Senate Study Bill 3145 SENATE FILE BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CO=CHAIRPERSON CONNOLLY) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act creating a twenty=first century Iowa scholars program and 2 fund to be administered by the college student aid commission, 3 and requiring the commission to conduct a twenty=first century 4 Iowa scholars program promotion and support study. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 5170SK 81 7 kh/je/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. TWENTY=FIRST CENTURY IOWA SCHOLARS PROGRAM 1 2 PROMOTION AND SUPPORT STUDY. The college student aid 1 3 commission shall conduct a study of the promotional and 1 4 support components needed to make Iowa students who are 1 5 potentially eligible for the twenty=first century Iowa 1 6 scholars program aware of the program and enthusiastic about 1 7 participating in the program. The commission shall also 1 8 develop a plan to promote the program, provide information 1 9 about the program and easy access to program forms and 1 10 applications, and encourage participation in the program by 1 11 potentially eligible students. The plan shall provide for a 1 12 web page, special scholar publication, a toll=free telephone 1 13 number, and the placement and utilization of up to fifteen 1 14 regional program support sites. The regional support sites 1 15 shall provide tutoring, mentoring, summer camps, cultural and 1 16 arts outings, sports and recreational activities, college 1 17 visits, career preparation, job shadowing, internships, study 1 18 skills, literacy programs, newsletters, community service 1 19 projects, and parent activities. The commission shall 1 20 identify the amount anticipated to be necessary to provide 1 21 funding for the scholarships, based on the results of the 1 22 study and preliminary estimates of the number of eligible 1 23 eighth grade pupils. The commission shall submit its plan, 1 24 findings, recommendations, and a fiscal analysis of the plan 1 25 to the senate and house of representatives standing committees 1 26 on education not later than December 15, 2006. 1 27 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 261.27 TWENTY=FIRST CENTURY IOWA 1 28 SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND FUND. 1 29 1. PROGRAM == ELIGIBILITY. A twenty=first century Iowa 1 30 scholars program is established to be administered by the 1 31 college student aid commission. A person who meets the 1 32 following requirements is eligible for the program: 1 33 a. Is a resident of Iowa and a citizen of the United 1 34 States or a lawful permanent resident. 1 35 b. Is a student enrolled in grade seven or grade eight in 2 1 a school district or accredited nonpublic school in Iowa, and 2 2 agrees in writing, on a document also signed by the student's 2 3 parent or guardian, that the student will: 2 4 (1) Graduate from a public or accredited nonpublic high 2 5 school in Iowa whose curricula meets the admission criteria of 2 6 a community college, an institution of higher learning under 2 7 the control of the state board of regents, or an accredited 2 8 private institution as defined in section 261.9. 2 9 (2) Achieve a cumulative grade point average upon 2 10 graduation of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 grading scale, or its 2 11 equivalent if another grading scale is used, for courses taken 2 12 by the student in grades nine through twelve. 2 13 (3) Not illegally use controlled substances as defined in 2 14 section 124.101. 2 15 (4) Not use tobacco products. 2 16 (5) Not operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated as 2 17 prohibited by section 321J.2 or 321J.2A. 2 18 (6) Not commit a delinquent act as defined in section 2 19 232.2; or become a runaway child as defined in section 710.8; 2 20 or a truant, as defined in section 299.8. 2 21 c. Is a child receiving foster care services paid for by 2 22 the state under section 234.35 or funded in whole or in part 2 23 under Title IV=E of the federal Social Security Act; or is a 2 24 child eligible for free or reduced price meals under the 2 25 federal National School Lunch Act and the federal Child 2 26 Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. } 1751=1785. 2 27 d. Applies in a timely manner for admission to a community 2 28 college, an institution of higher learning under the control 2 29 of the state board of regents, or an accredited private 2 30 institution as defined in section 261.9 and is accepted for 2 31 admission. 2 32 e. Applies in a timely manner for any federal and state 2 33 student financial assistance available to the student to 2 34 attend a community college, an institution of higher learning 2 35 under the control of the state board of regents, or an 3 1 accredited private institution as defined in section 261.9. 3 2 f. Files a new application, and parents' confidential 3 3 statement, as applicable, annually on the basis of which the 3 4 applicant's eligibility for a renewed scholarship will be 3 5 evaluated and determined. 