CHAPTER 16
FUTURE READY IOWA SKILLED WORKFORCE GRANT PROGRAM
283—16.1(261) Basis for aid. Assistance available under the future ready Iowa skilled workforce grant program is for Iowa residents who are aged 25 or older and are enrolled in approved programs aligned with high-demand jobs.
[ARC 7130C, IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]
283—16.2(261) Definitions. As used in this chapter:
“Approved program” means an eligible program of study as defined in 283—Chapter 10 that is approved through the process described in 283—16.6(261).
“Continuous enrollment” means an eligible student is enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis in successive fall and spring semesters, or the equivalent, after receiving the award. Enrollment in the summer semester is not required to meet this condition.
“Eligible institution” meets the criteria in Iowa Code section 261.132 and the provisions of 283—16.7(261).
“Full-time” means the same as defined in 283—10.2(261).
“Iowa resident” means the same as defined in 283—10.2(261).
“Part-time” means enrollment in at least 6 but less than 12 hours per semester, or the equivalent. An eligible student may enroll in fewer than six semester hours, or the equivalent, in the semester that the credential will be completed if part-time enrollment is not required to complete the program of study.
“Satisfactory academic progress” means the same as defined in 283—10.2(261).
“Semester” means the fall, spring, or summer term of enrollment at an eligible institution, if the eligible institution is on a semester system, or the equivalent, if the institution is on a system other than a semester system.
[ARC 7130C, IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]
283—16.3(261) Eligible applicant. An eligible applicant is an Iowa resident who is enrolled full-time or part-time in an approved program at an eligible institution and who meets the following provisions:
	1.	Annually completes the applications the college student aid commission (commission) deems necessary on or before the date established by the commission and attends orientation, registers for classes with an academic advisor, and participates in career advising sessions.
	2.	Meets satisfactory academic progress standards, does not meet a condition in 283—subrule 10.3(1), and upon receipt of the grant, maintains continuous full-time or part-time enrollment during successive fall and spring semesters.
	3.	Is aged 25 or older as of July 1 prior to the year of enrollment.
[ARC 7130C, IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]
283—16.4(261) Awarding of funds.
	16.4(1) Selection criteria. All eligible applicants will be considered for an award.
	16.4(2) Extent of award and maximum award. Eligible applicants may receive no more than the equivalent of four full-time awards. The maximum award will be established annually by the commission but will not be less than $1,000 for a full-time student over the course of the fall and spring semesters.
	16.4(3) Priority for awards. In the event that funds available are insufficient to provide maximum awards to all eligible applicants, awards are prioritized in the following order:
	a. 	Eligible applicants who received the grant in the prior state fiscal year, by application date.
	b. 	Eligible applicants who did not receive the grant in the prior state fiscal year, by application date.
	16.4(4) Awarding process.
	a. 	The commission will provide notice of the eligibility criteria and maximum award to participating eligible institutions annually to authorize awarding.
	b. 	The commission will designate eligible applicants for awards and provide eligible institutions with rosters of designated eligible applicants.
	c. 	Eligible institutions will notify recipients of the awards, clearly indicating the award amount and the state program from which funding is being provided and stating that the award is contingent on the availability of state funds.
	d. 	Eligible institutions will apply awards directly to student accounts to cover items included in the cost of attendance, as defined in Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as of July 1, 2023.
	e. 	Eligible institutions will provide information about eligible applicants to the commission in a format specified by the commission. Eligible institutions will make necessary changes to awards due to a change in enrollment, program of study, and financial situation, and promptly report those changes to the commission.
	f. 	Eligible institutions will complete necessary verification and coordinate other aid to ensure compliance with student eligibility requirements and allowable award amounts. Eligible institutions will report changes in student eligibility to the commission.
	g. 	The commission will periodically investigate and review compliance of eligible institutions participating in this program with the criteria established in Iowa Code section 261.132 and this rule.
[ARC 7130C, IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]
283—16.5(261) Exceptions. If an eligible applicant discontinues enrollment at the eligible institution due to military deployment, a temporary medical incapacity, in relation to a declaration of a national or state emergency, or other exceptional circumstances approved by the commission, the eligible applicant may apply for a waiver. If the waiver is approved, the eligible applicant is not required to maintain continuous enrollment during the period covered by the waiver.
[ARC 7130C, IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]
283—16.6(261) Determination of programs of study aligned with high-demand jobs.
	16.6(1) High-demand jobs. The commission will utilize the department of workforce development’s most recent list of statewide high-demand jobs pursuant to Iowa Code section 84A.1B(14) and align those jobs to eligible programs of study.
	16.6(2) Eligible programs of study. The eligible institution will offer a baccalaureate degree that is aligned with a high-demand job. The classification of instructional program code and the standard occupation code will be used to align eligible programs of study to high-demand jobs.
	16.6(3) Designation. Eligible institutions will designate the eligible programs of study offered in the corresponding academic year.
	16.6(4) Approved program. Before an eligible program of study is considered an approved program of study, the department of workforce development and the commission will jointly certify that the program of study is aligned with a high-demand job pursuant to Iowa Code section 84A.1B(14).
	16.6(5) Grandfather clause. If the state workforce development board removes a high-demand job from a list created pursuant to Iowa Code section 84A.1B(14), an eligible applicant who received an award in a program of study aligned with that high-demand job will continue to receive the award as long as the eligible applicant continues to meet all other eligibility criteria.
[ARC 7130C, IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]
283—16.7(261) Institution eligibility requirements.
	16.7(1) Application process. An institution requesting to participate in the program may apply to the commission using the commission’s designated application. An applicant institution will provide the commission with documentation establishing the applicant institution’s eligibility as an eligible institution that offers eligible programs of study. Applicant institutions will submit the application and documentation establishing the applicant institution’s eligibility before October 1 of the year prior to the beginning of the academic year for which the applicant institution is applying for participation.
	16.7(2) Public information. A list of all eligible programs of study, as well as the necessary courses and the suggested course sequence, will be available in a prominent location on the eligible institution’s website.
[ARC 7130C, IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 261.132.
[Filed ARC 4608C (Notice ARC 4473C, IAB 6/5/19), IAB 8/14/19, effective 9/18/19]
[Filed Emergency After Notice ARC 7130C (Notice ARC 7100C, IAB 10/4/23), IAB 12/13/23, effective 11/17/23]