31-37-1-2 or IC 31-37-2-2 through IC 31-37-2-5 (or
IC 31-6-4-1(a)(1) through IC 31-6-4-1(a)(5) before their
repeal));
(E) timely apply, when the eligible student is a senior in high
school:
(i) for admission to an eligible institution; and
(ii) for any federal and state student financial assistance
available to the eligible student to attend an eligible
institution; and
(F) achieve a cumulative grade point average upon graduation
of at least:
(i) 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale (or its equivalent if another
grading scale is used) for courses taken during grades 9, 10,
11, and 12, for a student entering grade 9, 10, 11, or 12
for the 2011-2012 school year; or
(ii) 2.5 on a 4.0 grading scale (or its equivalent if another
grading scale is used) for courses taken during grades 9,
10, 11, and 12, for a student entering grade 7 or 8 for the
2011-2012 school year or any school year thereafter.
(b) A student is qualified to participate in the program if the student:
(1) before or during grade 7 or grade 8, is placed by or with the
consent of the department of child services, by a court order, or by
a child placing agency in:
(A) a foster family home;
(B) the home of a relative or other unlicensed caretaker;
(C) a child caring institution; or
(D) a group home;
(2) agrees in writing, together with the student's caseworker (as
defined in IC 31-9-2-11), to the conditions set forth in subsection
(a)(4); and
(3) except as provided in subdivision (2), otherwise meets the
requirements of subsection (a).
(1) Be an eligible student who qualified to participate in the program under section 5 of this chapter.
(2) Be a resident of Indiana.
(3) Be a graduate from a secondary school located in Indiana that meets the admission criteria of an eligible institution.
(4) Have applied to attend and be accepted to attend as a full-time student an eligible institution.
(5) Certify in writing that the student has:
(A) not illegally used controlled substances (as defined in IC 35-48-1-9);
(B) not illegally consumed alcoholic beverages;
(C) not committed any other crime or a delinquent act (as described in IC 31-37-1-2 or IC 31-37-2-2 through IC 31-37-2-5 (or IC 31-6-4-1(a)(1) through IC 31-6-4-1(a)(5) before their repeal));
(D) timely filed an application for other types of financial assistance available to the student from the state or federal government; and
(E) participated in an appropriate intervention program while attending secondary school.
(6) Submit to the commission all the information and evidence required by the commission to determine eligibility as a scholarship applicant.
(7) Meet any other minimum criteria established by the commission.
(b) A scholarship may not be renewed unless the student has participated in appropriate intervention programs while attending the eligible institution.
(b) A scholarship awarded under this chapter may be used only for the payment of tuition or fees that are:
(1) approved by the state educational institution that awards the scholarship; and
(2) not otherwise payable under any other scholarship or form of financial assistance specifically designated for tuition or fees.
(c) Subject to section 8(c) of this chapter, each scholarship awarded under this chapter is renewable under section 9 of this chapter for a total number of terms that does not exceed eight (8) undergraduate full-time semesters (or the equivalent) or twelve (12) undergraduate full-time quarters (or the equivalent).
(1) eight (8) undergraduate full-time (or part-time equivalent) semesters; or
(2) twelve (12) undergraduate full-time (or part-time equivalent) quarters.
(1) may be renewed under this chapter for a total scholarship award that does not exceed the equivalent of eight (8)
undergraduate semesters; and
(2) is subject to other eligibility criteria as established by the
commission.
(b) The maximum amount that an eligible applicant is exempt from paying for a semester hour is an amount equal to the cost of an undergraduate semester credit hour at the state educational institution in which the eligible applicant enrolls.
(c) This subsection applies to an individual who qualifies as an eligible applicant under section 1(3) of this chapter because the individual's father or mother suffered a disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. This subsection does not apply to an individual who is an eligible applicant under section 1(3) of this chapter and who as of June 30, 2011, is enrolled in a state educational institution, or to an individual who also qualifies as an eligible applicant under section 1(1) or 1(2) of this chapter. Subject to subsection (b), the eligible applicant is entitled to a reduction in the educational costs that would otherwise apply as follows:
(1) If the individual's father or mother suffered a disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs with a rating of eighty percent (80%) or more, the individual is entitled to a one hundred percent (100%) reduction in education costs.
(2) If the individual's father or mother suffered a disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs with a rating of less than eighty percent (80%), the individual is entitled to a reduction in education costs equal to the sum of:
(A) twenty percent (20%); plus
(B) the disability rating of the individual's father or mother.
SECTION 255, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
[EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2011]: Sec. 5. (a) Determination of eligibility
for higher education benefits authorized under this chapter is vested
exclusively in the Indiana department of veterans' affairs. Any
applicant for benefits under this chapter may make a written request for
a determination of eligibility by the Indiana department of veterans'
affairs. The director or deputy director of the Indiana department of
veterans' affairs shall make a written determination of eligibility in
response to each request. In determining the amount of an applicant's
benefit, the commission shall consider other higher education financial
assistance in conformity with this chapter.
(b) The commission shall administer the benefits and ensure
compliance with this chapter.
(b) The maximum amount that an eligible applicant is exempt from paying for a semester hour is an amount equal to the cost of an undergraduate semester credit hour at the state educational institution in which the eligible applicant enrolls.
twenty-four (124) undergraduate semester credit hours.
(b) The maximum amount that an eligible applicant is exempt from paying for a semester hour is an amount equal to the cost of an undergraduate semester credit hour at the state educational institution in which the eligible applicant enrolls.