3 6 2. FUND ESTABLISHED. A twenty=first century Iowa scholars 3 7 fund is created in the state treasury as a separate fund under 3 8 the control of the commission. All moneys deposited or paid 3 9 into the fund are appropriated and made available to the 3 10 college student aid commission to be used for scholarships for 3 11 students meeting all of the requirements of this section, 3 12 including meeting the requirements agreed to in subsection 1, 3 13 paragraph "b". The commission shall deposit refunds paid to 3 14 the commission in accordance with subsection 3 into the 3 15 twenty=first century Iowa scholars fund. Notwithstanding 3 16 section 8.33, any balance in the fund on June 30 of each 3 17 fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund of the state, 3 18 but shall be available for the purposes of this section in 3 19 subsequent fiscal years. Scholarships awarded pursuant to 3 20 this section shall not exceed the resident tuition rate and 3 21 mandatory fees for the program of enrollment established for 3 22 institutions of higher learning under the control of the state 3 23 board of regents. 3 24 3. DISCONTINUATION OF ATTENDANCE == REMITTANCE. If the 3 25 commission finds that a student receiving a scholarship under 3 26 the program discontinues attendance before the end of any 3 27 academic period or has violated the agreement signed pursuant 3 28 to subsection 1, but the discontinuance or violation of the 3 29 agreement occurs after scholarship moneys have been paid for 3 30 the academic period, the entire amount of any refund due the 3 31 student, up to the amount of any payments made by the state, 3 32 shall be remitted by the postsecondary institution to the 3 33 commission. 3 34 4. EXTENT OF SCHOLARSHIP. A qualified resident student in 3 35 good standing at a community college, an institution of higher 4 1 learning under the control of the state board of regents, or 4 2 an accredited private institution as defined in section 261.9 4 3 may receive scholarships for not more than eight semesters of 4 4 undergraduate study or the trimester or quarter equivalent if 4 5 attending the institution on a full=time basis, or for not 4 6 more than sixteen semesters of undergraduate study or the 4 7 trimester or quarter equivalent if attending on a part=time 4 8 basis. A qualified resident student may defer acceptance of 4 9 scholarships awarded under this section for up to two years 4 10 following the student's graduation from high school in order 4 11 that the student may pursue military or other obligations. 4 12 5. MENTORING PROGRAMS OFFERED BY INSTITUTIONS. Each 4 13 community college, institution of higher learning under the 4 14 control of the state board of regents, or accredited private 4 15 institution which enrolls a student receiving a scholarship in 4 16 accordance with this section shall develop a specific 4 17 mentoring program to assist the scholarship recipients through 4 18 particularized academic and social counseling. 4 19 EXPLANATION 4 20 This bill creates a twenty=first century Iowa scholars 4 21 program and fund to be administered by the college student aid 4 22 commission to provide scholarships to pay the postsecondary 4 23 costs of tuition and mandatory fees for Iowa students who are 4 24 eligible for free or reduced price meals or are receiving 4 25 foster care who agree, in writing, in grade seven or eight, to 4 26 graduate with a 2.0 point or better grade point average, to 4 27 refrain from illegal drug use, committing delinquent acts, 4 28 driving while intoxicated, tobacco use, and truancy. The bill 4 29 also requires the commission to conduct a study of the program 4 30 and to submit its plan, findings, recommendations, and a 4 31 fiscal analysis of the plan to the senate and house of 4 32 representatives standing committees on education not later 4 33 than December 15, 2006. 4 34 To establish eligibility, students must establish financial 4 35 need, meet all program eligibility requirements including 5 1 those agreed to in grade seven or eight, and apply for and be 5 2 accepted by an accredited postsecondary institution in Iowa. 5 3 A qualified resident student in good standing at an 5 4 accredited postsecondary institution may receive scholarships 5 5 for not more than eight semesters of undergraduate study or 5 6 the trimester or quarter equivalent if attending the 5 7 institution on a full=time basis, or for not more than 16 5 8 semesters or the trimester or quarter equivalent if attending 5 9 on a part=time basis. The student must annually file a new 5 10 application for review and evaluation of continued 5 11 eligibility. The student may also defer participation in the 5 12 scholarship program for up to two years in order to pursue 5 13 military or other obligations. 5 14 Each institution which enrolls a student receiving a 5 15 scholarship must develop a specific mentoring program to 5 16 assist the scholarship recipients through particularized 5 17 academic and social counseling. 5 18 The twenty=first century Iowa scholars fund is created in 5 19 the state treasury as a separate fund under the control of the 5 20 commission. All moneys deposited or paid into the fund are 5 21 appropriated and made available to the college student aid 5 22 commission to be used for scholarships as provided in this 5 23 section. 5 24 The plan the commission is charged with developing must 5 25 provide for a web page, special scholar publication, a toll= 5 26 free telephone number, and the placement and utilization of up 5 27 to 15 regional program support sites. The sites must provide 5 28 tutoring, mentoring, summer camps, cultural and arts outings, 5 29 sports and recreational activities, college visits, career 5 30 preparation, job shadowing, internships, study skills, 5 31 literacy programs, newsletters, community service projects, 5 32 and parent activities. The commission is also charged with 5 33 identifying the amount anticipated to be necessary to provide 5 34 funding for the scholarships, based on the results of the 5 35 study and preliminary estimates of the number of eligible 6 1 eighth grade pupils. 6 2 LSB 5170SK 81 6 3 kh:rj/je/5